Chicago Midway (MDW) to Salt Lake City (SLC)

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

Quick answer

Chicago Midway (MDW) to Salt Lake City (SLC) is 1,255 miles in a straight line, about 3h 01m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 8 air traffic control facilities along the way.

1,255miles
1,091nautical miles
2,020kilometers
~3h 01mestimated flight time
−1 htime change on arrival
Westinitial 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. MDWTowerChicago Midway Tower (MDW)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. C90TRACONChicago TRACON (C90)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZMPCenterMinneapolis ARTCC (ZMP)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZDVCenterDenver ARTCC (ZDV)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  6. ZLCCenterSalt Lake City ARTCC (ZLC)Starts your descentThank them →
  7. S56TRACONSalt Lake City TRACON (S56)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
  8. SLCTowerSalt Lake City Tower (SLC)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Salt Lake City (SLC) to Chicago Midway (MDW)

SLC → S56 → ZLC → ZDV → ZMP → ZAU → C90 → MDW

About the airports

Chicago Midway International Airport

Chicago, IL

Codes: MDW · KMDW

Time zone: Central

Control tower: Chicago Midway Tower (MDW)

Thank the tower →

Salt Lake City International Airport

Salt Lake City, UT

Codes: SLC · KSLC

Time zone: Mountain

Control tower: Salt Lake City Tower (SLC)

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 Chicago Midway (MDW) to Salt Lake City (SLC)?

About 3h 01m gate to gate for the 1,255-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.

How far is Chicago Midway (MDW) from Salt Lake City (SLC)?

1,255 miles (1,091 nautical miles, 2,020 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Chicago Midway (MDW) to Salt Lake City (SLC)?

Usually 8 facilities: Chicago Midway Tower (MDW), Chicago TRACON (C90), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Minneapolis ARTCC (ZMP), Denver ARTCC (ZDV), Salt Lake City ARTCC (ZLC), Salt Lake City TRACON (S56) and Salt Lake City Tower (SLC). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.

Is there a time change between Chicago Midway (MDW) and Salt Lake City (SLC)?

Yes. Salt Lake City (SLC) is 1 hour behind Chicago Midway (MDW).

Updated October 2026

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