{
  "response": {
    "Key": "CHI-STL",
    "orig": {
      "code": "CHI",
      "type": "airport",
      "city": "Chicago",
      "fullCity": "Chicago, Illinois",
      "airport": "Dupage County"
    },
    "dest": {
      "code": "STL",
      "type": "airport",
      "city": "St. Louis",
      "fullCity": "St. Louis, Missouri",
      "airport": "Lambert Intl Airport"
    },
    "faq": {
      "q0": {
        "question": "What is the typical flight duration from Chicago to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "The flight from Chicago to St. Louis is about 250 miles and typically takes 1 hour 15 minutes. In the opposite direction, the flight is about 5 minutes shorter, at 1 hour 10 minutes.",
        "methodology": "Flight times and distances come 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). The typical flight time is the median scheduled block time across all carriers on the route, computed the same way in both directions so the difference reflects prevailing winds rather than any change in method. Distance is the great-circle distance between the two airports, so the actual flown track is typically 2-5% longer.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "flight_schedule"
        ]
      },
      "q1": {
        "question": "Are there any direct flights from Chicago to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "Yes, there are frequent non‑stop flights from Chicago to St. Louis every day. Southwest runs up to 150 weekly flights from Midway, and American and United together offer over 280 weekly departures from O’Hare (many operated by regional partners SkyWest, Republic, and Envoy). Flight time is about 70–90 minutes, with the first departures around 5:25 AM and the last red‑eyes pushing back after 10 PM.",
        "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. 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. 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_airlines",
          "flight_schedule",
          "redeye_flights",
          "route_aircraft"
        ]
      },
      "q3": {
        "question": "What are the ground transportation options in St. Louis?",
        "answer": "At St. Louis Lambert International Airport, the main ground transport options are the MetroLink light rail, which offers direct and economical service to downtown, plus taxis, ride-share services, and on-site car rental. MetroLink is the most used and generally the fastest way to reach the city center, avoiding road traffic, while taxis and ride-shares provide door-to-door convenience at higher cost. Car rentals are available on-site for travelers needing a vehicle. Overall, the light rail stands out as the best combination of speed, cost, and frequency for getting downtown.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "article_lookup"
        ],
        "references": [
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_Lambert_International_Airport",
            "title": "St. Louis Lambert International Airport",
            "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png",
            "time_published": "2026-09-06T13:20:24Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://airport.guide/kstl/parking",
            "title": "St Louis Airport (STL) Parking Rates and Map",
            "favicon": "https://airport.guide/apple-touch-icon.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://www.airport.guide/kstl",
            "title": "St Louis Airport (STL) | Terminal maps | Airport guide",
            "favicon": "https://www.airport.guide/apple-touch-icon.png"
          }
        ]
      },
      "q4": {
        "question": "When is the cheapest time to fly from Chicago to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "Average fares from Chicago to St. Louis bottom out around $279 in late October. Overall, the cheapest months to fly are October at $280, September at $283, and August at $291, while the most expensive stretch is late March at $340.",
        "methodology": "Seasonal fares come from Priceline's own air booking-summary archive, analysed in-house and refreshed monthly. For each day of the year we take a representative round-trip fare, a blend of the 25th-percentile and average ticket price over the route's bookings, and smooth the series into a seasonal curve; the half-month low and high and the monthly figures quoted here are averages of that curve. Thin and international routes borrow their seasonal shape from the nearest busy routes, with the price level anchored to the route's own bookings.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "seasonal_prices"
        ]
      },
      "q5": {
        "question": "How far in advance should I book tickets from Chicago to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "For Chicago to St. Louis, the optimal booking window is roughly 5-8 weeks before departure, when fares average about $218 and bottom out around $217 at 40 days out. Booking too early is costly — 180 days ahead runs $392 — while waiting until the last week pushes fares back up toward $360. Summer and holiday periods typically compress this window, so aim for the earlier end of that range (7-8 weeks) during peak travel times.",
