Chicago, also known as the “birthplace of skyscrapers”, lacks one thing that Los Angeles has in abundance – year-round sunny weather coupled with an ocean and a slew of amazing beaches. This is precisely why LA is a popular destination for many Chicagoans who long for the warm California weather.
And while some go on a 2000 mile driving adventure on Route 66, the first American highway is also known as the Mother Road, and make a road trip out of it, if you want to get to LA in around 4 hours, the best and most comfortable way to travel is by a private jet.
In this article, I’m gonna sum up all the important data regarding private flights from Chicago to Los Angeles so you can plan your trip as soon as today, so let’s get started.
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Chicago to Los Angeles: Overview
The distance between Chicago and Los Angeles is a bit over 2,000 miles by road, which means it would take you at least 30 hours of non-stop driving to pass the route. By private jet, on the other hand, the trip should take between 4 and 7 hours, depending on the type of jet.
For a distance like this one, I would recommend a midsize or heavy jet, but if you don’t mind flying for over 5 hours, smaller jets are also possible to hire.
Renting a private jet is not cheap, we all know that. For a distance like this one, you should spend at least $18,000 if you opt for a turboprop plane, which is a bit slower, while the upper limit can exceed $60,000, but let’s say people normally spend up to $40,000 for this route.
As a private flyer, your focus is private airports, or FBOs (fixed-base operators), and luckily, both cities have a fair amount of them. These are facilities where private flyers can relax, and enjoy their time prior to or after the flight.
Pricing Options
Prices are a tricky issue when it comes to private flying, mostly because of their fluctuating nature. They will vary based on many conditions, such as jet size, model, time and date of travel, or even time of booking, so let’s see the average prices based on jet size.
Chicago to Los Angeles Average Flight Prices
| Aircraft type | Number of passengers | Chicago to Los Angeles route price | Estimated flight time |
| Turboprop | 6 – 9 | $18,000 | 6 hours 35 minutes |
| Light jet | 5 – 9 | $22,500 | 4 hours 40 minutes |
| Midsize jet | 6 – 10 | $26,500 | 4 hours 15 minutes |
| Heavy jet | 8 – 19 | $40,000 | 4 hours 5 minutes |
The table above includes prices as seen from The Aviation Factory’s official website. As you can see, a turboprop plane is the most lucrative option because you can fit nine people, and pay $18,000 for it. However, you’ll have to sacrifice on time as the estimated flight time is 2h+ compared to the other jets.
Chicago to Los Angeles Airports
There are two or three major airports in Chicago, depending on who you ask. I always considered Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport to be the two major airports handling the city’s air travel, but many would also consider Gary/Chicago International Airport as the third one, although it mostly operates military flights, but a few civilian ones as well.
That being said, the most important airport for private flyers is the Chicago Executive Airport (CEA), since most of the FBOs are either using the airport’s facilities to run their operations or are located in their surroundings.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
The Chicago O’Hare International airport is the biggest and busiest airport in Illinois. It’s located some 25 miles northwest of Chicago’s downtown area, which means that you would need to drive for about half an hour to reach it.
Although it’s a major hub for commercial flyers, that’s not really the case with private travelers. O’Hare has one fixed-base operator (FBO) working within the facility, which is operated by the very well-known Signature Flight Support company and offers everything a private flyer might need.
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
The Midway International airport is located much closer to Chicago’s downtown, only 10 miles away, practically within the city’s central area, and this is where you’ll find more options when it comes to FBOs
Within the facility, two companies operate such flights, those being the omnipresent Signature Flight Support and Atlantic Aviation. Apart from these two, there are other options nearby, such as Jet Aviation, for example.
Chicago Executive Airport (CEA)
The Executive airport has also gathered a decent number of fixed-base operators in its facility and nearby. The airport is located some 27 miles north of Chicago’s central area, meaning that you’d need some 50 minutes by car to reach it.
This airport attracts a lot of private flyers since it really has it going with all the FBOs. Within the airport, there are three operators – Signature Flight Support, Atlantic Aviation, and Hawthorne Global Aviation Services.
Apart from the above-mentioned ones, you can choose to use the services of Jetlinx. You will not make a mistake regardless of which one you choose. All are modern, comfortable, and offer magnificent 5-star services.
Los Angeles Airports
Los Angeles has a lot more FBO options you can choose from. It also has more airports than Chicago, and each one has fixed-base operations running, so the possibilities are really endless.
Los Angeles International Airport
The most common choice of LA travelers is the International Airport. This airport has plenty of private terminals, both within its facility and nearby. The most popular one is, of course, run by Signature Flight Support, and really does have everything a VIP traveler might need.
At the same time, there are other fixed-base operators, such as Total Airport Services and Atlantic Aviation. Choosing one should not be that hard since all of them include fancy and spacious lounges and very professional staff.
Los Angeles Long Beach Airport
Another quite popular airport among both commercial and private flyers is the Long Beach airport. This one is a bit far away if your destination is downtown Los Angeles, but if you don’t mind the distance, it’s quite worth it.
Some fixed-base operators whose services you could use near Long Beach are Signature Flight Support, Ross Aviation, and OCR Aviation.
