CPT - CHI

R9 221 Find Cheap Flights from Cape Town to Chicago

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Cape Town to Chicago departing on 10/11. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy

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These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Cape Town to Chicago.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Cape Town to Chicago.
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Cape Town to Chicago (CPT-CHI)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return flights from Cape Town to Chicago that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals from Cape Town to Chicago

Tue, Nov 18 - Mon, Nov 24
Ethiopian Air Logo
13:50 - 7:40CPT-ORD
25h 50m2 stops
Ethiopian Air Logo
9:45 - 14:35ORD-CPT
20h 50m1 stop
R14 917Ethiopian Air
Find Deal
Thu, Nov 13 - Wed, Dec 3
Ethiopian Air Logo
13:50 - 7:40CPT-ORD
25h 50m2 stops
Ethiopian Air Logo
9:45 - 14:35ORD-CPT
20h 50m1 stop
R15 611Ethiopian Air
Find Deal
Fri, Jan 23 - Sat, Jan 31
Virgin Atlantic Logo
21:30 - 16:39CPT-ORD
27h 09m1 stop
Virgin Atlantic Logo
14:45 - 19:15ORD-CPT
20h 30m1 stop
R15 681Virgin Atlantic
Find Deal
Fri, Jan 23 - Sat, Jan 31
Virgin Atlantic Logo
21:30 - 21:46CPT-MDW
32h 16m1 stop
Virgin Atlantic Logo
16:30 - 19:15MDW-CPT
18h 45m1 stop
R15 802Virgin Atlantic
Find Deal
Fri, Jan 23 - Mon, Feb 2
United Airlines Logo
20:50 - 18:37CPT-ORD
29h 47m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
13:00 - 16:10ORD-CPT
19h 10m1 stop
R16 202United Airlines
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Mon, Nov 17 - Fri, Nov 28
United Airlines Logo
20:50 - 10:45CPT-ORD
21h 55m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
16:20 - 18:00ORD-CPT
17h 40m1 stop
R16 219United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 26 - Sun, Nov 30
Turkish Airlines Logo
17:15 - 10:05CPT-ORD
24h 50m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
20:20 - 11:50ORD-CPT
31h 30m1 stop
R17 313Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Nov 10 - Tue, Dec 2
Turkish Airlines Logo
17:15 - 18:25CPT-ORD
33h 10m1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
11:50 - 11:50ORD-CPT
40h 00m1 stop
R17 487Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 19 - Wed, Nov 26
KLM Logo
23:45 - 18:18CPT-MDW
26h 33m2 stops
KLM Logo
13:14 - 21:55MDW-CPT
24h 41m2 stops
R17 921KLM
Find Deal
Wed, Nov 12 - Thu, Dec 4
KLM Logo
7:55 - 15:10CPT-ORD
39h 15m1 stop
KLM Logo
17:20 - 5:50ORD-CPT
28h 30m1 stop
R18 042KLM
Find Deal

Everything you should know

Top airlines
Ethiopian Air
Cheapest • from R14 917 (return)
KLM
Best reviews • 7,8 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
When to book
4 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 17% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
September
Cheapest • 13% price drop
June
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Cheapest return fare
R14 917
Overall average: R16 792
Ethiopian Air
Tue 18/11Mon 24/11
CPT - ORD • 2 stops
Cheapest one-way flight
R9 221
Typical prices: R11 704-13840
Multiple Airlines
Mon 10/11
CPT - ORD • 3 stops
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KAYAK searches hundreds of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Chicago!
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Cape Town to Chicago flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Cape Town to Chicago to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Cape Town to Chicago?

The average price of all round-trip flights from Cape Town to Chicago clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

When flying from Cape Town to Chicago, you should consider leaving on a Monday and avoid Fridays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to Cape Town, you’ll find the best rates on Saturdays and the most expensive ones on Fridays.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Cape Town to Chicago?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Cape Town to Chicago, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from Cape Town to Chicago is September, where tickets cost R17 382 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and March, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is R23 043 and R23 009 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Cape Town to Chicago?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Cape Town to Chicago, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from Cape Town to Chicago, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 17% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 25 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flightR9 221
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 1% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly (1% more expensive on average)
Flight from Cape Town to Chicago O'Hare Airport

When to book flights from Cape Town to Chicago

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Cape Town to Chicago based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated return price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or returns with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from Cape Town to Chicago

  • What is the cheapest flight from Cape Town to Chicago?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Cape Town to Chicago was R531 for a one-way ticket and R859 for a return.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Cape Town to Chicago?

