George Bush Intercontinental Airport
Houston, United StatesIAH / KIAH
International hub · 159 direct destinations · 5 runways · longest runway 12,001 ft
74 °F · CloudySource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
Houston → Chicago
IAH
HoustonGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport
HoustonGeorge Bush Intercontinental AirportORDChicagoChicago O'Hare International Airport
ChicagoChicago O'Hare International Airport- Distance
- 926 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~2h 20m
Same local time in Houston and Chicago.
Observed nonstop
How often does this route fly?
Frequency
Throughout the day
On average around 16 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.
- 16
- flights per day
- 18
- busiest month · Sep
- 14
- quietest month · Jan
- 2 hr 5 min
- measured flight time
- 12 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- 14Jan2026
- 15Feb
- 15Mar
- 17Apr
- 17May
- 16Jun
- 17Jul
- 17Aug
- 18Sep
- 16Oct2025
- 15Nov
- 15Dec
Airlines
Who flies it
United Airlinesall year
American Airlinesall year
Frontier Airlinesall year
Republic Airwaysall year
Envoy Airwinter
Spirit Airlineswinter
Through the day
Departure times
Local time in Houston. Most departures between 06:00 and 09:00.
- 00:00
- 01:00
- 02:00
- 03:00
- 04:00
- 05:00
- 06:00
- 07:00
- 08:00
- 09:00
- 10:00
- 11:00
- 12:00
- 13:00
- 14:00
- 15:00
- 16:00
- 17:00
- 18:00
- 19:00
- 20:00
- 21:00
- 22:00
- 23:00
Through the week
By weekday
- 16.1Mon
- 15.2Tue
- 14.4Wed
- 15.1Thu
- 16.2Fri
- 16Sat
- 15.3Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Airbus A321neoA21N36%
- Boeing 737-900B73917%
- Boeing 737 MAX 9B39M16%
- Embraer 175E75L7%
- Boeing 737-800B7387%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 14 | 427 |
|
| February 2026 | 15 | 412 |
|
| March 2026 | 15 | 457 |
|
| April 2026 | 17 | 457 |
|
| May 2026 | 17 | 465 |
|
| June 2026 | 16 | 470 |
|
| July 2026 | 17 | 517 |
|
| August 2026 | 17 | 497 |
|
| September 2026 | 18 | 531 |
|
| October 2025 | 16 | 496 |
|
| November 2025 | 15 | 437 |
|
| December 2025 | 15 | 413 |
|
Airlines observed on this route
From observed callsign routes on IAH-ORD - not a booking guarantee.
About this route
- Domestic route: both airports are in the same country.
- The opposite direction has also been observed as a direct connection.
- Direct destinations observed from Houston: 159.
- Direct destinations observed from Chicago: 259.
The airports on this route
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Chicago, United StatesORD / KORD
International hub · 259 direct destinations · 8 runways · longest runway 12,999 ft
52 °F · RainSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Alternative airports for this journey
Same journey, a different airport nearby - with an observed direct connection.
About the route from Houston to Chicago
The observed direct connection between George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) covers approximately 926 mi. The estimated flight time is around 2h 20m. American Airlines, Envoy Air, Frontier Airlines, Republic Airways, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines have been observed on this connection in the available route data.
Frequently asked questions about this route
- How far is Houston from Chicago by air?
- The great-circle distance between George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport is approximately 926 mi.
- How long is the flight from Houston to Chicago?
- Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 2h 20m. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
- Is there a direct connection from Houston to Chicago?
- Yes, a direct connection between IAH and ORD has been observed in our route data.
- Which airlines have been observed on this route?
- In the available route data: American Airlines, Envoy Air, Frontier Airlines, Republic Airways, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines.
- How often is there a flight from Houston to Chicago?
- On average around 16 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 5,579 observed flights. Mainly United Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines. That is an observation, not a timetable.
- What is the current time difference between Houston and Chicago?
- Same local time in Houston and Chicago.
Where this data comes from
The route data comes from the flight archive (ADS-B, adsb.lol): which connections actually flew over the last twelve full months and who flew them, combined with our own airport, runway, and airline datasets. It is reference data about observed routes - not a current timetable and no claim about bookability.
The frequency and aircraft on this page come from the flight archive (ADS-B, 12 months, October 2025 to September 2026), summarized per route per month. We do not see every flight, so it is a floor, not a count.
Route data updated on October 11, 2026.