Chicago to Anchorage: Nonstop Flights, Airport Terminals and What to Carry

Somewhere over the long stretch between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Alaska, window shades start to go up and people lean across the aisle to point at the first snow-streaked peaks. That moment comes at the end of a single flight for travelers leaving Chicago O’Hare, because Anchorage’s airport lists nonstop service from there in summer. The trip is simple to plan: choose your carrier, know which terminal you land in, and have the right ID in your wallet.

Which airlines fly from Chicago to Anchorage?

Chicago O’Hare is one of the cities with nonstop flights to Anchorage, and that service is described for summer, so the schedule is a seasonal one. The airport’s own list of nonstop cities also includes Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Newark, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle/Tacoma. If your plans fall outside the summer window, a connection through one of those cities is the other way to reach Anchorage.

The airlines that use the South Terminal in Anchorage give you a good idea of who serves the city: Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Sun Country Airlines and United Airlines all appear there, along with Condor and Discover Airlines for departures. Which of them flies the O’Hare route in a given season is something to confirm when you search for dates, since the sources here name the city but not the carrier.

Alaska Airlines and its Anchorage roots

Alaska Airlines has a particular tie to the city you are flying to. The company began as McGee Airways, whose first service ran between Anchorage and Bristol Bay, and in the 1940s its headquarters were in Anchorage. Today it is headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, in the Seattle area, and its primary hub is Seattle-Tacoma International. Anchorage remains one of its hubs, alongside Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego and San Francisco.

The airline belongs to the Oneworld alliance, and its frequent-flyer program is called Atmos Rewards. For a traveler who collects miles, that matters when you compare a nonstop with a connection through a West Coast hub, because Alaska’s network is built around those cities and reaches well beyond them to Hawaii, Asia, Oceania and Europe.

Nonstop or connection

A nonstop from O’Hare gets you there in one sitting, which suits families, people with a tight itinerary and anyone heading straight to a train, a rental or a lodge. A connection through Seattle, Minneapolis, Denver or another listed city can make sense when dates, fares or miles favor it. Both end in the same place, an airport that sees a very large number of daily arrivals.

More than 240 flights arrive daily at Anchorage, so the airport is used to travelers at every hour. Arrivals in summer can land in long evening light, since Anchorage gets up to 19½ hours of sunlight in the season and the sun sets just before midnight.

Where do you land?

You land at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, which sits 5 miles southwest of downtown Anchorage at 5000 W. International Airport Rd. It is a working hub for Alaska Airlines and also for cargo carriers including FedEx Express, UPS Airlines, Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo, which is why the runways are long and the airfield is busy at all hours.

South Terminal and North Terminal

The airport has two terminals. The South Terminal is the domestic one, with 24 gates, and it is where a flight from Chicago on a U.S. carrier will almost certainly use. The North Terminal has 8 gates and handles Condor arrivals, international seasonal charters and military flights, so most Chicago travelers will never set foot in it.

Alaska Airlines, American, Delta, United, Sun Country and Air Canada all use the South Terminal. If you are meeting someone, that is the side to go to, and if you are flying home through Anchorage on a Condor departure, that also leaves from the South Terminal.

From the airport to downtown

People Mover bus Route 40 serves both the North and South terminals and connects to the downtown Transit Center. It runs every 15 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on evenings and weekends. That makes the ride into town straightforward for a traveler without a car, with the downtown core only a few miles from the terminal.

If your plans include the Alaska Railroad, the depot is at 411 West 1st Ave in Anchorage, and you can call it at +1 907 265-2494. Visitors can book a railroad trip, a flightseeing tour or a day cruise, and many Alaska vacation packages bundle motorcoach and train excursions with overnight stays.

Lake Hood next door

Right beside the airport is the Lake Hood Seaplane Base, the busiest seaplane base in the world. If you arrive with a window seat, you may see floatplanes sitting on the water or taking off, a good reminder that in Alaska much of the map is reached by air. Most people plan at least three days in Anchorage, and some of those days may involve a flight out of this same airfield to a remote lodge, which visitors can also arrange.

What do you need for the trip?

You need acceptable photo ID at the airport, and because this is a domestic flight you do not need anything beyond that. Adults 18 and older must show valid identification at the checkpoint, and if your identity cannot be verified you will not be allowed into the screening area.

REAL ID or a passport

REAL ID enforcement began on May 7, 2025, so U.S. travelers must now have a compliant license or another accepted document to board a domestic flight. A license marked with a star, a flag or the word Enhanced is REAL ID ready. A passport works in place of a REAL ID driver’s license, which is the simplest fix if your license is not marked.

A traveler without an acceptable ID can still go through the TSA ConfirmID program, for a fee shown in the table. Anchorage’s airport also carries a reminder for people who lack a REAL ID or acceptable ID, so the question comes up there as well as in Chicago.

Details that trip people up

A temporary paper driver’s license is not accepted as ID. An expired ID can still be accepted for up to two years after it lapses, though the list of acceptable documents can change without notice, so a valid one is the safer bet.

Children under 18 do not need ID on a flight within the United States. Suffix variations such as Jr. on a boarding pass and ID are accepted, and the suffix is not required on the pass. An unaccompanied minor eligible for TSA PreCheck must show an acceptable ID to get expedited screening.

What the weather means for your bag

Summer is the best time to visit Anchorage, from May to early September. Daytime highs average around 68°F with overnight lows around 55°F, so the days are comfortably cool and the nights call for a layer. With so much daylight, evenings stay bright well into the night, which is worth remembering if you plan a late arrival.

Good to know before you go

The free Official Anchorage Visitor Guide includes a directory of local businesses in Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska, and you can sign up for the city’s e-newsletter for trip ideas and deals. Since many people plan at least three days in town, a first evening of long light is a gentle way to settle in after the flight.