Compare 7 loyalty programs for Los Angeles to Chicago award flights, with economy seats from 88 points.
Los Angeles to Chicago is a medium-haul domestic corridor with nonstop award seats on United Airlines and American Airlines. Award pricing spans seven programs, and economy starts at 88 points on a United Airlines nonstop. That price runs through Lufthansa Miles & More, another airline's program, so United Airlines' own points aren't automatically the cheapest way on. The tables below compare LAX–ORD pricing across all seven programs.
Best one-way award prices per airline over the next 12 months.
| Airline | Economy | Premium economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 United AirlinesUA | 88Lowest | 100,000Lowest | 77,000pts | 49,800pts |
 JetBlueB6 | 5,700pts | Not available | 70,000pts | Not available |
 American AirlinesAA | 9,500pts | Not available | 25,500Lowest | 25,000Lowest |
 Alaska AirlinesAS | 12,500pts | Not available | 64,600pts | 25,000Lowest |
 Air CanadaAC | 26,500pts | Not available | Not available | Not available |
When award seats between Los Angeles and Chicago price cheapest over the next year.
| Month | Cheapest award (points) |
|---|---|
| Nov 2026 | 5,700 |
| Dec 2026 | 88 |
| Jan 2027 | 8,163 |
| Feb 2027 | 11,024 |
| Mar 2027 | 88 |
| Apr 2027 | 9,500 |
| May 2027 | No award data |
| Jun 2027 | No award data |
| Jul 2027 | No award data |
| Aug 2027 | No award data |
| Sep 2027 | No award data |
| Oct 2027 | No award data |
5 airlines with award seats between Los Angeles and Chicago, nonstop or connecting.
American AirlinesAAAir CanadaACAlaska AirlinesASJetBlueB6United AirlinesUAWhat to know before booking Los Angeles to Chicago with points.
~1,740 miles; ~4h nonstop (approximate). Local time in Chicago is 2 hours ahead of Los Angeles. Data covers November 2026–October 2027, with calendar prices for six months. Across well-covered months, December 2026 and March 2027 are the cheapest (88 points); pricier months include January 2027 (8,163) and April 2027 (9,500).
Los Angeles to Chicago is served by American Airlines, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines and 2 more, offering multiple options for award travelers. Compare 7 loyalty programs to find the best value for your points. Award prices start from 88 points in economy. Use our search tool to check real-time award availability on this route.
At about 1,740 miles from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD), a nonstop runs roughly 4 hours, give or take with the winds. The nonstop award space in the data is split between United Airlines and American Airlines. The Airbus A321, Airbus A321neo, and Boeing 737 all appear on those nonstop award segments. About 22% of the award options in the data are nonstop.
Los Angeles–Chicago is domestic, so price it in cash before you price it in points. The economy floor is a partner booking on a United Airlines nonstop, with no connection to trade off against the points. Watch the cash: about $319 in taxes and fees, well above the route's typical economy taxes, so more points and less cash can win. Run the miles-or-cash math each time: a cheap fare usually beats spending points. Before moving bank points anywhere, confirm the seat is bookable, since transfers are one-way.
Lufthansa Miles & More is cheapest in economy at 88 points on a United Airlines nonstop. American AAdvantage wins business class at 25,500 points. Alaska Atmos Rewards takes first class at 25,000 points on an American Airlines nonstop. Among the remaining four programs, United MileagePlus, JetBlue TrueBlue, and Qantas Frequent Flyer are good places to cross-check. The cheapest program changes twice across the cabins, so match the program to the seat before moving points.
Nonstop award space on Los Angeles–Chicago spans two alliances: United Airlines (Star Alliance) and American Airlines (oneworld). That means partner programs in both alliances have a way onto a nonstop. In first class, the floor sits on American Airlines, booked through oneworld partner Alaska Atmos Rewards. With only five airlines holding award seats but seven programs pricing them, the currency you book with matters more than the carrier.
Orange County (SNA) has nonstop flights to Chicago in the data too. The return, Chicago to Los Angeles, has its own page, since award pricing can differ by direction. For another option from Los Angeles, Atlanta prices from 9,500 points at last check. Los Angeles itineraries can also depart from Ontario (ONT) or Burbank (BUR), so check the code before moving points.
Alternative corridors travelers consider alongside Los Angeles to Chicago.
From 4,000 ptsBusiness 15,000 pts
From 5,200 ptsBusiness 24,600 pts
From 6,600 ptsBusiness 25,500 pts
From 7,000 ptsBusiness 14,500 pts
From 7,000 ptsBusiness 57,500 pts
From 7,300 ptsBusiness 55,200 pts
Common questions travelers ask about the Los Angeles to Chicago route.
