Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
Ottawa, CanadaYOW / CYOW
Major airport · 56 direct destinations · 3 runways · longest runway 10,000 ft
45 °F · RainSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
Ottawa → Chicago
YOW
OttawaOttawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport
OttawaOttawa Macdonald-Cartier International AirportORD
ChicagoChicago O'Hare International Airport
ChicagoChicago O'Hare International Airport- Distance
- 653 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~1h 50m
Chicago is currently 1 hour behind Ottawa.
Observed nonstop
How often does this route fly?
Frequency
A couple of times a day
On average around 3 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.
- 3
- flights per day
- 3
- busiest month · Oct
- 2
- quietest month · Dec
- 1 hr 45 min
- measured flight time
- 12 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- 2Jan2026
- 2.5Feb
- 3Mar
- 3Apr
- 3May
- 3Jun
- 3Jul
- 3Aug
- 3Sep
- 3Oct2025
- 3Nov
- 2Dec
Airlines
Who flies it
Republic Airwaysall year
United Airlinessummer
GoJet Airlines LLCwinter
Through the day
Departure times
Local time in Ottawa. 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
- 2.5Mon
- 2.6Tue
- 2.6Wed
- 2.6Thu
- 2.7Fri
- 2.7Sat
- 2.7Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Embraer 175E75L73%
- Airbus A319A31912%
- Bombardier CRJ700CRJ77%
- Embraer 170E1703%
- Airbus A320A3202%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 2 | 53 |
|
| February 2026 | 2.5 | 69 |
|
| March 2026 | 3 | 82 |
|
| April 2026 | 3 | 84 |
|
| May 2026 | 3 | 81 |
|
| June 2026 | 3 | 85 |
|
| July 2026 | 3 | 86 |
|
| August 2026 | 3 | 83 |
|
| September 2026 | 3 | 90 |
|
| October 2025 | 3 | 86 |
|
| November 2025 | 3 | 82 |
|
| December 2025 | 2 | 64 |
|
Airlines observed on this route
From observed callsign routes on YOW-ORD - not a booking guarantee.
About this route
- International route: Ottawa and Chicago are in different countries.
- The opposite direction has also been observed as a direct connection.
- Direct destinations observed from Ottawa: 56.
- 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
51 °F · CloudySource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
About the route from Ottawa to Chicago
The observed direct connection between Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) covers approximately 653 mi. The estimated flight time is around 1h 50m. GoJet Airlines LLC, Republic Airways and United Airlines have been observed on this connection in the available route data.
Frequently asked questions about this route
- How far is Ottawa from Chicago by air?
- The great-circle distance between Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport is approximately 653 mi.
- How long is the flight from Ottawa to Chicago?
- Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 1h 50m. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
- Is there a direct connection from Ottawa to Chicago?
- Yes, a direct connection between YOW and ORD has been observed in our route data.
- Which airlines have been observed on this route?
- In the available route data: GoJet Airlines LLC, Republic Airways and United Airlines.
- How often is there a flight from Ottawa to Chicago?
- On average around 3 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 945 observed flights. Mainly Republic Airways, United Airlines, GoJet Airlines LLC. That is an observation, not a timetable.
- What is the current time difference between Ottawa and Chicago?
- Chicago is currently 1 hour behind Ottawa.
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.