Dozens of new flights have launched from Chicago’s two major airports—Chicago O’Hare International airport (ORD) and Midway International Airport (MDW)—over the last year, with even more to come in the next few months. Here are seven new nonstop flights you should know about.
1. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, via Emirates
Launched in August on Emirates, new daily service between O’Hare and Dubai (DXB) marked the first time Chicagoans could make the direct flight. And in style: Emirates is known for its in-air service and amenities in all classes, including personal digital widescreen TVs and multi-course meals. On May 1, the Boeing 777-200LR jets on the route will be replaced with larger Boeing 777-300ERs, adding 80 more seats to economy.
2. Austin, Texas, via Frontier
Last week, Frontier announced four new direct flights from Chicago O’Hare launching in April, including Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), and Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (RDU). But it’s the new daily service to Austin (AUS) beginning April 14 that stands out, with round-trip fares from $158. Love or hate the laidback, budget-friendly airline that charges extra for things like seat selection and carry-on bags, that’s a great rate against a sea of other airline fares from $310-plus.
3. Dallas Love Field, Texas, via Southwest Airlines
In October, Southwest, the primary airline at Chicago’s Midway, launched six flights daily to Dallas Love Field (DAL). This is the first time nonstop service has been offered since 1974, when Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) took over as the primary airport for Dallas. It seems like Southwest is always adding new flights, so there’s more: In November, the airline also went international from Chicago and began offering daily flights to Cancun, Montego Bay and Punta Cana.
4. Dublin, Ireland, via United Airlines
Not offered last year, this new daily summer service from O’Hare to Dublin (DUB) will operate on 757-200 aircraft from June 4 to August 17.
5. Rome, Italy, via United Airlines
On May 16, United will launch new nonstop flights to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport (FCO) from O’Hare. The summer service will operate five-times weekly through June 3, daily from June 4 to August 17, and six-times weekly from August 18 to September 23.
6. Belize via United Airlines
Launched December 20, this new Saturday-only service runs through May 2 and then again from June 6 to August 15. United has a long history of serving Belize via New York and Houston, but the new direct flights from O’Hare offer a convenient option both for Chicago’s leisure travelers and its Belizean population.
7. Helsinki, Finland, via Finnair
On June 15, Finnair is launching new seasonal service from O’Hare to the airline’s hub in Helsinki Vantaa (HEL) with three flights weekly on an Airbus A330. Flights will operate on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday through October 17. The airline is a member of the One World frequent flyer alliance, which includes American and British Airways.
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