The cheapest order to fly London, Paris and Barcelona from Chicago
There are 6 ways to fly these cities. They do not cost the same. The cheapest works out at about $798 a person and the most expensive at $922, a difference of $124 for visiting exactly the same places.
Fly them in this order
Chicago → London → Barcelona → Paris → Chicago
About $798 per person in flights, based on fares recently seen on these routes.
Every order, priced
- Chicago → London → Barcelona → Paris → Chicago$798cheapest order
- Chicago → Paris → Barcelona → London → Chicago$806$8 more per person
- Chicago → Barcelona → London → Paris → Chicago$845$47 more per person
- Chicago → Barcelona → Paris → London → Chicago$856$58 more per person
- Chicago → London → Paris → Barcelona → Chicago$917$119 more per person
- Chicago → Paris → London → Barcelona → Chicago$922$124 more per person
Why London first
- Chicago to London$298
- London to Barcelona$29
- Barcelona to Paris$28
- Paris to Chicago$443
- Out of Chicago, London is the cheapest first stop at about $298. Barcelona would be $345.
- Going home, Paris is the cheapest city to leave from at about $443, against $548 from Barcelona.
- The dearest order pays $548 for Barcelona to Chicago, a flight the cheapest order never takes.
- Paris to Chicago is 56% of what the cheapest order spends on flights, so it is the leg to watch.
Between the cities
- London to Barcelona: about 1,140 km (710 miles) as the crow flies. No train or bus we would suggest instead of flying.
- Barcelona to Paris: about 830 km (520 miles) as the crow flies. Also by ground: TGV, about 6h 40m, usually $50 to $150.
Entry rules on a US passport
- US passport: the UK requires an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for visa-free visitors, including short visits and landside transit. Apply via the UK ETA app before travel. Official source
- US passport: visa-free in the Schengen area for 90 days in any 180. The Entry/Exit System registers biometrics at the border, and the ETIAS pre-travel authorisation may now be required; check the official site. Official source
Rules change; check the official source for your passport and dates before you book.
How much the order matters here
Getting the order right is worth $124 a person on this trip, 16% of what the cheapest way round costs. Of the 72 trips we price in full, that is number 56 for how much the order matters, one of the smaller gaps: on this trip your dates are likely to matter more than the order.
The same cities from other airports
The cheapest order depends on where you start. From Chicago it starts in London.
- From New Yorkstart in Paris, about $458 a person, $241 less than the dearest order
- From Los Angelesstart in Paris, about $752 a person, $182 less than the dearest order
- From San Franciscostart in London, about $797 a person, $87 less than the dearest order
- From Atlantastart in London, about $878 a person, $200 less than the dearest order
What these numbers are
Cached one-way fares, 12 of 12 legs priced from real observations, put together on October 29, 2026, from fares departing October 30, 2026 onwards. Right for comparing one order with another, not a quote for your dates.
A plan prices your own dates and weighs hours as well as fares, so it can pick a different order from this page.
Put dates on it
Same cities on real dates, plus what one search cannot show: layovers long enough to count as a free city, two tickets that beat one, and cheaper days either side. No account and no card.
One press starts it on January 2, 2027 to January 16, 2027, 14 days, for 2 travelers. Our dates, not yours, and about two minutes.
Plan London, Paris and Barcelona from Chicago nowOpen the form instead and pick your own datesSigned out, 3 plans a day per address, priced from cached fares and the free sources, so some legs may be estimates and the plan says which. Signed in, legs are checked live, with 2 free trips you can change afterwards.