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About three hours non-stop from Midway, Chicago Executive or O'Hare to Opa-locka, Miami's busiest private airport, about thirty minutes from Miami Beach. Miami International and Fort Lauderdale Executive cover Brickell and Broward. Indicative one way from $15,500 for the whole aircraft, in a light jet.
Bank transfer or cryptoPriced in US dollars for this route.
Midway to Opa-locka is 1,023 nautical miles, 1,177 statute miles, a little further than New York to Miami. Every cabin flies it non-stop, from a light jet in about three hours fifteen to a heavy jet in about two hours forty-five. Chicago is on Central Time, an hour behind Miami.
The route follows the Chicago winter. From Thanksgiving to Easter, families from the North Shore, Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast go south for weekends and for the season, and the traffic peaks around Art Basel in early December, Christmas and spring break. In May the Miami Grand Prix brings a second wave.
In Chicago the airport follows where you live: Midway for the city and the South Side, Chicago Executive for Winnetka, Highland Park and Lake Forest. In Miami, Opa-locka takes most private arrivals, with Miami International for Brickell and Downtown.
Which Miami airport to land at is set out in our guide to the private jet airports in Miami: FBOs, customs and curfews, side by side.
Midway, on the South West Side, is twenty to thirty minutes from the Loop, with Signature and Atlantic Aviation and a longest runway of 6,522 ft, which takes every cabin on this route. Chicago Executive in Wheeling is fifteen minutes from Winnetka and the North Shore, also with Signature and Atlantic; its longest runway is 5,001 ft, so it suits light, midsize and super-midsize jets, and we check a heavy jet's weight against it on the day.
O'Hare, through Signature's terminal, has the longest runways in the city and the most airline traffic. It is the departure for a VIP airliner, or for a jet already parked there; otherwise Midway or Chicago Executive saves time on the ground.
On a winter morning the aircraft may need de-icing before it leaves Chicago. It adds a little time on the ramp and is charged by the handler, so the quote shows it as its own line, and we build it into the departure time rather than let it eat into the day.
Snow at Midway or Chicago Executive rarely cancels a flight, but it can delay one while the runway is cleared. If the forecast is bad, we can move the departure to the other airport, or a few hours earlier, the day before. The flight home north usually takes a few minutes longer in winter, into the wind.
The prices below are indicative one-way figures for the whole aircraft, not per seat, from Midway to Opa-locka, for an aircraft already in Chicago. They cover the flight, the crew and the fuel.
Positioning, landing and handling fees, de-icing, taxes, parking in Miami and the crew's hotel if the aircraft waits are quoted separately, with a single total before you commit. A return with the aircraft waiting is usually priced well below two one-way flights.
The hourly rate for each cabin, and what moves a quote up or down, are in our guide to private jet charter costs.
| Cabin | Typical aircraft | Seats | Flight time | Indicative one way, from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light jet | Phenom 300, Citation CJ4 | 6 to 7 | 3h 15m | $15,500 |
| Midsize jet | Citation XLS+, Citation Latitude | 7 to 9 | 3h 05m | $19,500 |
| Super-midsize jet | Challenger 350, Praetor 600, Citation X+ | 8 to 9 | 2h 55m | $23,500 |
| Heavy jet | Legacy 650, Challenger 605 | 9 to 13 | 2h 45m | $32,500 |
Figures in US dollars, one way, indicative, reviewed November 2026. Bank transfer in any major currency; crypto also accepted.
In Art Basel week, over Christmas and New Year and for the Miami Grand Prix, expect a premium and book a week or two ahead for a choice of aircraft.
Chicago has four airports that suit a private departure. Midway is the closest to the Loop and handles most of them; Chicago Executive in Wheeling serves the North Shore; DuPage covers the western suburbs; O'Hare takes the VIP airliners and the long international flights.
The closest airport to downtown, open around the clock. Its 6,500 ft runways take every cabin on domestic legs; a large jet leaving at maximum weight for a long international flight uses O'Hare.
The North Shore's own airport, with no airline traffic and a quick turn at the FBO. Its 5,000 ft runway suits light and midsize jets; larger cabins are planned case by case.
No weight limits and full customs. Private traffic uses its own FBO on the field, away from the terminals, but taxi times are long at the airline peaks.
Opa-locka is the Miami private airport for most arrivals: twenty minutes from Brickell and South Beach with customs on site. Miami International suits VIP airliners; Fort Lauderdale is the choice for Palm Beach-bound guests.
