Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD) is 1,741 miles in a straight line, about 3h 59m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 8 air traffic control facilities along the way.
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.
- LAXTowerLos Angeles International Tower (LAX)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
- SCTTRACONSouthern California TRACON (SCT)Guides the climb outThank them →
- ZLACenterLos Angeles ARTCC (ZLA)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
- ZDVCenterDenver ARTCC (ZDV)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZMPCenterMinneapolis ARTCC (ZMP)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
- ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Starts your descentThank them →
- C90TRACONChicago TRACON (C90)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
- ORDTowerChicago O'Hare Tower (ORD)Clears you to landThank them →
Flying the other way
Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Los Angeles (LAX)
ORD → C90 → ZAU → ZMP → ZDV → ZLA → SCT → LAX
About the airports
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles, CA
Codes: LAX · KLAX
Time zone: Pacific
Control tower: Los Angeles International Tower (LAX)
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Chicago, IL
Codes: ORD · KORD
Time zone: Central
Control tower: Chicago O'Hare Tower (ORD)
More routes
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Atlanta (ATL)
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Denver (DEN)
- New York JFK (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Las Vegas (LAS) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Orlando (MCO) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Miami (MIA) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Charlotte (CLT) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Seattle (SEA) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Phoenix (PHX) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Newark (EWR) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Houston (IAH) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Boston (BOS) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Minneapolis (MSP) to Los Angeles (LAX)
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.
Say thanks to the controllers who got you there. It's free, takes 30 seconds, and every post is checked before it goes up.
Common questions
How long is the flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)?
About 3h 59m gate to gate for the 1,741-mile trip. Flying east, you often pick up a tailwind, so it can be a little shorter.
How far is Los Angeles (LAX) from Chicago O'Hare (ORD)?
1,741 miles (1,513 nautical miles, 2,802 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.
Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)?
Usually 8 facilities: Los Angeles International Tower (LAX), Southern California TRACON (SCT), Los Angeles ARTCC (ZLA), Denver ARTCC (ZDV), Minneapolis ARTCC (ZMP), 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 Los Angeles (LAX) and Chicago O'Hare (ORD)?
Yes. Chicago O'Hare (ORD) is 2 hours ahead of Los Angeles (LAX).