{"response": {"Key": "MDW-SJU", "orig": {"code": "MDW", "type": "airport", "city": "Chicago", "fullCity": "Chicago, Illinois", "airport": "Midway Intl Airport"}, "dest": {"code": "SJU", "type": "airport", "city": "San Juan", "fullCity": "San Juan, Puerto Rico", "airport": "Luis Munoz Marin Intl Airport"}, "faq": {"q0": {"question": "What is the typical flight duration from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "The flight from Chicago Midway to San Juan covers about 2,060 miles. Nonstop on Southwest, the typical outbound flight time is 4 hours 45 minutes, while the return leg takes 5 hours 5 minutes — about twenty minutes longer heading back to Chicago, a typical jet stream effect.", "methodology": "Carrier service, flight times and distances for this route come from our flight-schedule database, which draws on published airline timetables, U.S. government schedule data, and observed operations from the EUROCONTROL/OpenSky Open Performance Data Initiative (OPDI). We report the days of the week and the departure times each carrier operates. The typical flight time is the median scheduled block time, given both per carrier and across all carriers on the route; where a schedule does not publish an elapsed time, it is derived from the scheduled departure and arrival times converted to UTC. Outbound and return times are computed by the same method, so the difference between them is directly comparable and reflects prevailing winds rather than any change in derivation. Distance is the great-circle distance between the two specific airports named, so an actual flown track is typically 2-5% longer. Where shown, on-time departure and arrival rates and cancellation rates come from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Airline On-Time Performance dataset, which covers U.S. domestic routes only; where a typical fare is shown, it comes from the U.S. DOT Airline Origin and Destination Survey (DB1B), a quarterly 10% sample of tickets sold.", "toolsUsed": ["flight_schedule"]}, "q1": {"question": "Are there any direct flights from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "Southwest flies non‑stop from Chicago Midway to San Juan, with three flights a week on Saturdays and Sundays only, departing around 8:35–8:40 AM. The flight takes about 4 hours and 45 minutes, and the return leg is roughly 5 hours and 5 minutes. Typical fares run around $245 one‑way.", "methodology": "Airlines and weekly frequencies are compiled from our flight-schedule database, which combines published airline timetables, U.S. government schedule data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), and observed flight operations from the EUROCONTROL/OpenSky Open Performance Data Initiative (OPDI). We count each operating carrier's scheduled weekly departures and the days it flies; where there is no nonstop service, connecting carriers are identified by linking scheduled nonstop segments through common hub airports. Where a median fare is shown for a carrier, it reflects the real fares Priceline users found on this route in the last 72 hours. Carrier service, flight times and distances for this route come from our flight-schedule database, which draws on published airline timetables, U.S. government schedule data, and observed operations from the EUROCONTROL/OpenSky Open Performance Data Initiative (OPDI). We report the days of the week and the departure times each carrier operates. The typical flight time is the median scheduled block time, given both per carrier and across all carriers on the route; where a schedule does not publish an elapsed time, it is derived from the scheduled departure and arrival times converted to UTC. Outbound and return times are computed by the same method, so the difference between them is directly comparable and reflects prevailing winds rather than any change in derivation. Distance is the great-circle distance between the two specific airports named, so an actual flown track is typically 2-5% longer. Where shown, on-time departure and arrival rates and cancellation rates come from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Airline On-Time Performance dataset, which covers U.S. domestic routes only; where a typical fare is shown, it comes from the U.S. DOT Airline Origin and Destination Survey (DB1B), a quarterly 10% sample of tickets sold.", "toolsUsed": ["route_airlines", "flight_schedule"]}, "q3": {"question": "What are the ground transportation options in San Juan?", "answer": "At Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), you can reach San Juan’s center by taxi, rideshare (Uber, Lyft), rental car, or public bus. Taxis and rideshares are the fastest and most popular, taking about 10–15 minutes to Condado and 15–20 minutes to Old San Juan. The public bus (AMA) is the cheapest option at $0.75, but it’s slower and less convenient with luggage. Rental cars are widely available