        "methodology": "Booking-window guidance comes from the same monthly in-house analysis of Priceline's own air booking-summary archive. We aggregate the route's bookings by how many days before departure they were made, from about 180 days out to the day of travel, smooth the curve, and highlight the stretch of lead times with the lowest average fare. Thin and international routes borrow the curve shape from the nearest busy routes, anchored to the route's own price level. It reflects current fares and is refreshed monthly.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "booking_timing"
        ]
      },
      "q6": {
        "question": "Are overnight (red‑eye) flights available from Chicago to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "Yes, overnight red-eye flights are available from Chicago to St. Louis. American Airlines operates multiple late-evening nonstops from O'Hare (ORD) departing around 10:09 PM to 10:38 PM, Southwest runs departures from Midway (MDW) between 9:30 PM and 10:50 PM, and United has a 9:20 PM departure from ORD. These flights are short hops that land the same night, typically arriving well before midnight.",
        "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 St. Louis?",
        "answer": "Southwest flies nonstop from Chicago Midway to St. Louis with around 150 weekly flights. From Chicago O'Hare, American and United are the main nonstop carriers — American operates about 152 weekly flights (including those flown by Envoy and Republic) and United offers about 77 weekly flights (including those operated by Republic). Typical median fares aren't available for this route, so just know that Southwest, American, and United all offer frequent daily nonstop service.",
        "methodology": "Airlines and weekly frequencies come 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 typical fare is shown for a carrier, it is the median of 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 St. Louis?",
        "answer": "Connecting between Chicago and St. Louis is uncommon because non‑stop flights are plentiful and brief, but if you need a layover, possible hubs include Detroit, Minneapolis, or Dallas/Fort Worth with efficient transfers and broad domestic networks."
      },
      "q9": {
        "question": "How reliable are on‑time arrivals on this route from Chicago to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "Southwest (WN) from Midway leads with 84.5% of arrivals within 15 minutes, while SkyWest (YX) operating for American and United tops the list at 88.3%. American (AA) mainline trails at 68.0% on-time arrivals, and cancellation rates are low across the board, ranging from 0.6% to 1.5%.",
        "methodology": "On-time arrival 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; a flight counts as on time when it arrives within 15 minutes of schedule. Carriers are ranked by arrival on-time rate on this route, and the carrier list itself comes 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).",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "flight_schedule"
        ]
      },
      "q10": {
        "question": "Which months have the best weather for traveling to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "April to May and September to October offer pleasant temperatures and fewer tourists."
      },
      "q11": {
        "question": "What documents should I bring with me to the airport when flying from Chicago to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "For domestic U.S. flights, bring a Real ID or passport, ensure the name matches your ticket and carry payment for baggage and any required health documents."
      },
      "q12": {
        "question": "Which airport should I use in St. Louis?",
        "answer": "St. Louis Lambert International Airport is the only commercial airport serving the city. It is located about 14 miles northwest of downtown St. Louis and handles all major airlines and connections."
      },
      "q13": {
        "question": "How do I get to Dupage County from the city center?",
        "answer": "The most popular and economical option from downtown Chicago to Midway Airport (the airport serving this route from the CHI metro area) is the CTA Orange Line 'L' train, which runs directly from the Loop to the airport in about 25 minutes. Taxis and rideshare services are also readily available, with an average taxi fare of $35-40 to downtown and rideshare pickup zones on the lower level outside baggage claim. Shared-ride shuttles to downtown cost about $18 per person, and regional buses serve the wider area. Driving and parking are easy, with an attached terminal garage offering hourly and daily rates plus cheaper economy lots for longer stays.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "article_lookup"
        ],
        "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"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://flychicago.com/midway/tofrom/taxi/pages/default.aspx",
            "title": "Taxi, Limo, TNP |  Chicago Midway International Airport  (MDW)",
            "favicon": "https://flychicago.com/_catalogs/masterpage/favicon.ico"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://www.flychicago.com/midway/tofrom/shuttles/pages/default.aspx",
            "title": "Shuttles / Buses | Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)",
            "favicon": "https://www.flychicago.com/_catalogs/masterpage/favicon.ico"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://www.flychicago.com/midway/home/pages/default.aspx",
            "title": "Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) | Official Website",
