Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)

Distance, flight time and the air traffic controllers who guide you.

Quick answer

Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD) is 1,184 miles in a straight line, about 2h 52m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 9 air traffic control facilities along the way.

1,184miles
1,029nautical miles
1,906kilometers
~2h 52mestimated flight time
−1 htime change on arrival
Northinitial heading

Who handles your flight

Every airliner is passed from one air traffic control facility to the next. On the most direct path, these are the teams that guide you, in order. Weather and traffic can send a flight through other centers, so your actual flight may differ a little.

  1. FLLTowerFort Lauderdale Tower (FLL)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. MIATRACONMiami TRACON (MIA)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZMACenterMiami ARTCC (ZMA)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZJXCenterJacksonville ARTCC (ZJX)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZTLCenterAtlanta ARTCC (ZTL)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  6. ZIDCenterIndianapolis ARTCC (ZID)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  7. ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Starts your descentThank them →
  8. C90TRACONChicago TRACON (C90)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
  9. ORDTowerChicago O'Hare Tower (ORD)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL)

ORD → C90 → ZAU → ZID → ZTL → ZJX → ZMA → MIA → FLL

About the airports

Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Codes: FLL · KFLL

Time zone: Eastern

Control tower: Fort Lauderdale Tower (FLL)

Thank the tower →

Chicago O'Hare International Airport

Chicago, IL

Codes: ORD · KORD

Time zone: Central

Control tower: Chicago O'Hare Tower (ORD)

Thank the tower →

More routes

All flight routes →

How we figure this out

Distance is the great-circle distance between the two airports, the shortest path over the curved Earth. Flight time assumes an average airliner speed of about 500 mph plus about 30 minutes for taxi, takeoff and landing. The list of facilities follows the same path, using each airport's tower and approach control and the FAA's en route center boundaries.

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Common questions

How long is the flight from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)?

About 2h 52m gate to gate for the 1,184-mile trip.

How far is Fort Lauderdale (FLL) from Chicago O'Hare (ORD)?

1,184 miles (1,029 nautical miles, 1,906 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)?

Usually 9 facilities: Fort Lauderdale Tower (FLL), Miami TRACON (MIA), Miami ARTCC (ZMA), Jacksonville ARTCC (ZJX), Atlanta ARTCC (ZTL), Indianapolis ARTCC (ZID), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Chicago TRACON (C90) and Chicago O'Hare Tower (ORD). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.

Is there a time change between Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Chicago O'Hare (ORD)?

Yes. Chicago O'Hare (ORD) is 1 hour behind Fort Lauderdale (FLL).

Updated October 2026

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