if you plan to explore beyond the city. Most visitors opt for a taxi or rideshare for a quick, hassle-free trip.", "toolsUsed": [], "references": [{"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Mu%C3%B1oz_Mar%C3%ADn_International_Airport", "title": "Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport", "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png", "time_published": "2026-07-21T20:24:02Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%20of%20the%20busiest%20airports%20in%20Puerto%20Rico", "title": "List of the busiest airports in Puerto Rico", "time_published": "2025-09-20T07:52:17Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Mu%C3%B1oz_Marin_International_Airport", "title": "Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport - Wikipedia", "time_published": "2002-09-10T02:45:15Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_busiest_airports_in_Puerto_Rico", "title": "List of the busiest airports in Puerto Rico", "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png", "time_published": "2025-09-20T07:52:17Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto%20Rico%20Metropolitan%20Bus%20Authority", "title": "Puerto Rico Metropolitan Bus Authority", "time_published": "2026-01-08T02:20:19Z"}]}, "q4": {"question": "When is the cheapest time to fly from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "The cheapest months to fly from Chicago Midway to San Juan are August, September, and May, with average fares as low as $374. The most expensive months are December, March, and February, when average prices can exceed $600.", "methodology": "This 'good deal' estimate shows a representative best price for each departure date across roughly a 12-month window (about 3 months back and 9 months forward). It is built from real flight prices found by Priceline users searching this route, accumulated into a price history for each departure date. Rather than weighting all of that history equally, we apply exponential time decay so recent prices dominate — a price seen yesterday counts almost in full, one from about a month ago roughly a third, and prices from a few months back very little — giving a figure that tracks today's market instead of a stale long-run average. Clear price outliers are removed before any calculation, departure dates with no observations are filled in from nearby dates, and the resulting curve is lightly smoothed so it reads as a clean seasonal trend rather than day-to-day noise.", "toolsUsed": ["seasonal_prices"]}, "q5": {"question": "How far in advance should I book tickets from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "For flights from Chicago Midway to San Juan, the best fares are typically found when booking 8 to 11 weeks ahead, with an average price around $455 during that window. Prices rise sharply within the final month, and for summer or holiday travel you should book even earlier — at least 12 to 14 weeks out — since demand pushes the optimal window further from departure.", "methodology": "This booking-window guidance is built from the same real flight prices found by Priceline users searching this route, re-grouped by how many days before departure each price was seen (from the departure day out to about 180 days ahead) across the route's price history. At each booking lead time we report the 25th-percentile price — the cheaper end of what travelers were quoted, rather than the rock-bottom minimum (which can be a fluke) or the average (which is pulled up by expensive last-minute fares). The buy-or-wait advice then applies a risk premium that grows as departure approaches, since seat availability shrinks and prices become less predictable; using that adjusted curve we flag windows where waiting is likely to save a meaningful amount (at least $20 or 5%) versus windows where booking now is the better call. Isolated single-day recommendations are filtered out, so the advice only reflects a window that holds for several days in a row.", "toolsUsed": ["booking_timing"]}, "q6": {"question": "Are overnight (red‑eye) flights available from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "No overnight (red-eye) flights are scheduled from Chicago Midway to San Juan — neither nonstop nor connecting itineraries with a red-eye long leg were found on this route.", "methodology": "Red-eye flights are identified from scheduled local departure and arrival times in our flight-schedule database — built from published airline timetables and official schedule data, including U.S. Department of Transportation records for domestic routes — flagging services that depart late at night and arrive the following morning; for connecting itineraries the red-eye is based on the timing of the overnight long-haul leg.", "toolsUsed": ["redeye_flights"]}, "q7": {"question": "Which airlines usually operate this route from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "Southwest