Statistics on Chicago-Washington D. C. flights: what is the right price and when to buy your plane ticket?
Best time to go: what is the RIGHT price for a round-trip flight to Washington D. C. (from: Chicago)
The average price to go to Washington D. C. from Chicago airport is $ 319 (round trip). However, there are variations depending on the departure month. Thus, it is possible to pay for your plane ticket on average between $ 221 (in may) and $ 423 (in december), which is a saving of $ 99 or a surplus of $ 104 (compared to the average price) depending on the period you leave.
The analysis of all the prices reveals that the most frequent price is between $216 to $270 and that it is generally more economical to leave on a sunday and return on a thursday on a direct flight.
Be careful, the cheapest months may correspond to unfavorable weather periods . Check out our page best time to go to Washington D. C. before booking your flight.
If you want to know when to book your flight at the best price, go straight to the second part of this page: When to buy your Chicago-Washington D. C. plane ticket.
How are these data calculated?
We have studied a sample of 59178 airfare prices from previous years for flights to Washington D. C. from Chicago and can thus establish precise and credible price variation trends based on different parameters. Of course, prices can vary from year to year, but the seasonal aspect of this data (recurrence of school holidays, events... from year to year) makes these statistics quite reliable.
Average price depending on the departure month
Data analysis:
By leaving in may, the price of the plane ticket will statistically be the cheapest ($ 221, saving $ 99 compared to the average price over the year which is $ 319). Conversely, december will be the most expensive ($ 423).
Flight Chicago-Washington D. C.: when is the best time to go for the best price?
| Month | Good price* | Average price | Our opinion |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | $ 203 | $ 387 | high price |
| February | $ 226 | $ 407 | high price |
| March | $ 241 | $ 407 | high price |
| April | $ 200 | $ 293 | fair price |
| May | $ 190 | $ 221 the cheapest | very good price |
| June | $ 225 | $ 270 | good price |
| July | $ 254 | $ 284 | good price |
| August | $ 214 | $ 260 | good price |
| September | $ 193 | $ 226 | good price |
| October | $ 192 | $ 231 | good price |
| November | $ 217 | $ 418 | high price |
| December | $ 217 | $ 423 the most expensive | very high price |
*great price to buy your plane ticket: if you see this price or cheaper during your flight search, go for it and buy it!
Price breakdown to travel from Chicago to Washington D. C.
Data analysis:
The prices for flights from Chicago to Washington D. C. range from $54 to $862. 3% of tickets were purchased at the minimum price (from $54 to $108), 2% at the maximum price (from $808 to $862). The majority of plane tickets were purchased in the range of $216 to $270 (25% of tickets).
Cheapest airlines for the Chicago->Washington D. C. flight
There are 7 companies that serve Chicago from Washington D. C. airport: United, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, American Airlines, Air New Zealand, jetBlue and Alaska Airlines.
Data analysis:
Of the 59178 flights analyzed in previous years, United was the airline that offered the best fare most often in the flight ticket search results (35% of the time) on the Chicago->Washington D. C. route.
Direct flight or flight with layover?
Data analysis:
To get the best price for the Chicago-Washington D. C. flight, you should take a direct flight (saving an average of $ 132 compared to a flight with one or more layovers).
Which day of the week to leave?
Data analysis:
Statistically, Chicago-Washington D. C. flights departing on a sunday are cheaper than on other days of the week. By choosing a sunday as your departure date, you can save an average of $36. On the other hand, departing on a monday may cost you an additional $49.
Which day of the week to come back?
Data analysis:
Statistically, return flights from Washington D. C. to Chicago departing on a thursday are cheaper than on other days of the week. By choosing a thursday for your return date, you will save an average of $63. Conversely, departing from Washington D. C. on a friday may cost you an additional $66.
Top prices Chicago-Washington D. C.
| Round trip | Dates | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago → Washington D. C. | 21-05 to 28-05-2024 | $ 69 | layover flight with Spirit Airlines |
| Chicago → Washington D. C. | 08-07 to 15-07-2024 | $ 77 | direct flight with Frontier Airlines |
| Chicago → Washington D. C. | 13-07 to 20-07-2024 | $ 63 | direct flight with Frontier Airlines |
| Chicago → Washington D. C. | 20-07 to 27-07-2024 | $ 63 | direct flight with Frontier Airlines |
| Chicago → Washington D. C. | 02-08 to 07-08-2024 | $ 77 | direct flight with Frontier Airlines |
| Chicago → Washington D. C. | 07-08 to 12-08-2024 | $ 73 | direct flight with Frontier Airlines |
| Chicago → Washington D. C. | 10-08 to 16-08-2024 | $ 75 | direct flight with Frontier Airlines |
| Chicago → Washington D. C. | 14-08 to 21-08-2024 | $ 63 | direct flight with Frontier Airlines |
| Chicago → Washington D. C. | 19-08 to 23-08-2024 | $ 83 | direct flight with Frontier Airlines |
| Chicago → Washington D. C. | 21-08 to 28-08-2024 | $ 63 | direct flight with Frontier Airlines |
When to book your flight Chicago - Washington D. C. to get the cheapest price?
