Visit Chicago Using Points & Miles: Flights + Hotels Near Shedd Aquarium

Chicago is one of the best U.S. destinations for families, especially with attractions like the Shedd Aquarium. The great news? You can get there (and stay nearby) using your credit card points and miles. It’s a great way to offset travel costs and make trips more reasonably priced. This guide shows you exactly how to book flights and stay in hotels near Shedd Aquarium on points, plus what to do if you don’t have enough points.

Why Visit Shedd Aquarium in Chicago?

Photo courtesy of DavFace depicts the Chicago skyline from Shedd Aquarium

Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium is more than just tanks of fish — it’s a landmark on the lakefront with gorgeous skyline views before you even step inside. Built in 1930, Shedd is a National Historic Landmark and one of the most visited aquariums in the U.S.

👉 Tip: Plan 3–4 hours inside Shedd. Weekends can be busy, so book timed tickets in advance.

Shedd Aquarium Tickets & Discounts

You can’t buy Shedd tickets with points, but you can save money:

• General Admission: Adults ≈ $40, Kids (3–11) ≈ $30 (subject to change).
  
• Free Days: Illinois residents enjoy free admission on select dates. Check free hours.
  
• Military Discount: Free general admission with valid military ID.
  
• CityPASS Chicago: Includes Shedd plus other top attractions like Skydeck, Field Museum, and Adler Planetarium.

Also look for ticket discounts for Shedd Aquarium direct or through Chicago passes.

How to book Flights to Chicago on Points and Miles

To get to Shedd Aquarium by plane, you have two airport options:

• O’Hare International Airport (ORD): Major hub for American and United, about 19 miles from Shedd.
• Midway International Airport (MDW): Hub for Southwest, about 10 miles from Shedd.

You can always get a rental car or take a rideshare, but the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) is often the cheapest and most efficient way downtown.

Getting to Shedd Aquarium from Chicago Airports (ORD & MDW)

• From O’Hare (ORD): Take the Blue Line into downtown (≈ 40–45 minutes). From there, transfer to the #146 bus (Museum Campus route) or walk 10–20 minutes.
• From Midway (MDW): Take the Orange Line into downtown (≈ 20–25 minutes to Roosevelt). From there, either walk (~15 minutes) or take the #146 bus.

Once you know how to get into the city, the next step is booking your flight on points and miles. Here’s how each major airline prices flights to Chicago.

✈️ Flight Options on Points and Miles

See how to fly to Chicago with points and miles from across the U.S. All examples below are one-way award rates.

Southwest Airlines (MDW)

Southwest is one of the best options for visiting Shedd Aquarium because it flies directly into Chicago Midway (MDW), only about 10 miles from the Aquarium. You can book with:

• Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to Southwest Rapid Rewards
• Points from a co-branded Chase Southwest card 
• Earned Southwest Rapid Rewards.

Example Award Pricing (one-way):

• Washington, DC (DCA) → MDW from about 7,000 points
• Minneapolis (MSP) → MDW from about 5,000 points
• San Diego (SAN) → MDW from about 8,500 points

Direct Flight Coverage:

Southwest flies direct into MDW from all regions:

• East: Baltimore (BWI), Boston (BOS), Atlanta (ATL)
• Central: Dallas (DAL), Houston (IAH), Nashville (BNA)
• Mountain: Denver (DEN), Phoenix (PHX)
• West: Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), San Diego (SAN), San Francisco (SFO), Seattle (SEA)

Tips and tricks for searching for Southwest flights

Pro Tip: Use Southwest’s Low Fare Calendar to view a full month of prices at once. It’s the fastest way to lock in the lowest award fares for Midway award flights.

👉 Search current Southwest Airlines award flights here.

American Airlines (ORD)

American is a major hub at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), which makes it one of the easiest ways to find flights on points and miles. If you’re collecting Citi ThankYou points or hold AAdvantage miles, ORD gives you great coverage.