Airlines operates nonstop from Chicago Midway (MDW) to San Juan (SJU), with three weekly flights on Saturdays and Sundays. The typical median fare for Southwest on this route is around $461.", "methodology": "Airlines and weekly frequencies are compiled from our flight-schedule database, which combines published airline timetables, U.S. government schedule data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), and observed flight operations from the EUROCONTROL/OpenSky Open Performance Data Initiative (OPDI). We count each operating carrier's scheduled weekly departures and the days it flies; where there is no nonstop service, connecting carriers are identified by linking scheduled nonstop segments through common hub airports. Where a median fare is shown for a carrier, it reflects the real fares Priceline users found on this route in the last 72 hours.", "toolsUsed": ["route_airlines"]}, "q8": {"question": "If I need a connection, what are common layover cities between Chicago and San Juan?", "answer": "Southwest often routes you through Orlando, Baltimore, or Fort Lauderdale, while other airlines may connect via Atlanta or Charlotte, all offering efficient domestic transfers and no passport requirement since San Juan is a U.S. territory."}, "q9": {"question": "How reliable are on‑time departures on this route from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "Southwest flights from Chicago Midway to San Juan have a departure on-time percentage of about 57%, with an overall on-time rate of roughly 72% and a cancellation rate of 0%. These figures reflect Southwest's performance on this route.", "methodology": "Carrier service, flight times and distances for this route come from our flight-schedule database, which draws on published airline timetables, U.S. government schedule data, and observed operations from the EUROCONTROL/OpenSky Open Performance Data Initiative (OPDI). We report the days of the week and the departure times each carrier operates. The typical flight time is the median scheduled block time, given both per carrier and across all carriers on the route; where a schedule does not publish an elapsed time, it is derived from the scheduled departure and arrival times converted to UTC. Outbound and return times are computed by the same method, so the difference between them is directly comparable and reflects prevailing winds rather than any change in derivation. Distance is the great-circle distance between the two specific airports named, so an actual flown track is typically 2-5% longer. Where shown, on-time departure and arrival rates and cancellation rates come from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Airline On-Time Performance dataset, which covers U.S. domestic routes only; where a typical fare is shown, it comes from the U.S. DOT Airline Origin and Destination Survey (DB1B), a quarterly 10% sample of tickets sold.", "toolsUsed": ["flight_schedule"]}, "q10": {"question": "Which months have the best weather for traveling to San Juan?", "answer": "December to April offers warm, dry weather and smaller crowds before the summer rain and peak tourism."}, "q11": {"question": "What documents should I bring with me to the airport when flying from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "Flying from Chicago to San Juan is a domestic U.S. trip, so bring a Real ID or passport, and carry a payment method for bags and any health documents, with no visa or vaccination certificates required."}, "q12": {"question": "Which airport should I use in San Juan?", "answer": "San Juan has one main airport, Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, which serves as the primary gateway for both domestic and international flights."}, "q13": {"question": "How do I get to Midway Intl Airport from the city center?", "answer": "The CTA Orange Line 'L' train provides a direct connection from downtown Chicago's Loop to Midway Airport, offering the fastest and most popular option. Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, along with taxis, are available for door-to-door convenience, while several shuttle and regional bus services connect the airport to the city, suburbs, and surrounding states. For those driving, on-site parking includes a main garage with hourly and daily rates and economy lots for extended stays. Public transit is generally the most economical choice, with rideshare and taxis costing more but providing greater flexibility.", "toolsUsed": [], "references": [{"url": "https://www.flychicago.com/midway/tofrom/pages/default.aspx", "title": "Getting To and From | Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)", "favicon": "https://www.flychicago.com/_catalogs/masterpage/favicon.ico", "time_published": "2026-06-28T03:12:29Z"}, {"url": "https://flychicago.com/midway/tofrom/taxi/pages/default.aspx", "title": "Taxi, Limo, TNP |  Chicago Midway