Free tool
Flight time from Nairobi to Chicago
About 16 hours and 10 minutes non-stop, 12,910 km (8,022 miles), with your local arrival time and the time difference.
Estimate for a direct flight from Nairobi (NBO, Jomo Kenyatta) to Chicago (ORD, O’Hare). Change the departure time below to see your local arrival time.
How long is the flight from Nairobi to Chicago?
A non-stop flight from Nairobi to Chicago takes about 16 hours and 10 minutes. The two cities are 12,910 km (8,022 miles) apart in a straight line, measured between Jomo Kenyatta (NBO) and O’Hare (ORD).
This is a long-haul route. If there is no direct flight on your dates, a connection through a hub usually adds 2–6 hours to the journey.
The estimate assumes an average speed of about 830 km/h plus around 35 minutes for taxiing, take-off and landing. Real schedules vary with the airline, aircraft, route and winds – heading west into the jet stream, flights often take a little longer than this. Check your booking for the exact time.
Time difference and arrival time
Chicago is 9 hours behind Nairobi right now. A flight leaving Nairobi at 10:00 local time lands at about 17:10 local time in Chicago. With a 9h shift, expect some jet lag: as a rough guide the body adjusts by about an hour a day, and flying west (as on this trip) is usually easier than the other way.
Current time in Nairobi · Current time in Chicago · Flight time from Chicago to Nairobi
More flights from Nairobi
- Nairobi to Johannesburg 4h 5m
- Nairobi to Doha 4h 35m
- Nairobi to Cairo 4h 50m
- Nairobi to Dubai 4h 50m
- Nairobi to Mumbai 6h 5m
- Nairobi to Athens 6h 5m
- Nairobi to Auckland 17h 20m
- Nairobi to Vancouver 17h 55m
- Nairobi to Mexico City 18h 25m
- Nairobi to San Francisco 19h 10m
More flights from Chicago
- Chicago to Toronto 1h 25m
- Chicago to New York 2h
- Chicago to Miami 2h 55m
- Chicago to Cancún 3h 25m
- Chicago to Mexico City 3h 50m
- Chicago to Los Angeles 4h
- Chicago to Phuket 17h 55m
- Chicago to Sydney 18h 30m
- Chicago to Kuala Lumpur 18h 35m
- Chicago to Singapore 18h 45m
Why arrival times look strange
Airline schedules always show local times: departure in the departure city’s time and arrival in the arrival city’s time. Fly east and you “lose” hours – a 7-hour flight from New York to London leaving at 19:00 lands at 07:00 the next morning. Fly west and you gain them, which is how you can land in Los Angeles almost at the same clock time you left Tokyo. This calculator handles the time zones and daylight saving time for you.
How the flight time estimate works
In estimate mode the calculator measures the great-circle distance between the two cities – the shortest route over the Earth’s surface – and assumes an average speed of about 830 km/h (515 mph), plus around 35 minutes for taxiing, take-off and landing. That gives a good guide for a non-stop flight. Real schedules vary with the airline, aircraft, winds and route: flights heading east with the jet stream are often quicker than the same trip heading west, so always check your booking for the exact time.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Nairobi to Chicago?
A direct flight from Nairobi to Chicago takes about 16 hours and 10 minutes. This is an estimate based on the distance; airline schedules can be shorter or longer depending on the route and winds.
How far is Chicago from Nairobi?
The straight-line (great-circle) distance between Nairobi and Chicago is about 12,910 km, or 8,022 miles.
What is the time difference between Nairobi and Chicago?
Chicago is 9 hours behind Nairobi at the moment.