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From Chicago, the cheapest way into Europe is not always the obvious one. London, the city most people price first, was the most expensive of our ten cities in its cheapest month: a typical $636 round trip in January. Barcelona, a much longer flight, came in at $485 in February.
This guide compares ten European cities from Chicago O’Hare side by side, adds the cheapest one-way fares travelers found this month, and shows how to get to the airport for a few dollars. Flying from the East Coast instead? See our guides to cheap flights to Europe from NYC and cheap flights from Boston to Europe. For airlines and tricks that work from anywhere in the country, read cheap flights to Europe from the US.
Fare data
What Flights From Chicago to Europe Cost
KAYAK publishes a typical round-trip price for each month on its route pages, based on what its users found over the past 12 months. These are typical prices, not guaranteed fares. We pulled the cheapest and the most expensive month for ten cities from Chicago O’Hare on November 13, 2026.
| From Chicago toTo | Cheapest monthLow | Priciest monthPeak | Book aheadBook | Cheapest dayDay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona. | Feb $485 | Jun $1,292 | 11 wk | Wed |
| Reykjavík | Feb $494 | Jun $780 | 7 wk | Mon |
| Dublin | Feb $531 | Jun $952 | 14 wk | Mon |
| Lisbon | Feb $558 | Jun $1,101 | 4 wk | Tue |
| Madrid | Feb $574 | Dec $1,126 | 23 wk | Wed |
| Paris | Feb $579 | Jun $1,139 | 21 wk | Wed |
| Amsterdam. | Feb $582 | Jun $1,393 | 12 wk | Mon |
| Rome | Jan $596 | Sep $1,021 | 26 wk | Sun |
| Athens | Feb $602 | Jun $1,478 | 23 wk | Mon |
| London | Jan $636 | Jun $1,445 | 21 wk | Wed |
Source: KAYAK flight route pages from Chicago O’Hare (ORD), checked November 13, 2026. Typical round-trip prices from searches over the past 12 months. “Book ahead” is KAYAK’s cheapest booking point in weeks (wk) before departure. “Cheapest day” is the departure day KAYAK lists as cheapest. For Lisbon, December ($1,087) is almost as expensive as June.
Three patterns stand out. First, February wins almost everywhere: it is the cheapest month on eight of the ten routes, and only Rome and London bottom out in January instead. Second, June is the priciest month on eight routes. Madrid peaks in December and Rome in September. Third, the gap between months is far bigger than the gap between cities. All ten cities sit within $151 of each other in their cheapest month, but Athens alone swings by $876 between February and June.
This month
The Cheapest One-Way Fares Found This Month
KAYAK’s monthly figures show the typical price. To see how low a single fare can go, we also check the Travelpayouts data feed, which records the cheapest one-way fare that Aviasales users found for each departure month. For Chicago, our weekly check currently covers the London route. KAYAK’s own route pages also list the lowest fares its users found in the last few days. None of these are guaranteed prices, and they can disappear within hours.
Sources: Travelpayouts price data (Aviasales, one way, USD), checked November 9, 2026; KAYAK route pages, checked November 13, 2026.
The London fare routes through Keflavik, which is also why Reykjavik is one of the cheapest cities in this guide. KAYAK’s Reykjavik page showed a December round trip for $434 on Icelandair, below the $494 typical February price. One-stop fares through Reykjavik, Lisbon or Copenhagen often undercut nonstops from O’Hare, so always price both.
Extra costs
Costs the Fare Search Does Not Show
A cheap ticket is only part of the bill. Getting to O’Hare can cost very little, and two other costs are worth knowing before you book.
Bags are the other big variable. Basic economy fares across the Atlantic can leave out a checked bag or a seat choice, so a cheap fare can end up costing more once you add a bag. Our comparison of basic economy vs. main cabin and our airline baggage fees comparison show what each fare type includes. London adds one more cost, since US citizens usually need a UK ETA; our London fare guide explains it.
How-to
How to Find a Cheap Flight to Europe From Chicago
- Start with Barcelona, Reykjavik and Dublin. If you only want “Europe on a budget,” price these three first. They were the cheapest cities from Chicago in KAYAK’s data, from $485 to $531 typical round trip in February.
- Search February first. Eight of the ten routes bottom out in February, and Rome and London in January. Avoid June, the peak on eight routes, and December if you are heading to Madrid.
- Book on the right clock. KAYAK’s best booking point is just 4 weeks ahead for Lisbon and 7 for Reykjavik, 11 to 14 weeks for Barcelona, Amsterdam and Dublin, and 21 to 26 weeks for Paris, London, Madrid, Athens and Rome.
- Pick the right weekday. Monday was the cheapest departure day to Reykjavik, Dublin, Amsterdam and Athens, Wednesday to Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and London. For more timing tactics, read our guide to the cheapest day to buy airline tickets.
- Compare one-stop with nonstop. The cheapest fares in this month’s data had a stop in Reykjavik. Price both, then decide if the saving is worth a longer travel day.
The Sagrada Familia above Barcelona, the cheapest of the ten cities from Chicago in February.
Compare
Barcelona, Reykjavik or Dublin: Which Gateway Works Best?
These three cities were the cheapest from O’Hare in their best month, and each one connects onward to the rest of Europe. Here is how they compare in KAYAK’s data.