            "favicon": "https://www.flychicago.com/_catalogs/masterpage/favicon.ico"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midway_International_Airport",
            "title": "Midway International Airport",
            "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png",
            "time_published": "2026-09-02T21:21:22Z"
          }
        ]
      },
      "q14": {
        "question": "Are there hotels or sleeping facilities at St. Louis airport?",
        "answer": "St. Louis Lambert International Airport has no directly connected hotel on-site. However, several hotels are located within a short drive of the airport, including the Marriott St. Louis Airport (0.3 miles), Wingate by Wyndham St. Louis Airport (0.4 miles), and Drury Inn Airport St. Louis (0.4 miles), many of which offer airport shuttle service.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "article_lookup"
        ],
        "references": [
          {
            "url": "https://www.sleepinginairports.net/guides/st-louis-lambert-airport-guide.htm",
            "title": "St. Louis Lambert Airport Guide (STL) - 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": "2018-08-06T09:35:20Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/th/th/st-louis/stllf/hoteldetail",
            "title": "โรงแรมในเซนต์หลุยส์ | ฮอลิเดย์ อินน์ เอ็กซ์เพรส แอนด์ สวีท สนามบินเซนต์หลุยส",
            "favicon": "https://digital.ihg.com/is/image/ihg/app-web-chiclet-holidayinnexpress?fmt=png-alpha"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://sleepinginairports.net/lounge/st-louis-airport/admirals-club-stl.htm",
            "title": "St. Louis Lambert Airport Guide (STL) - Sleeping in Airports",
            "time_published": "2026-04-13T20:29:58Z"
          }
        ]
      },
      "q15": {
        "question": "Are there currency exchange offices, prayer rooms and Wi‑Fi at Lambert Intl Airport?",
        "answer": "Lambert–St. Louis International Airport offers free Wi-Fi throughout both terminals. A chapel is available near Concourse E in Terminal 2, serving as a prayer room for travelers. Currency exchange offices are not mentioned in the available information, so that amenity cannot be confirmed.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "article_lookup"
        ],
        "references": [
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_Lambert_International_Airport",
            "title": "St. Louis Lambert International Airport",
            "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png",
            "time_published": "2026-09-06T13:20:24Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://airport.guide/kstl/terminal-2",
            "title": "St Louis Airport (STL) | Terminal 2",
            "favicon": "https://airport.guide/apple-touch-icon.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://www.airport.guide/kstl",
            "title": "St Louis Airport (STL) | Terminal maps | Airport guide",
            "favicon": "https://www.airport.guide/apple-touch-icon.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://airport.guide/kstl/concourse-a",
            "title": "St Louis Airport (STL) | Concourse A",
            "favicon": "https://airport.guide/apple-touch-icon.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambert_Airport_Terminal_2_station",
            "title": "Lambert Airport Terminal 2 station",
            "time_published": "2026-06-16T02:55:51Z"
          }
        ]
      },
      "q16": {
        "question": "Are there accessible services or children's facilities at the Chicago and St. Louis airports?",
        "answer": "The article for the Chicago metro area resolved to DuPage Airport, a general aviation facility that does not list specific mobility assistance programs, disability services, or children's play areas in its description. At St. Louis Lambert International Airport, accessibility is a stated priority with comprehensive facilities for travelers with disabilities, and families can find designated children's play areas and nursing rooms. To arrange assistance at STL, passengers should contact the airport or their airline in advance — typically 48 hours before travel — though DuPage Airport, as a smaller general aviation field, may have more limited amenities.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "article_lookup"
        ],
        "references": [
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuPage_Airport",
            "title": "DuPage Airport",
            "time_published": "2026-07-16T20:45:00Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York_Township,_DuPage_County,_Illinois",
            "title": "York Township, DuPage County, Illinois",
            "time_published": "2026-03-30T14:23:39Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuPage_County,_Illinois",
            "title": "DuPage County, Illinois",
            "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png",
            "time_published": "2026-09-01T17:35:34Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_Lambert_International_Airport",
            "title": "St. Louis Lambert International Airport",
            "favicon": "https://en.wikipedia.org/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png",
            "time_published": "2026-09-06T13:20:24Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambert_Airport_Terminal_2_station",
