How to Visit Shedd Aquarium on Points & Miles (Flights + Hotels in Chicago)

Chicago is one of the best U.S. destinations for families, and Shedd Aquarium is one of its most popular highlights along the lakefront. The good news? You can visit Shedd Aquarium using your credit card points and airline miles to cover flights and hotel stays nearby. This complete guide explains how to use points and miles for your Chicago trip, including flights, hotels, and ticket discounts—plus tips if you don’t have enough points yet.

This guide lives inside my Trip Planning & Redemptions series, where I share practical ways to plan smoother family travel days. You can explore all of our aquarium posts in the Aquarium Travel hub once you finish this guide.

Why Visit Shedd Aquarium in Chicago?

Photo courtesy of DavFace depicts the Chicago skyline from Shedd Aquarium

The Shedd Aquarium is more than tanks of fish—it’s a National Historic Landmark with gorgeous skyline views, hands-on exhibits, and incredible marine life. Built in 1930, it’s one of the top Chicago points of interest for families and travelers alike.

Understanding Points & Miles (How It Works)

Before diving in, here’s a quick overview for travelers new to rewards:

• Points are usually earned through credit cards or hotel loyalty programs (like Hilton Honors, Hyatt, or IHG).
• Miles are earned through airline loyalty programs (like United MileagePlus or American Airlines AAdvantage).
• You can redeem them for flights, hotel stays, or car rentals, and sometimes transfer them between partners.

💡 Are points and miles the same thing? Not exactly. Points often relate to hotel and credit card systems, while miles apply to airline rewards—but both work toward reducing your travel costs.

Don’t assume you get only 1 point or mile per dollar spent. It’s easy to rack up points and miles if you know how!

If this is your first time using rewards, start with my beginner’s guide to flexible credit card points, which explains how transfers and redemptions really work.

How to Book Flights to Chicago on Points & Miles

Quick Summary: Visit Shedd Aquarium on Points & Miles

• Flights: Chicago is easily reached via Southwest (MDW), United (ORD), American (ORD), and Alaska (ORD). Check each airline’s award calendar and compare miles vs cash before booking.
• Hotels on points: Closest options include Hilton Garden Inn/Homewood Suites South Loop (55k–70k), The Blackstone (~50k Bonvoy), and Travelodge Downtown (15k Wyndham).
• Money-saving tip: If cash rates are low, paying cash can earn more points toward your next trip while saving your rewards for pricier destinations.

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.

✈️ Flights to Chicago on Points and Miles

Chicago has two major airports:

• O’Hare International Airport (ORD). Hub for American and United. About 19 miles from Shedd, but expect a 45 minute ride to the city.
• Midway International Airport (MDW). Hub for Southwest. About 10 miles from Shedd or 25 minute drive.

Getting downtown: CTA is often the fastest and cheapest.
1-Day CTA Pass: $5 • 3-Day CTA Pass: $15 • Kids under 7 ride free with a paying adult.

Quick flight strategy

• If cash fares are low for your route, pay cash and earn points.
  If cash is higher, check each airline’s award calendar and compare miles vs dollars for your exact dates.
  Many short routes price around 5k–10k miles one way, but always verify.

Note: Award prices and routes change often by date and demand. Examples below are illustrative.

Airline options you can book with points or miles

Southwest Airlines to MDW

• 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:

• 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)

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 to ORD

• 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:

• 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)

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.

👉 Search current American Airlines award flights here.

United Airlines to ORD

• 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)

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. 

Alaska Airlines to ORD

• 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)

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.

👉 Search current Alaska Airlines award flights here.

🏨 Hotels Near Shedd Aquarium on Points and Miles

Once you’ve booked your flight, it’s time to choose where to stay.
Below are the best hotels near Shedd Aquarium that you can book with points, certificates, or compare for cash stays.

Some Stay22 links allow you to view current cash prices; if you choose to book through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Points prices are approximate and can change dynamically so check each hotel website for current availability and price.

🚶 Walkable Hotels (Closest to Shedd Aquarium)

Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Downtown South Loop / Homewood Suites by Hilton

• About a 14 minute walk to Shedd Aquarium
• 55,000–70,000 Hilton Honors points per night (standard award)
• Modern rooms, strong reviews, breakfast included at Homewood Suites
• Book with Hilton Honors points or transfer Amex Membership Rewards if needed
  💳 Tip: If cash rates are reasonable, paying cash can help you earn more Hilton points for future trips.

👉 Compare current cash rates below.

The Blackstone, Autograph Collection (Marriott)

• About an 18-minute walk to Shedd Aquarium
• Around 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night
• Historic luxury hotel with curated art, lake views, and on-site dining
• Book with Marriott points or transfer from Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards
  💳 Tip: If your stay aligns with a Bonvoy promotion, it can make sense to book cash nights to earn elite credits.

While there aren’t Hyatts within a 1-mile walk of Shedd, Hyatt still has strong Chicago options.:

👉 Compare current cash rates for The Blackstone on Stay22

Travelodge by Wyndham Downtown Chicago

About a 1-mile (22-minute) walk to Shedd Aquarium

15,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night

Basic but safe, clean, and centrally located near the Museum Campus

Book with Wyndham points or transfer from Capital One or Citi
💳 Tip: This is one of the few walkable Wyndham properties near Shedd, so cash rates can fluctuate quickly.

