Award prices are dynamic and change daily. Treat every number here as a dated, typical range and search live before you transfer points.
Chicago O'Hare is a hub for both United and American, and it has more European airlines than almost any US airport outside New York. Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, LOT, SAS, KLM, Air France, British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, TAP, Icelandair, Turkish and Air Serbia all fly from ORD. Chicago also has a geographic advantage: it's close enough to London and Dublin that those nonstops fall under 4,000 miles, which puts them in Aeroplan's cheapest business band.
Advertiser disclosure: we may be compensated when you're approved through our links. It doesn't affect our editorial take.
Quick answer
- Cheapest economy route: Aer Lingus or United to Dublin, or Icelandair via Reykjavik. Winter cash fares are often low enough that points aren't worth using in economy.
- Best business-class value: United ORD–London or ORD–Dublin on Aeroplan for 60,000 points one-way, the under-4,000-mile price, with no fuel surcharges.
- Best program to collect: Aeroplan, fed by Amex, Chase, Capital One and Bilt. It books more Chicago nonstops than any other program.
- Best card: Chase Sapphire Reserve, which transfers 1:1 to Aeroplan, United, Flying Blue and Aer Lingus/Iberia Avios.
Nonstop flights from ORD
Winter 2026–27, from the October 2026 airline lists. Seasonal summer-only routes are noted under the table.
| Route | Airline | Alliance | Book with |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORD–London (LHR) | United, American, BA | Star / oneworld | Aeroplan, United, AAdvantage |
| ORD–Dublin (DUB) | United, Aer Lingus | Star / none | Aeroplan, Aer Lingus Avios |
| ORD–Frankfurt / Munich | United, Lufthansa | Star | Aeroplan, LifeMiles, United |
| ORD–Zurich / Vienna / Brussels | United, Swiss, Austrian | Star | Aeroplan, LifeMiles |
| ORD–Warsaw / Kraków / Lisbon | LOT, TAP | Star | Aeroplan, LifeMiles |
| ORD–Paris / Amsterdam | United, Air France, KLM | Star / SkyTeam | Flying Blue, Aeroplan |
| ORD–Madrid (MAD) | Iberia | oneworld | Iberia Avios, AAdvantage |
| ORD–Copenhagen / Reykjavik / Istanbul | SAS, Icelandair, Turkish | SkyTeam / none / Star | Flying Blue, Aeroplan |
Air Serbia also flies year-round to Belgrade. Summer only: American's seasonal ORD flights to Paris, Dublin, Madrid, Athens, Barcelona and Rome, and United's to Athens, Barcelona, Edinburgh, Milan, Reykjavik, Rome and Shannon. ITA to Rome and Finnair to Helsinki are seasonal, and Condor returns to Frankfurt on May 14, 2027.
Best ways to book
Air Canada Aeroplan
Aeroplan prices by distance with no fuel surcharges. Since June 1, 2026, business costs 60,000 points for trips up to 4,000 miles and 75,000 for 4,001–6,000 miles on Air Canada and select partners. United's nonstop to London is about 3,940 miles and Dublin about 3,670, so both fall in the 60,000 band. Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Paris and Brussels are just over 4,000 miles, so they cost 75,000. Book nonstop flights only: a connection adds distance and can push you into the higher band. Feeds: Amex, Chase, Capital One and Bilt.
United MileagePlus
United prices its own flights dynamically and adds no fuel surcharges. Saver-level business sometimes opens at reasonable prices, but peak dates often cost more than Aeroplan does for the same United seat. Feeds: Chase 1:1 and Bilt 1:1.
American AAdvantage
American flies year-round from ORD to London, and seasonally to several other cities. Its own flights are dynamic. Partner seats on Iberia (ORD–Madrid) cost 57,500 miles one-way in business on the chart (Frequent Miler, June 2026). Feeds: Citi ThankYou 1:1 (Strata Premier or Elite) and Bilt 1:1.
Avios (Aer Lingus, Iberia, British Airways)
Aer Lingus ORD–Dublin and Iberia ORD–Madrid both have far lower surcharges than British Airways. Aer Lingus Avios also gets you US preclearance in Dublin on the way home. Iberia off-peak business from the East Coast is about 34,000 Avios one-way, and Chicago prices a little higher, so check both airlines' sites. Feeds: Chase 1:1 to Aer Lingus, Iberia and BA, Amex and Capital One 1:1 to BA, and Citi 1:1 to Qatar. Move the Avios between programs as needed.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue
Flying Blue's standard business award is 60,000 miles, and Promo Rewards take 25% off selected routes (from 45,000 in September 2026). It books Air France ORD–Paris and KLM ORD–Amsterdam. Feeds: Amex, Chase, Capital One and Citi.
Sweet spots from Chicago
- United to London or Dublin on Aeroplan for 60,000. This is the cheapest surcharge-free lie-flat seat to Europe from any city in this series. Few other Midwest or Southern hubs are under 4,000 miles from a major European city.
- Aer Lingus to Dublin with Avios. Surcharges are low, you clear US immigration before you fly home, and Dublin has easy connections to the rest of Europe.
- Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian or LOT on Aeroplan or LifeMiles. 75,000 Aeroplan points or about 70,000–92,400 LifeMiles in business, with five Star airlines flying nonstop from ORD.
- Flying Blue Promo Rewards. Air France or KLM business from 45,000 miles when Chicago is on the monthly list.
Which card to earn with
| Card | Points | Transfers to | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | Ultimate Rewards | Aeroplan, United, Aer Lingus/Iberia, Flying Blue | Chicago's best all-round card |
| Amex Platinum | Membership Rewards | Aeroplan, Flying Blue, LifeMiles, BA Avios | Star and SkyTeam awards, plus lounges |
| Capital One Venture X | Capital One miles | Aeroplan, LifeMiles, Flying Blue, TAP, Turkish | Simple 2x earning |
| Citi Strata Elite | ThankYou | AAdvantage, Flying Blue, LifeMiles, Turkish | American flyers at ORD |
| United Club card | United miles | (earns United miles directly) | Frequent United flyers |
Taxes & surcharges
- Aeroplan, United and LifeMiles: no carrier surcharges.
- Aer Lingus and Iberia Avios: low. British Airways Avios: high. Avoid BA's own long-haul awards.
- Flying Blue: about $200–300 one-way in business.
- Flying home from London: the UK's departure tax is steep in premium cabins. A Dublin return also gets you US preclearance.
FAQ
Why is Chicago to London cheaper on Aeroplan than from other cities? Aeroplan prices by distance. United's ORD–London nonstop is just under 4,000 miles, so business costs 60,000 points. Routes over 4,000 miles cost 75,000 since June 2026.
Should I use United miles or Aeroplan points from O'Hare? Compare both. Aeroplan's fixed prices usually win for United's business seats, and United sometimes wins on off-peak economy.
Which airlines fly nonstop from Chicago to Europe in winter? United, American, British Airways, Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, LOT, TAP, Air France, KLM, Iberia, SAS, Icelandair, Turkish and Air Serbia.
Can I fly Lufthansa First from Chicago on points? Not with partner miles right now. Lufthansa stopped releasing First award seats to partner programs on June 1, 2026.
Related guides
- How to fly to Europe with points
- ORD airport lounges
- Aeroplan business to Europe
- Chase Aeroplan card guide
- Chicago to India with points
- Denver to Europe with points
Award prices and availability change daily. Search before you transfer points — transfers are one-way.