            "title": "Lambert Airport Terminal 2 station",
            "time_published": "2026-06-16T02:55:51Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambert%20Airport%20Terminal%202%20station",
            "title": "Lambert Airport Terminal 2 station",
            "time_published": "2025-12-17T17:36:46Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://airport.guide/kstl/terminal-2",
            "title": "St Louis Airport (STL) | Terminal 2",
            "favicon": "https://airport.guide/apple-touch-icon.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://www.airport.guide/kstl",
            "title": "St Louis Airport (STL) | Terminal maps | Airport guide",
            "favicon": "https://www.airport.guide/apple-touch-icon.png"
          }
        ]
      },
      "q17": {
        "question": "What aircraft are typically used on flights from Chicago to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "Southwest operates the most flights, using Boeing 737-700 and Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. American flies Airbus A319, Boeing 737-800, and Airbus A320 family aircraft, while United uses Boeing 737-800, Airbus A320 family, and Airbus A319. Regional flights under American and United brands use Bombardier CRJ-700, Embraer E175, and other Embraer E-Jet family aircraft.",
        "methodology": "Aircraft types come 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). For U.S. routes the type is grounded in the tail number that actually operated the flight; elsewhere it comes from the airline's filed equipment code. Where the source does not commit to a specific variant we name the aircraft family (for example Airbus A320 family) rather than guess, and where no reliable type is on file the aircraft is omitted rather than estimated. Types describe typical scheduled equipment and can vary with seasonal or day-of-week assignments and last-minute swaps.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "flight_schedule"
        ]
      },
      "q18": {
        "question": "Which airline alliances serve flights from Chicago to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "The Chicago to St. Louis route is served nonstop by Southwest (no alliance), American Airlines (oneworld), and United Airlines (Star Alliance). Other alliances may offer connecting itineraries, but oneworld and Star Alliance are the only alliances with nonstop service.",
        "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 has one lounge option: The Club MDW in Concourse B, located on the right after security opposite the food court. Access is permitted up to 2.5 hours prior to departure, and children under 2 are admitted free with an adult. Amenities include premium food, spirits and liquor, beer and wine, Wi-Fi, flight monitors, and a quiet area. A separate Gameway gaming lounge in Concourse A is also available for those seeking a more interactive pre-flight experience.",
        "toolsUsed": [
          "article_lookup"
        ],
        "references": [
          {
            "url": "https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/travel/lounges/the-platinum-card/MDW/The-Club-MDW-Concourse-B-S6nYE3TWPd/?inav=en_us_menu_travel_travel_services_airport_lounge_access_by_card",
            "title": "The Club MDW at Chicago Midway International Airport | Amex US",
            "time_published": "2026-05-01T00:00:00Z"
          },
          {
            "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",
            "favicon": "https://www.americanexpress.com/apple-touch-icon-152x152.png"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://my.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/united-states-of-america/midway-international",
            "title": "Chicago Midway International Airport MDW Lounges - MDW Airport Guide and lounges. | Priority Pass",
            "favicon": "https://my.prioritypass.com/icon.png?a4ff481221414a5c",
            "time_published": "2026-06-30T08:24:25Z"
          },
          {
            "url": "https://prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/united-states-of-america/midway-international/mdw-the-club-mdw",
            "title": "The Club MDW MDW AIRPORT Central Market Chicago IL Midway International | Priority Pass",
            "favicon": "https://prioritypass.com/icon.png?icon.1k7202wk2zqql.png?dpl=1f82db4e-b1f8-481b-b911-c24ef915cc46"
          }
        ]
      },
      "q21": {
        "question": "What is the baggage allowance on this route from Chicago to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "Baggage rules depend on the airline and fare class. Basic Economy often allows only a personal item and charges for carry‑on or checked bags, while standard Economy typically includes a carry‑on and charges for checked luggage."
      },
      "q22": {
        "question": "What cabin and seat options are typical from Chicago to St. Louis?",
        "answer": "Flights from Chicago to St. Louis typically only offer Economy seating, as Premium Economy and flat‑bed Business are not common on this short domestic route."
      },
      "q23": {
        "question": "Are same‑day changes or standby possible on this route?",
        "answer": "Policies differ by airline and fare; flexible and premium tickets often allow same‑day changes or standby, while Basic Economy typically does not."
      }
    }
  }
}