How far is Chicago O'Hare International Airport, IL from Appleton, CO?

The driving distance from Chicago O'Hare International Airport, IL to Appleton, CO is about 1243.4 miles (2001.1 km), with a travel time of about 22h 24m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 1101.9 miles (1773.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 44h 48m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
1243.41 mi
22h 24m
Flight
1101.91 mi
1773.35 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
1101.91 mi
Kilometers
1773.35 km
Flight Time
02h 13m

Driving Distance

Road route
1243.41 mi
Kilometers
2001.08 km
Drive Time
22h 24m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 22h 24m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Appleton
Thu, Aug 27, 1:34 PM MDT
Return by in Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Fri, Aug 28, 12:58 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Chicago O'Hare International Airport
2026-08-26T16:10
Arrive Appleton
Thu, Aug 27, 2:34 PM CDT
Route Timing
22h 24m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
3:24 AM to 4:54 AM MDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
3:12 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Chicago O'Hare International Airport
8:00 PM CDT
Overnight-style route

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Shelton
NE

Village in Buffalo and Hall counties, Nebraska, in the United States

From Chicago O'Hare International Airport
620.6 mi
11h 12m
To Appleton
622.9 mi
11h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
83°F
Wednesday

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Aug 26 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph SW
Destination
96°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Aug 26 6:00 AM MDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph NE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Appleton.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Appleton.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    25 m · 13 sec

  2. 2

    Turn sharp left onto Baggage Road

    19 m · 6 sec · Baggage Road

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Baggage Road

    96 m · 29 sec · Baggage Road

  4. 4

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Concourse Service Road

    1.3 km · 5 min · Concourse Service Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto Main Service Road

    1431 ft · 2 min · Main Service Road

  6. 6

    Continue on Main Service Road

    1536 ft · 2 min · Main Service Road

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Cargo Tunnel Road

    2476 ft · 3 min · Cargo Tunnel Road

  8. 8

    At the end of the road, turn left onto South Cargo Road

    2699 ft · 3 min · South Cargo Road

  9. 9

    Turn right

    77 m · 18 sec

  10. 10

    Continue on South Access Road

    609 ft · 34 sec · South Access Road

  11. 11

    Continue on South Access Road

    1.4 mi · 4 min · South Access Road

  12. 12

    Turn right onto Irving Park Road

    1983 ft · 33 sec · Irving Park Road

  13. 13

    Turn left onto North York Road

    2 mi · 4 min · North York Road

  14. 14

    Continue on North York Street

    1.3 mi · 2 min · North York Street

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Lake Street

    1569 ft · 34 sec · Lake Street

  16. 16

    Turn slight right

    45 m · 8 sec

  17. 17

    Take the ramp right toward I 290 East, US 20 East: Chicago

    3 mi · 4 min

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana

    1648 ft · 40 sec

  19. 19

    Continue on Tri-State Tollway

    1937 ft · 47 sec · Tri-State Tollway

  20. 20

    Keep slight right to continue on I 88 West Toll: Aurora

    2633 ft · 50 sec

  21. 21

    Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    1.2 km · 60 sec · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    25.1 mi · 30 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  23. 23

    Keep slight left to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

    69.5 mi · 1 hr 14 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

  24. 24

    Continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

  25. 25

    Continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

    37.8 mi · 40 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway

  26. 26

    Continue on Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

    4.6 mi · 5 min · Chicago-Kansas City Expressway

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right toward I 80: Des Moines

    1949 ft · 48 sec

  28. 28

    Keep slight right

    1.1 km · 1 min

  29. 29

    Merge slight left

    185.9 mi · 3 hr 23 min

  30. 30

    Keep slight right to continue on I 80 West: Omaha

    95.5 mi · 1 hr 43 min

  31. 31

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West: Council Bluffs, Omaha Nebraska

    23.7 mi · 26 min

  32. 32

    Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West Express: Council Bluffs, Omaha

    355.4 mi · 6 hr 3 min

  33. 33

    Keep slight right to continue on I 76 West: Denver

    188 mi · 3 hr 10 min

  34. 34

    Merge slight left

    242.2 mi · 4 hr 28 min

  35. 35

    Take the exit slight right toward 24 Road, Redlands Parkway

    1381 ft · 34 sec

  36. 36

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward 24 Road

    6 m · 1 sec · 24 Road

  37. 37

    Exit the roundabout onto 24 Road

    2261 ft · 56 sec · 24 Road

  38. 38

    Turn left onto H Road

    5 m · 1 sec · H Road

  39. 39

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · H Road

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Appleton.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
39 steps
14 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
9
3 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
3.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 76 West
430 mi · 35%
I 80 West Express
355 mi · 29%
I 80
187 mi · 15%
I 80 West
119 mi · 10%
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
95.3 mi · 8%
Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway
38.9 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

I 80 West Express

Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West Express: Council Bluffs, Omaha

355 mi · 06h 03m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
22h 24m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
44h 48m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+141.5 mi
1101.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Shelton
11h 12m from Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Leave By
3:12 PM CDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Sunny near Appleton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Appleton?

The road trip is about 1243.4 miles (2001.1 km) and usually takes 22h 24m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Shelton is a useful midpoint, sitting about 620.6 miles from Chicago O'Hare International Airport and 622.9 miles from Appleton.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 1101.9 miles (1773.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 141.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM CDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $165.47 one way or $330.94 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 390 kg one way.

Do you cross a time zone on this route?

Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Appleton, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Sunny near Appleton.

Stop Ideas Near Shelton

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Shelton, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Shelton.

RAIL

Hastings

36 mi away
501 West First St.
RAIL

Holdrege

66 mi away
100 West Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Appleton. Straight-line distance: 1101.91 mi (1773.35 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Chicago O'Hare International Airport

Chicago O'Hare International Airport is a place in Illinois, United States.

Population0
Coordinates41.9795900, -87.9044600
Altitude201
CountryUnited States
Photo coming soon

#2 Appleton

Situated in Mesa County at an elevation of 4596 feet, this unincorporated community lies in the high desert Grand Valley northwest of Grand Junction.

Population0
Coordinates39.1208100, -108.6081500
Altitude1401
CountryUnited States
Start: Chicago O'Hare International Airport (-87.90446, 41.97959)
End: Appleton (-108.60815, 39.12081)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 2001 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)41h 25m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)31h 05m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)24h 52m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)20h 43m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)17h 45m
80 mph (129 km/h)15h 30m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
43.88 gal
166.09 L · about $165.47
Round trip
$330.94
87.76 gal · 332.18 L
Estimated CO2
390 kg one way
Round trip: 779.9 kg / 1719 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $165.47 $330.94
Mid-grade $4.25 $186.62 $373.24
Premium $4.65 $204.22 $408.44
Diesel $5.30 $232.74 $465.48

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Illinois · Aug 26, 2026

Please keep in mind that there is a 1 hour time gap between Chicago O'Hare International Airport, IL and Appleton, CO. The current time in Chicago O'Hare International Airport is 16:10:13, although it is 15:10:13 in Appleton.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.