    When flying out of Cape Town you will be using Cape Town Intl. You will be landing at one of these airports: Chicago Midway or Chicago O'Hare Intl.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Cape Town to Chicago?

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Cape Town to Chicago?

    Star Alliance, oneworld, and SkyTeam are the airline alliances operating flights between Cape Town and Chicago, with Star Alliance being the most commonly used for this route.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Cape Town to Chicago, United Airlines or Ethiopian Air?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Cape Town to Chicago are United Airlines and Ethiopian Air. With an average price for the route of R19 808 and an overall rating of 7,4, United Airlines is the most popular choice. Ethiopian Air is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of R17 201 and an overall rating of 7,2.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Cape Town to Chicago?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Cape Town to Chicago.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Cape Town to Chicago?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Chicago from Cape Town is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Cape Town to Chicago?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional return ticket. You could then fly to Chicago with an airline and back to Cape Town with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Cape Town to Chicago?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Chicago from Cape Town up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying from Cape Town to Chicago

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Cape Town to Chicago. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Cape Town to Chicago? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7,8
KLMOverall score based on 1386 reviews
7,8Boarding
7,2Entertainment
8,4Crew
7,7Comfort
7,3Food
Airline reviews

Over 1 Hr delay. No APU so no AC on ground. Plane was hot during boarding and then they closed the doors over 20 minutes before engine start so interior of plane was steamy hot and stuffy. Could have been helped by opening doors until ready to depart.

2,0 MediocrePeter, Aug 2025SAN - AMS
Read more KLM reviews

Over 1 Hr delay. No APU so no AC on ground. Plane was hot during boarding and then they closed the doors over 20 minutes before engine start so interior of plane was steamy hot and stuffy. Could have been helped by opening doors until ready to depart.

Short flight so it was okay. Nice crew, all very pleasant and professional. We were near the back in row 27 so just as we got our drinks, we started our descent so had to drink very quickly!

Our first flight was delayed so we missed our connecting flight. However it was easy to book a later flight on their app.

My flight was delayed by 6 hours then I missed BOTH of my connecting flights, I then had to stay in the AIRPORT at JFK because soooooo many people also suffered from missing flights and there was no hotels available. I would like to be compensated for this experience! I had to stay in the airport for over 16 hours!

Klm start boarding while somw air issue in the plan

The service was great. However the lounge only gets passing grade

I appreciate that KLM was proactive in informing me of the 2 hour delay which enabled me to replan my travel. It was a bit stressful not knowing whether my connection from Montreal to Ottawa was happening. But the ground and air crew did a good job at comforting and assuring me.

Cabin crew professional, polite and friendly, boarding was seemless, but come on KLM surely you can do better than a pack of cheesy biscuits as an inflight snack

Cabin crew were excellent, very proffesional, polite and friendly, in flight snack was underwhelming, a packet of cheese biscuits, im sure KLM could run to a sandwich!

Legroom not all it could be, especially when the seat in front is reclined. Otherwise it was good, food and beverage were nice.

My flight was delayed about 1 1/2 hours in Chicago, but other then that it was a good flight.

Flight attendant in first class gave poor service (like he didn't want to be there) and food was awful. We sat waiting for gate upon arrival over 45 mins.

Inoperable monitor left no entert for 9 hours. Crew was not helpful Food was awful.

Weather delay in Chicago?. No sense of urgency to make connection in Chicago for our connecting flight that wasn't delayed. Connection was missed.

Overall it was good. I missed my connection but I was put on another flight.

Overall a very poor experience - booked premium economy tickets but due to last minute flight delays , all my itinery went for a toss and had to fly economy class with no access to lounge or any compensation by united airlines to make up for the flight delays . i had expected better experience than that from united.