You can book with:

• Points earned from co-branded American Airlines cards
• AAdvantage miles directly
• Transfer Citi ThankYou Points to American Airlines AAdvantage (1:1)

Example Award Pricing:

• Atlanta (ATL) → ORD from about 7,000 miles
• St. Louis (STL) → ORD from about 5,000 miles
• San Diego (SAN) → ORD from about 8,500 miles

Direct Flight Coverage:

American flies direct to ORD from all U.S. regions:

• East: Boston (BOS), Charlotte (CLT), Miami (MIA), New York City
• Central: Dallas (DAL), St. Louis (STL)
• Mountain: Denver (DEN), Phoenix (PHX)
• West: Los Angeles (LAX), San Diego (SAN), San Francisco (SFO)

Tips and tricks for searching for American Airlines flights

Pro Tip: Watch for Web Special Fares — these pop up frequently at 5k–7.5k miles and are some of the best deals for Chicago O’Hare award flights.

Use AA’s award search calendar to quickly spot the lowest-mileage options.

👉 Search current American Airlines award flights here.

Alaska Airlines (ORD)

While not a Chicago hub, Alaska Airlines offers some of the cheapest short-haul redemptions to ORD, often under 5,000 miles one-way.

You can book with:

• Alaska Mileage Plan miles
• Transfer Bilt Rewards → Alaska Mileage Plan
• Co-branded Alaska Airlines credit cards

Example Award Pricing:

• Philadelphia (PHL) → ORD from about 4,500 miles
• Washington, DC (DCA) → ORD from about 4,500 miles
• Seattle (SEA) → ORD from about 9,000 miles

Direct Flight Coverage:

Alaska flies direct into ORD from select cities:

• East: Charlotte (CLT), Philadelphia (PHL), Washington DC (DCA), Newark (EWR)
• West: Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX)

Tips and tricks for searching for Alaska Airlines flights

Pro Tip: Alaska’s short-haul awards can be an excellent sweet spot, often costing fewer miles than American or United on the same route.

Use Alaska’s award search calendar to quickly spot the lowest-mileage options.

👉 Search current Alaska Airlines award flights here.

United Airlines (ORD)

United is also a major hub at Chicago O’Hare (ORD) and a Chase transfer partner, making it one of the easiest ways to book award flights to Chicago on points and miles.

You can book with:

• Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United MileagePlus
• Transfer Bilt points to United MileagePlus
• Points from a co-branded United credit card
• Earned United Mileage Plus Miles

Example Award Pricing:

• Minneapolis (MSP) → ORD from about 6,300 miles
• Denver (DEN) → ORD from about 9,000 miles
• Las Vegas (LAS) → ORD from about 10,200 miles

Direct Flight Coverage:

United flies direct into ORD from all U.S. regions:

• East: Boston (BOS), DC (DCA, IAD), Philadelphia (PHL), New York (EWR, LGA)
• Central: Dallas(DAL), Houston (IAH), Nashville (BNA), St. Louis (STL)
• Mountain: Denver (DEN), Phoenix (PHX)
• West: Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX), Seattle (SEA), San Francisco (SFO)

Tips and tricks for searching for United flights

Pro Tip: Use United’s 30-day award search calendar to quickly spot the lowest-mileage options. This tool is especially useful if you’re flexible with dates for your O’Hare award flights.

👉 Search current United Airlines award flights here. 

Where to Stay in Chicago: Hotels Near Shedd Aquarium on Points and Miles

Once you’ve booked your flight to Chicago on points, the next step is choosing a hotel. Below are the best hotels within walking distance of Shedd Aquarium that can be booked with points. After that, I’ll share a few short-ride options (great if you’re loyal to Hyatt or IHG).

🚶 Walkable Hotels Near Shedd Aquarium

Travelodge by Wyndham Downtown Chicago (True Budget Pick)

If your priority is saving points and being close to the action, Travelodge by Wyndham Downtown Chicago is the value play. Reviews are mixed (dated rooms, some noise), but many guests highlight the unbeatable location and safe area. It’s one of the few hotels you can book on points within walking distance of Shedd.

Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, two on-site restaurants, business center, 100% smoke-free

Points Cost: 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night (King or 2 Doubles)

Walk: ~22 minutes (1 mile) to Shedd Aquarium

Booking Options:
Transfer Capital One Venture Miles or Citi ThankYou Points to Wyndham Rewards (1:1), or use a Wyndham co-branded card.

