Cubbies2016

So I'm looking for a flight from JFK to ORD on Feb 13th. I arrive on the 13th at 2pm from my international flight. I'm looking at the schedule here and there are almost no evening flights. All I see is JetBlue at 3:30pm which isn't a realistic option as it only gives me 90 minutes to clear customers, collect bags, and make it to my new terminal and check in. The other option is a 7:25pm flight but it's $166 one way which seems outrageous.

Why so limited options between two major airports that aren't even 2 hours apart? What am I missing?

guv1976

The vast majority of flights from NYC to Chicago depart from EWR (a large UA hub), or LGA (the closest NYC airport to Manhattan, and a DL hub and an AA focus city). There's just not that much demand for JFK-ORD service.

Cubbies2016

Even so I find it really odd that there is only 1 flight option past 3pm. That's pretty awful. JFK is a major hub for international arrivals. What about all the people that need to take another flight to get home?

MSPeconomist

Prices tend to be high since this is a business route.

Cubbies2016

Prices are actually really cheap though. The only expensive option is the evening flight which unfortunately is the one I need.

Maybe I'll Uber to Laguardia and fly to Midway.

sbm12

The reason there are few from JFK is that the domestic flights from JFK are mostly used as feeder service to/from the international routes and ORD has many of those same destinations service with direct flights. It is unlikely that someone is going to fly EU-JFK-ORD when a nonstop EU-ORD is possible.

And for O/D traffic between NYC and CHI the LGA departures are far more convenient in most cases. There are plenty of flights from LGA to ORD or MDW.

gfunkdave

ORD is also a major hub for international arrivals, or at least enough that you can generally get a nonstop flight from a lot of places.

Why didn't you just book your international trip to ORD instead of worrying about two flights?

Often1

AA runs Shuttle service to ORD from LGA with 14 frequencies a day, the latest at 9:00 PM. I can't conceive of anybody flying NYC-ORD from JFK, so that would be solely for inbound international connections and those will be few as most places with JFK service have ORD service as well and people will fly nonstop into ORD.

While I am no fan of WN, on this route, it does fly LGA-MDW which avoids the inconvenience of ORD. While the cheap fares on WN are in the $60-70 range, if you no show because your flight into JFK is late or you are delayed in rush hour traffic, that ticket is cancelled. The more expensive flexible fares are $450 and that is what you will pay at walkup if you do no show, so that may be a sub optimal option.

Cubbies2016

Emirates doesn't fly the 380 to ORD unfortunately.

krazykanuck

That's the only logical solution here... I did a quick search on Google flights and there are tons of flights for $64 one way on either AA, UA, or DL. Pick your poison!

Cubbies2016

Thanks. On another topic involving same airports, in late Jan, I have a flight from ORD to JFK arriving at approx. 1:40pm. My Emirates flight to Dubai leaves at 4:30pm. Obviously, if everything goes as planned, it won't be a problem. Would you be comfortable doing that?

sbm12

Yes.