Flying private to Miami from anywhere: airports, aircraft and prices
Which Miami airport to land at: the private jet airports compared
Miami's busiest private airport, with customs on the field from 9 am to midnight. Its terminals take aircraft up to Boeing Business Jets.
The closest runway to Downtown and Brickell, with Signature's private terminal and customs around the clock at the General Aviation Center.
Among the 25 busiest private jet airports in the US, with customs from 8 am to 11.30 pm. The heaviest jets need prior permission for its 6,002 ft runway.
Choose the Chicago airport by where you start and the Florida one by where you are going. Any pair flies non-stop in about the same time.
| If you start in | Airport | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The Loop, the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park and the South Side | Chicago Midway (MDW) | Twenty to thirty minutes from the Loop, with Signature and Atlantic Aviation and a runway for every cabin. |
| Winnetka, Highland Park, Lake Forest and the North Shore | Chicago Executive (PWK), Wheeling | Fifteen minutes from Winnetka; a 5,001 ft runway for light, midsize and super-midsize jets. |
| The north-west suburbs and VIP airliners | O'Hare (ORD) | The longest runways in the city, through Signature, with airline traffic to fit around. |
| If you are going to | Airport | Why |
|---|---|---|
| South Beach, Miami Beach and Bal Harbour | Opa-locka (OPF) | Miami's busiest private airport, with five private terminals, about thirty minutes from Miami Beach. |
| Brickell, Downtown and Key Biscayne | Miami International (MIA) | About six miles from Brickell, through Signature's terminal, and the airport for a VIP airliner. |
| Fort Lauderdale, Las Olas and Boca Raton | Fort Lauderdale Executive (FXE) | About six miles from downtown Fort Lauderdale; the heaviest jets need prior permission for its 6,002 ft runway. |
Drive times depend on the hour and the traffic, so we plan the car around your landing. The prices above are for Midway to Opa-locka; other pairs are quoted on the same basis.
A light jet takes four to six in a little over three hours. For a family with a season's luggage, or a group that wants to stand up and move around, a midsize or super-midsize cabin is the better fit, and the Citation X+ is the quickest of them. A heavy jet such as the Legacy 650 takes up to thirteen with the largest hold.
Aircraft pages for this route: Cessna Citation X+.
Six or seven seats and about three hours fifteen non-stop, in a Phenom 300 or Citation CJ4.
See the Phenom 300Seven to nine seats and a stand-up cabin: the Citation XLS+ or Latitude, the Challenger 350, the Praetor 600 or the faster Citation X+.
See the Citation X+Up to thirteen seats in a Legacy 650 or Challenger 605, about two hours forty-five from Midway to Opa-locka.
See the Legacy 650Miami's season runs from November to April, and its biggest weeks fill Opa-locka's ramp days ahead.
The return from Opa-locka or Miami International takes about the same time, a few minutes longer in winter. Aircraft are based in Miami in numbers, so a one-way flight home can often be found without paying for the aircraft to wait.
The busiest days north are the Sunday after Thanksgiving, the first days of January and the end of spring break. Book those as early as the flight down.
Each route has its own page: flight time, the airports at both ends, the aircraft that suit the leg and an indicative price.
Indicative one-way prices for the whole aircraft start at about $15,500 in a light jet, $19,500 in a midsize jet, $23,500 in a super-midsize jet and $32,500 in a heavy jet, from Midway to Opa-locka. Positioning, fees, de-icing and parking are quoted separately once we know your dates.
About 3 hours 15 in a light jet, stand to stand, about 2 hours 55 in a super-midsize and about 2 hours 45 in a heavy jet. Miami is an hour ahead of Chicago, so a 9 am departure in a light jet lands at about 1.15 pm local time.
Midway for the city, twenty to thirty minutes from the Loop. Chicago Executive in Wheeling for the North Shore, with a runway that suits light to super-midsize jets. O'Hare for a VIP airliner or a jet already parked there.
Opa-locka for most flights, about thirty minutes from Miami Beach, with five private terminals. Miami International is closer to Brickell and Downtown, and Fort Lauderdale Executive suits Broward and Boca Raton.
It can add time. The aircraft may need de-icing before departure, which is charged by the handler and listed in the quote, and snow can delay a departure while the runway is cleared. If the forecast is bad, we move the flight earlier or to the other Chicago airport the day before.
Yes. Bank transfer in any major currency; crypto also accepted. Tell us your preferred coin and we confirm the network and payment instructions with the contract.
Tell us what you have in mind. Our team will take care of the charter arrangements and discuss crypto payment if you prefer.