International Airport  (MDW)", "time_published": "2026-05-05T00:00:00Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midway%20Airport%20%28disambiguation%29", "title": "Midway Airport (disambiguation)", "time_published": "2025-04-17T19:45:26Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transportation_in_Chicago", "title": "Transportation in Chicago", "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png", "time_published": "2026-05-15T02:56:07Z"}, {"url": "https://www.faa.gov/AIR_TRAFFIC/FLIGHT_INFO/AERONAV/PROCEDURES/application/index.cfm?event=directory&directory=294316923CED4A93AEE2878AE4982479-MDW-NDBR&type=ndbr&nasrId=MDW", "title": "USA Banner", "time_published": "2025-06-26T00:00:00Z"}]}, "q14": {"question": "Are there hotels or sleeping facilities at San Juan airport?", "answer": "San Juan Airport (SJU) has an on-site hotel located within the terminal, so no shuttle is required. If you'd rather not stay airside, nearby hotels like the Residence Inn San Juan Isla Verdes are connected by a short shuttle ride.", "toolsUsed": [], "references": [{"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Mu%C3%B1oz_Mar%C3%ADn_International_Airport", "title": "Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport", "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png", "time_published": "2026-07-21T20:24:02Z"}, {"url": "https://sleepinginairports.net/guides/san-juan-airport-guide.htm", "title": "San Juan Airport Guide (SJU) - Sleeping in Airports", "favicon": "https://www.sleepinginairports.net/nitropack_static/oBWrHkPujHTPIaVWqdDSDhClXUyrYhhb/assets/images/optimized/rev-b853180/www.sleepinginairports.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/cropped-sia-logo-180x180.png", "time_published": "2018-10-02T00:00:36Z"}, {"url": "https://activities.marriott.com/north-america/puerto-rico/utuado/activities/departure_from_old_san_juan_to_san_juan_sju_airport_by_minibus-XPVY9Q?property=PSEAL", "title": "Departure from Old San Juan to San Juan SJU Airport by Minibus", "time_published": "2026-04-10T00:00:00Z"}, {"url": "https://activities.marriott.com/north-america/puerto-rico/san-juan/activities/san_juan_luxury_private_round_trip_transfer_sju_airport_cruise_pier_hotel-X48MR8?property=SJUXR", "title": "San Juan Luxury Private Round-Trip Transfer: SJU Airport - Cruise Pier - Hotel", "time_published": "2026-05-04T00:00:00Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis%20Mu%C3%B1oz%20Mar%C3%ADn%20International%20Airport", "title": "Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport", "time_published": "2026-04-23T21:46:13Z"}, {"url": "https://www.marriott.com/es/en-us/hotels/sjurv-residence-inn-san-juan-isla-verde/overview/", "title": "Hotels San Juan Isla Verde Carolina, Puerto Rico | Residence Inn", "time_published": "2025-02-19T00:00:00Z"}]}, "q15": {"question": "Are there currency exchange offices, prayer rooms and Wi‑Fi at Luis Munoz Marin Intl Airport?", "answer": "Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) offers currency exchange services through Banco Popular de Puerto Rico branches located in Terminals A and C, as well as via several Travelex kiosks throughout the airport. A non-denominational chapel is available on the second floor of Terminal A, near the American Airlines Admirals Club, and there is also a meditation room in Terminal C. Free Wi‑Fi is provided across all terminals under the network name \\\\\"SJU Free Wi‑Fi\\\\\".", "toolsUsed": [], "references": [{"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Mu%C3%B1oz_Mar%C3%ADn_International_Airport", "title": "Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport", "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png", "time_published": "2026-07-21T20:24:02Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List%20of%20the%20busiest%20airports%20in%20Puerto%20Rico", "title": "List of the busiest airports in Puerto Rico", "time_published": "2025-09-20T07:52:17Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis%20Mu%C3%B1oz%20Mar%C3%ADn%20International%20Airport", "title": "Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport", "time_published": "2026-04-23T21:46:13Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_busiest_airports_in_Puerto_Rico", "title": "List of the busiest airports in Puerto Rico", "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png", "time_published": "2025-09-20T07:52:17Z"}, {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1358063127&title=Luis_Mu%C3%B1oz_Mar%C3%ADn_International_Airport", "title": "Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport", "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png", "time_published": "2002-09-10T02:45:15Z"}]}, "q17": {"question": "What aircraft are typically used on flights from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "Nonstop flights from Chicago Midway to San Juan most commonly use Airbus