Statistically, you will make the biggest savings by buying your plane ticket between 1 to 2 months in advance. However, you may end up paying a high price if you book between 10 to 11 months in advance.
Did you know: the price of plane tickets not only varies depending on how far in advance you book, but also on the day of the week you book! So, to maximize your chances of getting the best price for a Chicago-Washington D. C. flight, it is recommended to book your ticket on a tuesday.
How far in advance should I buy my flight?
Data analysis:
To get the cheapest flight ticket from Chicago to Washington D. C., it is recommended to buy it 1 to 2 months before departure (it is then on average 207 $, which is a saving of 112 $ compared to the overall average price). On the other hand, if you buy your ticket 10 to 11 months in advance, you will pay the full price (392 $ more than the average price).
Depending on the departure month
The best time to buy your Chicago to Washington D. C. flight ticket may vary depending on your departure month. Therefore, we offer you statistics on when to book your flight month by month.
| Departure on... | How far in advance should I book? |
|---|---|
| January | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 164 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 261), 2 to 3 months ($ 208), 3 to 4 months ($ 235), 4 to 5 months ($ 265), 5 to 6 months ($ 236) |
| February | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 199 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 289), 2 to 3 months ($ 208), 3 to 4 months ($ 228), 4 to 5 months ($ 254), 5 to 6 months ($ 251), 6 to 7 months ($ 227) |
| March | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 241 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 288), 2 to 3 months ($ 255), 3 to 4 months ($ 265), 4 to 5 months ($ 310), 5 to 6 months ($ 362), 6 to 7 months ($ 346), 7 to 8 months ($ 362) |
| April | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 209 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 247), 2 to 3 months ($ 227), 3 to 4 months ($ 244), 4 to 5 months ($ 282) |
| May | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 171 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 197) |
| June | Best time: 2 to 3 months before departure (average price: 250 $) Other interesting period(s): 1 to 2 months ($ 251), 3 to 4 months ($ 264) |
| July | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 257 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 273) |
| August | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 231 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 249), 3 to 4 months ($ 239), 4 to 5 months ($ 259) |
| September | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 177 $) |
| October | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 195 $) Other interesting period(s): 2 to 3 months ($ 203), 3 to 4 months ($ 218) |
| November | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 208 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 263), 2 to 3 months ($ 243), 3 to 4 months ($ 317), 9 to 10 months ($ 289) |
| December | Best time: 1 to 2 months before departure (average price: 187 $) Other interesting period(s): 0 to 1 month ($ 226), 2 to 3 months ($ 239), 3 to 4 months ($ 272), 4 to 5 months ($ 289) |
What day of the week should I book my flight ticket?
Data analysis:
Statistically, tuesday is the day when plane tickets for Chicago->Washington D. C. are the cheapest. So, by buying your plane ticket on a tuesday, you will save $21. Conversely, by buying it on a sunday, you may end up paying $38 more.
Chicago to Washington D. C.: flight price when booking today
Information: this data is not statistics but comes from real prices collected less than 7 days ago. Some months may not be available as we do not have enough data for them.
| Month | Current price | Our opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $ 236 $69 to $614 | high price | Find a flight |
| June 2024 | $ 211 $107 to $385 | very good price | Find a flight |
| July 2024 | $ 167 $63 to $278 | very good price | Find a flight |
| August 2024 | $ 169 $63 to $378 | very good price | Find a flight |
| September 2024 | $ 221 $90 to $330 | very good price | Find a flight |
| October 2024 | $ 192 $108 to $276 | very good price | Find a flight |
| November 2024 | $ 250 $208 to $417 | very good price | Find a flight |
| January 2025 | $ 314 $279 to $348 | very good price | Find a flight |
| February 2025 | $ 279 $279 to $279 | very good price | Find a flight |
| March 2025 | $ 359 $359 to $359 | very good price | Find a flight |
Data analysis:
Compared to the average price, june, july, august, september, october, november, january, february and march are cheaper to travel to Washington D. C.. So it may be interesting to book now to leave during these months!