Chicago O'Hare to Phoenix Sky Harbor
1437 miles great-circle distance, typically flown in 3h 17m with 5 airlines operating direct service from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX). Cheapest fares are usually in Jun (around $122 return), with peak prices in Jun (around $122). Departures on a Tuesday tend to undercut weekend prices on this corridor.
Flying from Chicago O'Hare
Chicago O'Hare is one of America's two busiest hubs and the home base for both United and American — Terminals 1 and 2 belong to United, Terminal 3 to American, and Terminal 5 handles all international arrivals. The CTA Blue Line runs from a station at the airport to downtown Loop in around 45 minutes for $5. Winter weather drives chronic delays from late November through February, so build in connection padding through ORD between Thanksgiving and President's Day.
Arriving in Phoenix
Phoenix Sky Harbor is 4 miles east of downtown Phoenix — one of the most central airports in the US after BOS and DCA. Valley Metro Rail does not enter the airport; the PHX Sky Train light rail connects to METRO at 44th Street/Washington in 5 minutes for $4 then onward to downtown. Spring training (February–March) is peak season; June–August summer heat (110°F+) drives fares to their lowest.
Who flies ORD to PHX?
| Airline | IATA | Flight time | Cabin |
| United Airlines | UA | 3h 17m | Economy |
| American Airlines | AA | 3h 17m | Economy |
| Spirit Airlines | NK | 3h 17m | Economy |
| Frontier Airlines | F9 | 3h 17m | Economy |
| Delta Air Lines | DL | 3h 17m | Economy |
5 carriers fly direct on this corridor. Frequencies vary by season — summer and winter holiday peaks see additional flights.
Best time to fly ORD→PHX
Synthesised from 12-month price aggregates. Cheapest months in green, peak in red.
Estimated baseline. Prices update on a 30-day cadence as Travelpayouts data refreshes. Cheapest day-of-week typically Tuesday.
Chicago to Phoenix FAQs
Direct flights from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) take approximately 3h 17m for the 1437-mile journey, plus 30–60 minutes of taxi, climb and descent. Total airport-to-airport time depends on cruise winds and air-traffic queueing on approach.
Jun is typically the cheapest month on this route, with one-way fares from $122. Jun is the peak — expect prices 2–3× higher. Book 4–8 weeks ahead for best fares; last-minute prices on this corridor rise sharply inside two weeks of departure.
5 carriers operate direct service from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX): United Airlines, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Frequencies vary by season and carrier — United Airlines typically operates the highest weekly count on this corridor.
No — United States is domestic travel for US citizens. A US passport is not required for the 50 states, DC or US territories (Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands), though Real ID-compliant ID is required at TSA from May 2025.
Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) is the primary international airport for Phoenix. Allow 30–60 minutes for the ground transfer by train, express bus, taxi or rideshare depending on traffic and time of day. See the airport's official website for current train and shuttle timetables.