- Lowest month
- $485 (Feb)
- Peak month
- $1,292 (Jun)
- Book ahead
- ~11 weeks
- Lowest month
- $494 (Feb)
- Flight time
- ~6h 15m
- Book ahead
- ~7 weeks
- Lowest month
- $531 (Feb)
- Flight time
- ~7h 30m
- Book ahead
- ~14 weeks
Source: KAYAK route pages, checked November 13, 2026. Flight time is KAYAK’s average nonstop duration for the route; the bar compares the lowest monthly fares of the three. The buttons open our flight search (powered by Aviasales) for a round trip from Tuesday, January 19, to Tuesday, January 26, 2027. Fares there are live and will not match KAYAK’s figures exactly.
Barcelona is the cheapest in February, but it also has the biggest summer jump of the three: from $485 to $1,292 in June. Reykjavik is the steadiest. Its June peak of $780 is lower than the cheapest month to London, and with a flight time of about 6 hours 15 minutes it is the shortest hop from O’Hare in this guide. Dublin takes about 7 hours 30 minutes, and KAYAK’s Dublin page lists both Aer Lingus and United among the nonstop airlines on the route.
Video
What a Budget Flight From Chicago Through Reykjavik Looks Like
This trip report from the Ice711 channel follows an Icelandair Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Chicago O’Hare to Keflavik, the first leg of a trip to Barcelona with a layover in Iceland. It shows the walk through O’Hare’s international terminal, boarding, the economy seat and seatback screen, a night takeoff from Chicago, a pre-ordered meal and the landing at Keflavik.
Video: Ice711, “Transatlantic on the 737 MAX? | Icelandair | Chicago O’Hare to Keflavík | Boeing 737 MAX 8,” via YouTube (March 2025). Not affiliated with Greenspicks.
Seasons
Is the Cheapest Month a Good Time to Go?
It depends on the trip you want. February brings the lowest fares on most routes, short days and cool or wet weather in much of Europe. That suits city breaks built around museums, food and indoor sights. Southern cities such as Barcelona, Lisbon and Athens are milder than Chicago in February, which makes them the easiest winter trips on this list.
If you need summer for school holidays, Reykjavik and Dublin are the gentlest options: their June peaks ($780 and $952) sit well below the June fares to Athens ($1,478), London ($1,445) or Amsterdam ($1,393). For daily costs once you land, our guide to the true cost of traveling across Europe breaks down hotels, food and transport.
Save more
Money-Saving Tips for Flights From Chicago to Europe
- Ride the train to O’Hare. The CTA Blue Line costs $2.50 to the airport; only the ride out of O’Hare costs $5.
- Use the cheapest gateway, then connect. Barcelona, Reykjavik and Dublin are the cheapest entry points. A short flight or train within Europe can beat a direct fare to a pricier city.
- Check the East Coast fares too. If you are flying via New York anyway, compare with our New York to Europe fare guide.
- Budget Rome before you book. Rome’s best booking point is 26 weeks out. Our guide to Rome travel costs helps you plan the days after the flight.
- Lock the hotel on its own schedule. Flights and hotels bottom out at different times; see the best time to book hotels.
- Travel off-season on purpose. Our off-season travel cost guide shows where winter trips save the most.
FAQ
FAQ: Cheap Flights to Europe From Chicago
What is the cheapest European city to fly to from Chicago?
Barcelona, among the ten cities we checked. KAYAK’s typical round trip from Chicago O’Hare is $485 in February, followed by Reykjavik ($494), Dublin ($531) and Lisbon ($558), also in February, checked November 13, 2026.
What is the cheapest month to fly from Chicago to Europe?
February on eight of the ten routes we checked. Rome and London are the exceptions, with January as their cheapest month. June is the most expensive month on eight routes.
How far in advance should I book a flight to Europe from Chicago?
It depends on the city. KAYAK’s cheapest booking point is 26 weeks ahead for Rome, 23 for Madrid and Athens, 21 for Paris and London, 14 for Dublin, 12 for Amsterdam, 11 for Barcelona, 7 for Reykjavik and 4 for Lisbon.
How low can a one-way flight from Chicago to Europe go?
In our November 9, 2026 check, the lowest one-way fare from Chicago to London was $291 on Icelandair with a stop in Reykjavik, for December 2026 (found November 8). On November 13, KAYAK’s Dublin page showed a $239 one-way fare on Aer Lingus. Fares like these can sell out within hours.
How do I get to O’Hare cheaply?
Take the CTA Blue Line. The regular train fare is $2.50, and the premium $5 fare applies only when you board at O’Hare, according to the CTA’s fares page, checked November 13, 2026.
Do I need ETIAS to visit Europe now?
Not yet. The EU’s official ETIAS site says the system is not in operation and no applications are collected. It will cost EUR 20, and the EU will announce the start date several months in advance.
Typical fares, booking windows, cheapest days, flight times and recent lowest fares in this guide were checked on November 13, 2026, from KAYAK’s route pages from Chicago O’Hare. The London one-way fare comes from the Travelpayouts price data for Aviasales, checked November 9, 2026, with the date the fare was found. CTA fares and ETIAS details come from the CTA and the EU’s official site, both checked on November 13, 2026. Fares change daily, so treat them as a guide and check live prices before you book. How we check prices.
