Chicago to London is a corporate route: the Midwest's headquarters, trading firms and law practices with business in the City and across Europe. Private flights typically leave from Chicago Midway (MDW) or Chicago Executive (PWK) in the northern suburbs, with O'Hare as another option. Being further west than the East Coast, Chicago adds distance to the crossing, which narrows the list of aircraft that can do it non-stop. In London, Luton, Farnborough and Biggin Hill are all available.
| Airport | IATA / ICAO | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Midway International | MDW / KMDW | departure · 6,334 km to LTN | Close-in airport on Chicago's South Side, about ten miles from the Loop; mixed traffic and a common choice for private flights to the city. |
| Chicago Executive | PWK / KPWK | departure · 6,318 km to LTN | Alternative. |
| Chicago O'Hare International | ORD / KORD | departure · 6,329 km to LTN | Alternative. |
| London Luton | LTN / EGGW | arrival | Busy mixed airport north of London with a large business-aviation side; suits north and west London and Hertfordshire. |
| Farnborough | FAB / EGLF | arrival · 6,339 km from MDW | Business-aviation-only airport southwest of London with no scheduled airline traffic; suits west London, Surrey and Hampshire. |
| London Biggin Hill | BQH / EGKB | arrival · 6,386 km from MDW | Business-aviation airport southeast of London with no scheduled airline service; suits the City, Canary Wharf, south and east London and Kent. |
Source: OurAirports, great-circle.
| Class | Example (published range) | Verdict for 6,334 km | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light jet | Phenom 300 (3,650 km) | One fuel stop | about 10 h 35 with the stop |
| Midsize jet | Citation XLS+ (3,889 km) | One fuel stop | about 9 h 45 with the stop |
| Super-midsize jet | Challenger 350 (5,926 km) | One fuel stop | about 9 h 10 with the stop |
| Heavy jet | Challenger 605 (7,408 km) | Non-stop | 7 h 35 |
| Large heavy jet | Falcon 900 (8,890 km) | Non-stop | 7 h 35 |
| Ultra-long-range jet | Global 6000, Falcon 8X, Gulfstream G650 (11,112 km) | Non-stop | 7 h 25 |
Rule: non-stop needs 15% range margin. Times are estimates.
13-14 passengers, 11,112 km of published range: 1.8 times this route.
See the aircraft ›13-19 passengers, 13,890 km of published range: 2.2 times this route.
See the aircraft ›From $100,000 one way, whole aircraft, on a large jet. That is the lowest figure we found published by a charter broker for this route: a market reference, not our quote. Every quote we send is in US dollars, for the whole aircraft, and the price includes our service fee.
| When | What happens | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| All year | Business travel dominates and runs year-round. | For same-week returns, tell us both directions when you ask for a quote. |
| Summer | More leisure travel to the UK and Europe. | Ask about combining London with other European stops. |
Your dates and group size for London.