It was fine, definitely older planes with no charging or anything. There’s no entertainment set up on board, but it is nice that they allow you to access the in flight entertainment from your phone without having to pay for the Wi-Fi and they do offer free texting.

I liked that the flight was nonstop from ORD to CIU for $200 round trip.

All flight attendants could benefit by taking an international flight on Qantas Airline. Qantas attendants are much more hospitable in every way. Much superior than and attendants on any US airline.

While the staff was pleasant and helpful, the following observations are for your awareness. There was some delay on the tarmac on take off and landing. The paid lunch/food offerings were limited. Entertainment was only available on WiFi at a cost.

We couldn’t fly to Chicago on our booked flight. The flight was overbooked.

Small seat space for 13 hours flight, they charged for baggage , very bad quality of food,

I was sitting almost in the back, the seats are very tight and there’s no legroom, it’s uncomfortable for a long distance

Absolute worst airline. Charged us $720 to check 4 bags (2 of which were carry-on). Entertainment systems didnt work. And on a 12 hour flight they served 2 meals and never once came around outside of those 2 meals with a beverage or cup of water. Will never fly them again.

Took forever to board. They made announcements without the loudspeaker and since the waiting room was full of screaming kids, no one could hear what they were saying. The business class sleeper seats were designed for tall skinny people. When partially reclined there was nowhere to rest my feet because they did not reach the footrest. and when fully reclined there wasn't room at my sides for my arms. Definitely one of the worst sleeper seats I have ever had.

About an hour delay but we made it to Chicago. I feel that the smaller connecting flights are the ones that cause the delays on the bigger planes that fly international.

Amazing trip! No delays, no broken or lost luggage, and amazing food.

The food we received during the flight was excellent. The service was very friendly. Definitely the best value for the money when flying across the Atlantic.

I use a wheelchair for mobility. Both in my flight from Houston and back to Houston from Istanbul, the Turkish airline staff asked that I claim my wheelchair at the luggage area. On arrival to Istanbul, parts of the wheelchair were in disarray at that time I raised no objection however upon claiming my wheelchair in Houston parts where outright missing. In both occasions, upon arriving in Houston and arriving in Istanbul, I asked multiple times why am made to pick up my wheelchair in the baggage claim rather than at the jet bridge. Getting the wheelchair at the jet bridge minimizes the probability of loosing parts because they can be hopefully reclaimed on the spot. I was told in Houston that a manager turned down my request to claim the wheelchair at the jet bridge in Houston. This is extremely frustrating because a wheelchair is not a set of clean underwear or a toothbrush- this is the way I move. A Turkish Arline staff took my complaint at the luggage claim area in Houston but as of the writing of this review the only contact I have received from the airline is because I initiated a claim rather than her as she told me she would.

The security at the airport was excellent. The one criticism is the boarding process just before entering the plane. There were only 2 boarding lines and there were no barriers thus leading to a mass rush to enter the plane. I suggest that they board by rows, eight or ten rows at a time to prevent the mass rush to enter the plane. Otherwise, I would highly recommend Turkish Airlines

They only gave us 30 minutes to make an international connecting flight. We didn’t make the connection but they did do a good job rebooking us despite the chaos. Our bags didn’t make it back and their process for customer support is pretty bad when it comes to luggage.

POSITIVES The hostesses were mostly pleasant, NEGATIVES The full flight wifi was horrible, hardly able to use it. My charger port was not working which made me use my neighbour's port which resulted in an accident which ruined her flight. During dinner, meat ran out when the cart got to us forcing us to eat vegetarian which was not great. We watched everyone around us eating meat. My wifi did not transfer to the second leg of my trip as they promised as they changed the plane. I was thrown off the window seat I booked for the 2nd leg of my journey as they changed planes, all done at my expense. This was not a cheap flight ($2600) which i hurriedly had to book to attend my mother's funeral who passed away suddenly. I was honestly disappointed with the whole saga as I heard Ethiopian Airlines was one of Africa's best.

The food was terrible and the seating was uncomfortable, but the airline did a great thing letting us board in Abbis Ababa on our connecting flight after our original flight was very delayed.

