Chicago trip cost: flights, hotels, food and things to do
Architecture, deep dish and the lakefront. A 4-night trip for 2 starts at about $1,400 for the cheapest flight, hotel and food, depending on where you fly from. Pick your airport to see three ready-made plans.
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What it costs from your airport
For 2 travelers, 4 nights. "From" is the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food; "Suggested budget" also covers a mid-priced flight and hotel and things to do.
| Flying from | From | Suggested budget |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit (DTW) | $1,400 | $2,200 |
| St. Louis (STL) | $1,410 | $2,200 |
| Charlotte (CLT) | $1,420 | $2,300 |
| Minneapolis (MSP) | $1,440 | $2,200 |
| Baltimore (BWI) | $1,440 | $2,300 |
| Washington Reagan (DCA) | $1,440 | $2,300 |
| Nashville (BNA) | $1,450 | $2,200 |
| Washington Dulles (IAD) | $1,450 | $2,300 |
| New York LaGuardia (LGA) | $1,450 | $2,300 |
| Tampa (TPA) | $1,450 | $2,300 |
| Philadelphia (PHL) | $1,460 | $2,300 |
| Miami (MIA) | $1,470 | $2,400 |
| Atlanta (ATL) | $1,480 | $2,300 |
| Newark (EWR) | $1,480 | $2,300 |
| Orlando (MCO) | $1,490 | $2,400 |
| New York JFK | $1,500 | $2,300 |
| Denver (DEN) | $1,510 | $2,300 |
| Phoenix (PHX) | $1,510 | $2,500 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) | $1,520 | $2,300 |
| Fort Lauderdale (FLL) | $1,530 | $2,400 |
| San Diego (SAN) | $1,550 | $2,500 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | $1,550 | $2,600 |
| Boston (BOS) | $1,560 | $2,300 |
| Austin (AUS) | $1,560 | $2,400 |
| Houston (IAH) | $1,570 | $2,400 |
| Las Vegas (LAS) | $1,580 | $2,500 |
| San Francisco (SFO) | $1,600 | $2,600 |
| Salt Lake City (SLC) | $1,660 | $2,500 |
| Portland (PDX) | $1,700 | $2,600 |
| Seattle (SEA) | $1,780 | $2,600 |
| Honolulu (HNL) | $2,160 | $3,200 |
Food: about $90 a person a day
Restaurants worth the trip
- Lou Malnati's deep dishOrder: Deep dish with sausage on the buttercrust · about $25 a person
- Portillo's hot dogsOrder: Chicago-style hot dog and the chocolate cake · about $12 a person
- AlineaOrder: The tasting menu, ending with the edible balloon · about $350 a person
- Al's Italian beefOrder: Italian beef, dipped, with hot giardiniera · about $12 a person
- Girl & the GoatOrder: Wood-oven roasted pig face · about $70 a person
Where to stay
- Park Hyatt Chicago5★ · $520 a night · or about 30,000 Hyatt points
- JW Marriott Chicago5★ · $330 a night · or about 45,000 Marriott points
- Hyatt Regency Chicago4★ · $200 a night · or about 15,000 Hyatt points
- AC Hotel Chicago Downtown4★ · $220 a night · or about 30,000 Marriott points
- Wicker Park boutique hotel3★ · $170 a night
- Loop hostel, private room2★ · $100 a night
Things to do
- Millennium Park and the Beanfree · 1h 00m
- Navy Pierfree · 1h 30m
- Magnificent Mile shoppingfree · 2h 00m
- Lincoln Park Zoofree · 2h 00m
- Green Mill jazz club$15 a person · 2h 00m
- Lakefront Trail bike ride$25 a person · 2h 30m
- Field Museum$30 a person · 3h 00m
- Art Institute of Chicago$32 a person · 3h 00m
- Skydeck at Willis Tower$32 a person · 1h 15m
- Second City comedy$45 a person · 2h 00m
- Cubs game at Wrigley Field$50 a person · 3h 00m
- Architecture river cruise$55 a person · 1h 30m
Questions
How much does a trip to Chicago cost?
For 2 travelers and 4 nights, the cheapest flight and hotel plus everyday food start at about $1,400 from Detroit (DTW) and run to about $2,160 from the farthest major US airport. A comfortable budget with things to do is $2,200 to $3,200.
How much should I budget for food in Chicago?
About $90 a person a day at mid-range places: breakfast $15, lunch $20, dinner $45, snacks and coffee $10.
How many nights do I need in Chicago?
4 nights covers the main sights at an easy pace; the day plans on each route page show how the days fill.
Plan your Chicago trip
Tell us your airport, dates and budget, and get three plans with flights, hotel, food and a day-by-day itinerary.
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