Direct Flights from Chicago to Columbia, South Carolina
Nonstop service from ORD to CAE on American, United. Here's the schedule at a glance — plus what to do once you land.
How rare is this nonstop?
Only 10 cities have a nonstop to Columbia, South Carolina, so this is a route worth knowing about — most travelers connect to get there.
How long to go to Columbia, South Carolina for, from Chicago
1h 50m in the air, 667 miles — a Friday-evening departure still leaves you most of the evening in Columbia, South Carolina. Two nights works.
About Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the capital city and second largest city in South Carolina. It is home to the main campus of the University of South Carolina, and to the Army's Fort Jackson. It is in the approximate geographic center of the state, and was one of the first planned cities in the United States.
Summary from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA).
Top things to do in Columbia, South Carolina
- Congaree National Park is a 26,692.6-acre national park of the United States in central South Carolina, 18 miles southeast of the state capital, Columbia.
- The Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is a 170-acre (69 ha) zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden located along the Saluda River in Columbia, South Carolina, United States.
- The Columbia Museum of Art is an art museum in the American city of Columbia, South Carolina.
- Sesquicentennial State Park, commonly referred to as "Sesqui" (/sɛskwɪ/), is a state park located in the Sandhills region of South Carolina.
- Poinsett State Park is located in Sumter County, South Carolina. The park is best known for its botanical oddities, combining flora from the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Piedmont region of Upstate South Car…
- Trinity Episcopal Church, now known as Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, is the first Episcopal and the oldest surviving sanctuary in Columbia, South Carolina, United States.
- Cooner's Cattle Mound is a historic earthen cattle mound located in Congaree National Park near Hopkins, Richland County, South Carolina, United States.
- W. Gordon Belser Arboretum is part of the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina, managed by the Department of Biological Sciences.
- Lake Wateree State Park is a state park located in Winnsboro, South Carolina. The state park is located on Desportes Island on Lake Wateree, 17 miles from Winnsboro, SC and 14 miles from Ridgeway, SC.
- Dreher Island State Park is in central South Carolina roughly 30 miles (48 km) from the state's capital of Columbia.
- Goodale State Park is a South Carolina state park located just outside Camden, SC.
- World War Memorial Building is a building designed by Lafaye & Lafaye in Columbia, South Carolina, United States.
Attraction descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA); place data from Wikidata (CC0).
Columbia, South Carolina weather, compared with Chicago
17° warmer than Chicago on average across the year, on daytime highs:
- January
- Columbia, South Carolina 57°F · Chicago 31°F · 26° warmer
- April
- Columbia, South Carolina 77°F · Chicago 59°F · 18° warmer
- July
- Columbia, South Carolina 93°F · Chicago 84°F · 9° warmer
- October
- Columbia, South Carolina 77°F · Chicago 62°F · 14° warmer
July averages 93°F, hot enough to plan the middle of the day around. Columbia, South Carolina is the steadier of the two, moving 36° between its coldest and warmest months where Chicago moves 53°.
Average daily highs, 1991–2020 station normals from Meteostat (CC BY 4.0), measured at each city's airport.
Planning a trip to Columbia, South Carolina
- Best time to visit
- The best time to visit Columbia, South Carolina is February–April and October–November, when daytime highs are a comfortable 61–77°F.
- How long to stay
- Columbia, South Carolina rewards a longer visit — a full week lets you explore its many sights, from Congaree National Park, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, and Columbia Museum of Art and beyond.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a direct flight from Chicago to Columbia, South Carolina?
- Yes — you can fly nonstop from Chicago (ORD) to Columbia, South Carolina (CAE) on American, United.
- Which airlines fly nonstop from Chicago to Columbia, South Carolina?
- American, United fly nonstop between Chicago (ORD) and Columbia, South Carolina (CAE).
- How many nonstop flights are there from Chicago to Columbia, South Carolina?
- There are about 3 nonstop departures per day (roughly 21 per week) from Chicago to Columbia, South Carolina.
- How far is Columbia, South Carolina from Chicago?
- Columbia, South Carolina is about 667 miles from Chicago by air.
- What is there to do in Columbia, South Carolina?
- Popular things to do include Congaree National Park, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia Museum of Art, Sesquicentennial State Park, and more.
More nonstop destinations from Chicago near Columbia, South Carolina
Airports near Chicago
The closest other departure airports to Chicago — each opens up more nonstop destinations.