A321-200 Neo, Boeing 737-800, and occasionally unspecified types from Frontier. One-stop itineraries add Boeing 737 MAX 8, Airbus A321-100, and others, with the exact aircraft varying by airline and day. Wi-Fi and seatback entertainment are widely available across these fleets.", "methodology": "Aircraft types are taken from the equipment each operating carrier schedules on this route, drawn from published airline timetables and airline equipment schedules in our flight-schedule database. They describe typical scheduled aircraft and can vary with seasonal or day-of-week assignments and last-minute equipment swaps.", "toolsUsed": ["route_aircraft"]}, "q18": {"question": "Which airline alliances serve flights from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "From Chicago to San Juan, the nonstop carriers are American Airlines (Oneworld), United Airlines (Star Alliance), and Southwest Airlines, which belongs to no alliance. American and United serve the route daily from O'Hare, while Southwest flies from Midway on Saturdays and Sundays; other alliances may serve it via connections.", "methodology": "Airlines and weekly frequencies are compiled from our flight-schedule database, which combines published airline timetables, U.S. government schedule data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), and observed flight operations from the EUROCONTROL/OpenSky Open Performance Data Initiative (OPDI). We count each operating carrier's scheduled weekly departures and the days it flies; where there is no nonstop service, connecting carriers are identified by linking scheduled nonstop segments through common hub airports. Where a median fare is shown for a carrier, it reflects the real fares Priceline users found on this route in the last 72 hours.", "toolsUsed": ["route_airlines"]}, "q20": {"question": "What are the best airport lounge options when departing from Chicago?", "answer": "Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) has one shared-use lounge: The Club MDW, located in the Central Market at the intersection of Concourses A and B, just after security opposite the food court. Access is available to Priority Pass members, certain American Express Platinum cardholders, and passengers holding a day pass (subject to availability). The lounge offers premium food, a full bar with complimentary beer, wine, and spirits, free Wi-Fi, and floor-to-ceiling windows with airfield views. It is open daily from 4:00 AM to 10:00 PM (closing at 8:00 PM on Saturdays). No airline-branded lounges exist at Midway.", "toolsUsed": [], "references": [{"url": "https://americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/lounges/the-platinum-card/MDW", "title": "American Express Lounges at Chicago Midway International Airport | Amex US", "favicon": "https://www.americanexpress.com/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png"}, {"url": "https://americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/lounges/the-platinum-card/MDW/The-Club-MDW-Concourse-B-S6nYE3TWPd", "title": "The Club MDW at Chicago Midway International Airport | Amex US", "time_published": "2026-01-01T00:00:00Z"}, {"url": "http://prioritypass.com/en-GB/newsroom/opening-of-the-club-at-chicago-midway-international-airport", "title": "Opening of The Club at Chicago Midway International Airport | Priority Pass", "time_published": "2025-12-24T00:00:00Z"}, {"url": "https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/services/Pages/technology.aspx", "title": "Technology | Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)", "time_published": "2026-05-29T00:00:00Z"}, {"url": "https://www.prioritypass.com/lounges/usa/chicago-il-midway-international/mdw-the-club-mdw", "title": "The Club MDW MDW AIRPORT Central Market Chicago IL Midway International | Priority Pass", "favicon": "https://www.prioritypass.com/icon.png?a4ff481221414a5c", "time_published": "2024-11-05T16:20:09Z"}]}, "q21": {"question": "What is the baggage allowance on this route from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "On Chicago–San Juan flights, baggage allowance depends on the airline and fare type. Basic Economy often excludes a checked bag and may restrict carry‑ons to a personal item only. Standard economy fares typically include one checked bag and a carry‑on, while premium cabins offer more."}, "q22": {"question": "What cabin and seat options are typical from Chicago to San Juan?", "answer": "Flights from Chicago (MDW) to San Juan typically offer Economy only, as most nonstop service is operated by Southwest with all‑Economy seating; Premium Economy and flat‑bed Business are not common on this route."}, "q23": {"question": "Are same‑day changes or standby possible on this route?", "answer": "Since this is a domestic route, same‑day change and standby policies vary by airline and fare class, with flexible and premium tickets offering the most options."}}}}