Checking in wasn't organized, too many so-called diplomats were jumping line while everyone was waiting in line. They should have their own line not to impede on other passengers that was also waiting to be served. We all paid money and there should be no discrimination because everyone's money should have the same value diplomat or not! If they want to give diplomats some special treatment then let them create their own check in desk and not treat other passengers some that are (elderly, some with children, pregnant women) making them stand longer in line than necessary just because people are jumping line 😡

Forgotten Suite inside of the top compartment but went back to ask and they didn’t leave at the lost and found place. Also the checking in was so horrible. I had multi city and one of the passenger saint have visa go go go Dubai. The Ethiopian airlines never had information about requirement for US permanent resident so couldn’t go to Dubai. And when coming back to US we were told we can not use our Addis to Washington ticket and they forced us to get new ticket. Very horrible experience.

Im if Ethiopian can allow customers to use their mileage for in flight connexion it will be great.

United was best airlines I have seen since I got there choose united airlines

No Asian Vegetarian food was available on this sector but only fish and chicken and pasta were offered.

The plane was overbooked and the crew was very rude. My luggage was never put on the plane. I got to NY and waited 2 hours just to find out that my luggage was left.

Very bad experience flight was over 5 hours delayed 😑 not a chance to be put on another flight we had to stay at the hotel we lost 2 days on our vacation. Never again I will fligh with Ethiopian airlines.

what would have been better would have been that my booking not been canceled by the system and had I been informed that the booking had been cancelled by the system I could have immediately rebooked and not found out that there was an issue when I was told by the system that I needed to book in. It would have also been good if either the booking agent or BA or anyone been in anyway useful. In the end I had to rebook a flight at an additional cost of $350. So no I'm not impressed by BA any of the other parties involved.

Boarding was poor. Why are first class passengers not boarded first?! Bus to the plane and then held on a packed bus because we were waiting for people on the bus before to finish boarding. Seat belt on the fist clas seat is very uncomfortable, cutting into your neck. Other than that crew, seating and food were all excellent. Entertainment, as usual - rubbish.

I paid for full WIFI- it was terrible, kept being in and out could not listen to a podcast

Flight was delayed but my previous flight was as well so It worked to my advantage. This was my first time in first class. I don't think they ever stopped feeding us. The seating area was very spacious and comfortable. The attendants were wonderful, warm, friendly and very personable.

Some how my flight was canceled, neither BA or Justfly.com accepted responsibility. I only found out about this the day before when I tried to check in. I had to book another flight which due to the time ( day before) cost me $300 more. I was still receiving notifications about the flight even when I was on another flight from you. So no my flight to London was not good.

We had a pretty good experience. Enjoyed both the flights. Crew was very good and helpful.

They issued seat assignments and sat my 2 year-old in the row behind me, separate from me and my daughter. Communication/ customer service was terrible. They told me to change it in London, then in London, they told me to talk to the cabin crew, then a supervisor came and stuck us in the back of the plane when we were supposed to be in row 25. Overall, they need to really work on their customer service. Additionally the food was terrible and they ran out of meals and didn’t have any kid options. To top it off there was no in-flight entertainment for the first hour of the trip.

We missed the connection because we had to wait for a shuttle from the plane to the Terminal. Also, we needed assistance and none was available.

Friendly hosts/hostesses; dinner was of acceptable, but mediocre standard

When we arrived at the airport - 1st step - printing out your boarding pass - no issue. Not long lines as these machines. 2nd step - processing your bag drop off. There was only one associate there to help 10 kiosks. We had a family in front of us for 20 minutes trying to work on the machine and figure out every step for 4 pieces of luggage. My husband alerted the associate who was able to assist the family. Highly suggest that there are more associates to assist in this process. Besides this issue, security check went very quickly. Our flight was direct to Philadelphia. We had to carry our bags down two flights of steps, then out to the tarmac to a bus, then carry our bags up two flights of stairs to the plane. No one on the flight was expecting that long trek. I could see some people were struggling a bit. All in all - great flight crew, plane was clean and food was great!

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