Direct Flights from Chicago to Billings
Billings · Montana
Nonstop service from ORD to BIL on American, United. Here's the schedule at a glance — plus what to do once you land.
How rare is this nonstop?
Only 15 cities have a nonstop to Billings, so this is a route worth knowing about — most travelers connect to get there.
How long to go to Billings for, from Chicago
2h 35m in the air, 1,058 miles. That is a long weekend without much friction, though three nights beats two once you add the airport time at both ends.
About Billings

Billings is the largest city in Montana in Yellowstone County, with an estimated 110,000 people (2019). As a destination, Billings does a significant amount of convention business and is also the host to various regional events such as music festivals, athletic contests, rodeos, and outdoor activities. Billings hosts the largest hospitals in a 500-mile radius, as such the medical profession is a major source of employment in the area. Billings is also a frequent overnight or meal stop for westbound visitors to Yellowstone National Park, as it is the last major city for visitors going to the park via the Beartooth Highway.
Summary from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA).
Top things to do in Billings
- ZooMontana is a 70-acre (28 ha) zoo located in Billings, Montana, U.S. and is Montana's only zoo and botanical park. The zoo currently maintains nearly 100 animals, representing 58 species.
- St. Patrick's Co-Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in Billings, Montana, United States. Along with St. Ann's Cathedral in Great Falls, Montana it is the seat of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings.
- Pictograph Cave is an area of three caves located 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Billings, Montana, United States, preserved and protected in the 23-acre (9.3 ha) Pictograph Cave State Park.
- The Rimrocks are geological rimrock sandstone formations that outcrop in sections of Billings, Montana.
- The Western Heritage Center is a regional museum located in historic downtown Billings, Montana, United States. The museum is housed in the historic Parmly Billings Memorial Library, built in 1901.
- The Yellowstone Art Museum (YAM) in downtown Billings, Montana, United States, is the largest contemporary art museum in Montana.
- Yellowstone National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located one mile north of Laurel, Yellowstone County, Montana, at 55 Buffalo Trail Road, administered by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, National…
- Lake Elmo State Park is a public recreation area located on the northeast side of Billings, Montana. The state park occupies 123 acres (50 ha) and is at an elevation of 3,199 feet (975 m).
Attraction descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA); place data from Wikidata (CC0).
Billings weather, compared with Chicago
Within 1° of Chicago on the annual average, so pack much as you would at home — but the two cities do not track each other month to month:
- January
- Billings 36°F · Chicago 31°F · 5° warmer
- April
- Billings 57°F · Chicago 59°F · 2° colder
- July
- Billings 87°F · Chicago 84°F · 3° warmer
- October
- Billings 59°F · Chicago 62°F · 4° colder
January bottoms out near 36°F — a real coat, not a layer.
Average daily highs, 1991–2020 station normals from Meteostat (CC BY 4.0), measured at each city's airport.
Planning a trip to Billings
- Best time to visit
- The best time to visit Billings is May–June and September, when daytime highs are a comfortable 67–77°F.
- How long to stay
- Three or four days is enough to take in Billings's highlights, from ZooMontana, St. Patrick's Co-Cathedral (Billings, Montana), and Pictograph Cave (Billings, Montana) and more.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a direct flight from Chicago to Billings?
- Yes — you can fly nonstop from Chicago (ORD) to Billings (BIL) on American, United.
- Which airlines fly nonstop from Chicago to Billings?
- American, United fly nonstop between Chicago (ORD) and Billings (BIL). United flies it May to October only.
- How many nonstop flights are there from Chicago to Billings?
- There is about 1 nonstop departure per day (roughly 7 per week) from Chicago to Billings.
- How far is Billings from Chicago?
- Billings is about 1,058 miles from Chicago by air.
- What is there to do in Billings?
- Popular things to do include ZooMontana, St. Patrick's Co-Cathedral (Billings, Montana), Pictograph Cave (Billings, Montana), Rimrocks, and more.
More nonstop destinations from Chicago near Billings
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