The average price of a 7-day trip to Chicago is $1,819 for a solo traveler, $3,267 for a couple, and $6,125 for a family of 4. Chicago hotels range from $70 to $352 per night with an average of $157, while most vacation rentals will cost $210 to $510 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) are between $665 and $1,066 per person for economy flights and $2,087 to $3,345 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $63 to $120 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Chicago, IL, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to MDW and stay in a Chicago hotel:
- January 8th to March 11th
- August 6th to December 9th (except the week of November 26th)
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Chicago is usually mid to late September.
Average Chicago Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Chicago for a week is $1,574-$2,613($225-$373 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $63 to $120 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $443 to $927 for economy
Lodging: $116 to $141 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $115 to $141 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Chicago for a week is $2,902-$4,658($415-$665 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $126 to $240 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $886 to $1,854 for economy
Lodging: $116 to $141 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $115 to $141 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Chicago for a week is $4,640-$8,760($663-$1,251 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $252 to $480 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,772 to $3,708 for economy
Lodging: $232 to $282 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $184 to $212 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Chicago
How cheap can you make a vacation to Chicago? The cheapest trip to Chicago is about $146 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 1% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $85 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $62.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Chicago for a week is $1,025-$1,970($146-$281 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $30 to $59 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $443 to $927 for economy
Lodging: $62 to $70 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $85 to $105 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Chicago for a week is $1,678-$3,310($240-$473 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $60 to $118 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $886 to $1,854 for economy
Lodging: $62 to $70 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $85 to $105 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Chicago for a week is $3,326-$6,308($475-$901 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $120 to $236 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,772 to $3,708 for economy
Lodging: $124 to $140 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $119 to $158 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is very difficult to travel to Chicago cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Chicago Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Chicago.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Chicago for a week is $2,880-$9,403($411-$1,343 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $139 to $228 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $917 to $1,993 for first class
Lodging: $165 to $352 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $510 to $969 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Chicago for a week is $4,770-$12,992($681-$1,856 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $278 to $456 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,834 to $3,986 for first class
Lodging: $165 to $352 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $510 to $969 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Chicago for a week is $9,540-$23,656($1,363-$3,379 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $556 to $912 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $3,668 to $7,972 for first class
Lodging: $330 to $704 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $714 to $1,550 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Chicago Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Chicago is much higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Chicago due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Chicago Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Chicago hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in Chicago.
Flight Costs to Chicago
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,066 average in late July to a low of $665 in mid to late September. Median flight price is $629. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Chicago our data includes 642 originating airports, and 109 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Chicago from an airport like Saarbruecken (SCN) in Saarbrucken (Germany) for an average $6,688 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like Manistee County-Blacker (MBL) in Manistee/Ludington, MI (the United States) at an average of just $221.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Chicago, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $401, so you can easily save about 60% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Chicago can easily cost $440 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $30 per person. Private tours can cost $889 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.