Los Angeles Van Nuys Airport
The Van Nuys airport deserves a couple of sentences since it’s a small facility mostly used by the military. However, there are some FBOs that you could consider, those being:
Los Angeles John Wayne Airport
This airport, named after the famous Hollywood star, serves the citizens of Orange County since that’s where it’s located. You’d need some 40 minutes to reach it by car, and there is a big choice of fixed-base operators. Here’s a list of them:
- AciJet;
- Clay Lacy;
- Mac Air;
- OCFC (Orange County Flight Center);
- Sta Jets;
- Royal Aviation;
- General Aviation;
- Regency Air.
Which Planes Can You Fly to Los Angeles From Each Category?
Deciding about the size of the jet is one thing, but the most interesting part comes when you’re choosing the concrete jet model to fly you from Chicago to Los Angeles. As we said, this is a 2,000+ miles trip, so a midsize jet would suit you best. However, other options are not excluded at all.
The prices below are as seen from the official website of Air Charter Service. Note that the figures are before taxes and fees, so the final price will be a bit more than that.
Small and Midsize Jets (Turboprops, Light Jets, and Midsize Jets)
Every jet can pass this route, even a turboprop. The ones below are all great choices if you want to spend less money and still reach Los Angeles via private jet.
The Pilatus PC-12/45 is always a good recommendation since it can fit nine people, and is not that expensive. Actually, it would cost you some $20,000 to rent it, but the trick is you’d have to be patient since this jet needs 6 hours and 20 minutes to pass this route.
A similar option, but with better seating arrangement, providing passengers extra leg and luggage space, is the King Air B200. This jet costs $25,000 to rent, fits nine people, and will reach Los Angeles in 6 hours and 25 minutes.
If traveling for almost six and a half hours is too much for you, a classic light jet will take you to LA much faster, but it will cost a bit more as well. The Citation Encore is a fast jet that will pass the route in 4 hours and 35 minutes and can take 9 people on board. The price to pay for this one is around $27,500.
A slightly more expensive option, but also quicker, is the Learjet 35A which could be yours to hire for some $28,500. You will fly from Chicago to Los Angeles in 4 hours and 15 minutes, along with seven other passengers.
On the other hand, a midsize jet would be a perfect option for this semi-long trip. The Learjet 60, for example, needs 4 hours and 15 minutes to cover the route and has a seating capacity of 8. It has a very slick exterior, and the comfort inside is far better than any light jet. Such a jet would cost you around $32,000.
I’d also recommend that you think about the ultra-modern and spacious Citation XLS, which can be yours for the day for some $38,000. The cabin fits 9 people, and the time needed to fly from Chicago to L.A. is 4 hours and 35 minutes.
Furthermore, the Hawker 900XP is a true beauty of an airplane. It comprises a spacious cabin that fits 8 people and a mighty engine and needs only 4 hours and 25 minutes to reach Los Angeles. To rent this jet, you’ll need some $38,500.
Heavy Jets
Not that you necessarily need to rent a heavy jet for this trip, but if you have the money and are short on time, I’d say go for it. This trip takes over 4 hours, and you need to be comfortable during that time, so you’re fresh and rest when you reach your destination.
The Challenger 601 is a pretty good heavy jet that won’t damage your bank account by a lot but will give you all the pleasure and comfort that you’re paying for. To travel with it from Chicago to Los Angeles, you’ll need $39,000 give or take, as it will pass the route in 4 hours and 25 minutes. The spacious walk-around cabin fits 12 passengers.
A slightly newer model, the Challenger 604, costs some $39,500 to rent. The cabin is big enough to take 12 people on board, and the estimated flight time is 4 hours and 10 minutes. This is the fastest jet we’ve got on the list so far.
Another ultra-fast and spacious heavy jet is the Gulfstream G-IVSP. Just like the 604, it will fly from Chicago to Los Angeles in 4 hours and 10 minutes but can take four more people on board. The price to rent this one is somewhere around $44,000 and is the most expensive recommendation for this route.
Prices Per Plane Type: Overview
Below, you will find a table that gives the prices per plane type and model.
| Plane type | |||
| Light and midsize jets | Number of passengers | Flight time | Price |
| Pilatus PC-12/45 | 9 | 6 hours 20 minutes | $20,000 |
| King Air B200 | 9 | 6 hours 25 minutes | $25,000 |
| Citation Encore | 9 | 4 hours 25 minutes | $27,500 |
| Learjet 35A | 8 | 4 hours 15 minutes | $28,500 |
| Learjet 60 | 8 | 4 hours 15 minutes | $32,000 |
| Citation XLS | 9 | 4 hours 35 minutes | $38,000 |
| Hawker 900XP | 8 | 4 hours 25 minutes | $38,500 |
| Heavy jets | |||
| Challenger 601 | 12 | 4 hours 25 minutes | $39,000 |
| Challenger 604 | 12 | 4 hours 10 minutes | $39,500 |
| Gulfstream G-IVSP | 16 | 4 hours 10 minutes | $44,000 |
Conclusion
Traveling by private jet between some of the most beautiful cities in the States is for sure an adventure worth remembering.
The most important thing to know is that prices can vary a lot when it comes to private flights. In general, a flight like this could cost you as low as $18,000, but if your appetite gets bigger, you could easily spend up to $45,000, if not more.
The estimated time that you would spend up in the air is somewhere between four and five hours. Of course, if you take a turboprop plane this time frame will increase, reaching six hours and more.
Now that you know all the important details, you can plan your trip with ease. Happy travels!
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