Hyatt Alternative for Chase Fans

While there aren’t Hyatts within a 1-mile walk of Shedd, Hyatt fans still have great Chicago options:

• Chicago Athletic Association – Unbound Collection by Hyatt: ~25,000 points/night
• Park Hyatt Chicago: ~30,000–40,000 points/night

Both are a short rideshare or CTA trip away and often deliver better value per point compared to Wyndham. If you’re earning Chase Ultimate Rewards, Hyatt is usually the smarter redemption.

Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Downtown South Loop OR Homewood Suites by Hilton Chicago Downtown South Loop (Closest on Points)

These sister properties share the same building and are about a 14-minute walk to Shedd Aquarium. Both earn praise for excellent views, cleanliness, and location. The ground floor features Shang Noodles, a Chinese restaurant with authentic Mandarin, Szechuan, and Taiwanese dishes.

Points Cost: 55,000–70,000 points per night (standard award)

Hilton Garden Inn Amenities: On-site restaurant, fitness center, indoor pool, business center, free Wi-Fi

Homewood Suites Amenities: Free hot breakfast, fitness center, business center, free Wi-Fi, connecting rooms

How to Book: Transfer Amex Membership Rewards → Hilton Honors, use Hilton co-branded Amex card points, or redeem Hilton points directly.

🏨 Use the “Find the Best Price” tool to search your prospective travel dates. Expect 55,000-70,000 points on a standard night award. The Hilton Garden Inn typically has lower points prices on select dates. 

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection (Luxury Pick)

A historic luxury property in Marriott’s Autograph Collection, The Blackstone features marble bathrooms, plush beds, local art, and incredible views. Take a stroll in the Art Hall, with rotating photography and paintings, or book a wellness experience at Leaf Spa. On-site dining includes Mercat A La Planxa, serving authentic Spanish cuisine.

Walk: 18 minutes to Shedd Aquarium

Points Cost: Around 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night (2 Queen room)

Amenities: Spa, fitness center, free Wi-Fi, restaurant, digital check-in, smoke-free property

Booking Options:

Transfer Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards → Marriott Bonvoy.

More Walkable Hotels Near Shedd Aquarium on Points

If your preferred hotel chain isn’t above, here are more excellent options within 15–20 minutes of Shedd.

Hilton

Marriott

Transfer American Express Membership Rewards points and Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott to book Marriott hotels. 

🚗 Short Ride Hotels Worth Considering

While Hyatt and IHG don’t have hotels within walking distance of Shedd, these options are just a short CTA ride or rideshare away — great picks if you’re loyal to those programs or want a more upscale stay.

Or Check Out These Options:

Other close attractions In Chicago: 

• Clarence F. Buckingham Memorial Fountain: Three story fountain with lighting and water shows
• Adler Planetarium
• Northerly Island Park: Walking, biking, hiking, live music, and skyline views
• Field Museum: Natural history museum
• Grant (Ulysses) Park
• Cloud Gate (The Bean)
• Fox in a Box: Highly rated Escape Rooms
• Chicago Riverwalk: Public open space running by the Chicago River
• Soldier Field: Stadium is home to the Chicago Bears and Chicago Fire FC while also hosting live concerts

Packing It Up!

Planning a trip to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago offers families the chance to have fun, learn, and create unforgettable memories. The city is filled with activities and experiences that people of all ages can enjoy. Getting there and staying there on points and miles can make the trip more affordable, which makes it even better in my opinion! How will you get there?

Ready to Dive In?

Start planning your unforgettable Shedd Aquarium adventure today! Use the tips and strategies in this guide to make the most of your points and miles, saving money while creating lasting memories with your family.

Plan Your Trip Now– The Chicago Aquarium on Points and Miles is a Must!

Book Your Flights

Southwest

American Airlines

Alaska Airlines

United Airlines

Book Your Hotel

Hyatt Hotels

Hilton Hotels

IHG Hotels

Marriott Hotels

Fun Fact: The Pacific Octopus living at Shedd Aquarium was named by the public. The winning name: Sawyer!

Photo by Gautam Krishnan on Unsplash

Also, check out my other Aquarium-related posts: Florida Aquarium Review: How I saved Money Visiting with Points and Miles, Georgia Aquarium on Points and Miles: Smart Ways to Save