Free tool
Flight time from Sydney to Chicago
About 18 hours and 30 minutes non-stop, 14,862 km (9,235 miles), with your local arrival time and the time difference.
Estimate for a direct flight from Sydney (SYD, Kingsford Smith) to Chicago (ORD, O’Hare). Change the departure time below to see your local arrival time.
How long is the flight from Sydney to Chicago?
A non-stop flight from Sydney to Chicago takes about 18 hours and 30 minutes. The two cities are 14,862 km (9,235 miles) apart in a straight line, measured between Kingsford Smith (SYD) 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 east with the jet stream, flights are often a little quicker than this. Check your booking for the exact time.
Time difference and arrival time
Chicago is 17 hours behind Sydney right now. A flight leaving Sydney at 10:00 local time lands at about 11:30 local time in Chicago. With a 17h 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 Sydney · Current time in Chicago · Sydney and Chicago time difference · Flight time from Chicago to Sydney
More flights from Sydney
- Sydney to Melbourne 1h 25m
- Sydney to Auckland 3h 10m
- Sydney to Bali 6h 10m
- Sydney to Jakarta 7h 15m
- Sydney to Manila 8h 10m
- Sydney to Singapore 8h 10m
- Sydney to Moscow 18h 5m
- Sydney to Istanbul 18h 35m
- Sydney to Miami 18h 40m
- Sydney to Athens 19h
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 Johannesburg 17h 30m
- Chicago to Phuket 17h 55m
- 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 Sydney to Chicago?
A direct flight from Sydney to Chicago takes about 18 hours and 30 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 Sydney?
The straight-line (great-circle) distance between Sydney and Chicago is about 14,862 km, or 9,235 miles.
What is the time difference between Sydney and Chicago?
Chicago is 17 hours behind Sydney at the moment.