👉 Compare current cash rates for Travelodge Downtown Chicago on Stay22

🚗 Short Ride Options Worth a Look

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.

Hyatt Hotels (Great for Chase users)

• Chicago Athletic Association (Unbound Collection) around 25,000 points per night
• Park Hyatt Chicago around 30,000–40,000 points per night

Excellent options for Chase Ultimate Rewards transfers and typically high value per point
💳 Tip: Hyatt often offers the best cents-per-point value among major programs.

👉 Compare Hyatt cash rates in Chicago on Stay22

IHG Hotels

Kimpton Gray Hotel (~45,000–55,000 IHG One Rewards points per night)

• Modern boutique feel, central Loop location
• Book with IHG points or use a Free Night Certificate
  💳 Tip: If using the IHG Premier card, the 4th night free perk can stretch your points further.

👉 Compare current cash rates for Kimpton Gray Hotel on Stay22

🗺️ Plan Smarter

Use the Stay22 map below to compare cash prices and locations of Chicago hotels near Shedd Aquarium.

🗺️ Other Things to Do Near Shedd Aquarium

Shedd sits inside Chicago’s Museum Campus next to the Field Museum and Adler Planetarium, both walkable. Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park and Maggie Daley Park are close by for skyline views and playgrounds. With extra time, visit the Chicago Riverwalk or Cloud Gate (“The Bean”) in Millennium Park. Most spots are a short walk or quick CTA ride.

💡 Tip: Staying near Shedd makes it easy to explore the city without needing a car — most attractions are within a short walk or quick CTA ride.

If aquariums are a theme for your family, you might also enjoy how we compared Shedd to other aquariums, like the Florida Aquarium or the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Car Rentals on Points

If you need a car to explore beyond downtown Chicago, you can use credit card points or travel portals (like Chase Travel or Capital One Travel) to cover the cost.

• Venture X: Use points at a fixed value (1 cent each) toward any car rental. Also, this is my favorite way to use up my Venture X $300 travel credit each year!
• If you’re aiming to get the most out of your points, car rentals usually offer less value than flights or hotels—but they’re still a quick, easy way to offset costs. Most programs like Chase, Amex, Citi, and Capital One let you apply points toward rentals, so compare both options before booking.

🚗 Tip: Compare points vs cash. Short downtown stays usually make rideshares or public transit cheaper.

Our Real Chicago Stay on Points & Miles

Here’s a look at what our recent Shedd Aquarium weekend cost us using a mix of points, miles, and cash.

Category	Total	Per Person / Night	Payment Type	Notes
✈️ Flights – United Economy	$793.03	$264.34 per person	Cash	Originally booked with our Delta Companion Pass, but switched because United had cheaper cash fares for three roundtrip tickets. We could have used United miles, but at under $800 total, it made more sense to pay cash and save our points for a longer flight.
🏨 Hotel – The Wit (Hilton)	—	80,000 pts / night	Hilton Points	Stayed here during marathon weekend—great location and energy. 160,000 points total for two nights.
🏨 Hotel – The Sable (Hilton)	—	~80,000 pts value	Free Night Certificate	Moved here after the race to be closer to Shedd and enjoy Navy Pier. Beautiful views; wished we had more time here!
🚇 Chicago CTA 3-Day Passes	$40	$20 per person	Cash	Our 9-year-old rode free. Each card had a $5 activation fee.
🐠 Shedd Aquarium General Admission	$149.35	—	Cash	Two adults + one child + $5 fee. Prices increased overnight—don’t wait to book! We skipped CityPASS since we were short on time.

How we mixed cash, points, and certificates for our Chicago + Shedd Aquarium weekend.

Our Chicago + Shedd Aquarium Trip: Totals at a Glance

3-night stay for 2 adults and 1 child — combining points, certificates, and cash for flights, hotels, and attractions.

• Cash out of pocket: $1,082.38 total (Flights $793.03 + CTA $40 + Shedd tickets $149.35 + Uber $100)
• Cash per traveler: ≈$360 (3 travelers)
• Points used: 160,000 Hilton Honors points (The Wit, 2 nights)
• Certificates: 1 Hilton Free Night Certificate (The Sable, 1 night)
• Ground transport: We used CTA passes for most city travel, plus about $100 in Uber rides between hotels, Shedd, and our return trip to O’Hare.

Tip: Staying near Museum Campus helps reduce rideshare costs—most major attractions are walkable or just a short CTA ride away.

Is Visiting Shedd Aquarium on Points and Miles Worth It?

Absolutely. Between free flights, free nights, and discounted tickets, a family trip to Shedd Aquarium can easily save several hundred dollars compared to paying cash.

If you’re building an aquarium-focused trip, I’ve also ranked our favorite aquariums in the U.S. for families, including which ones are easiest to pair with points hotels.

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?

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

Photo by Gautam Krishnan on Unsplash

Your Next Read

Shedd Aquarium Review: Is It Really Worth It?

When to Visit Shedd Aquarium to Avoid Crowds (Best Times + Real Tips)

Top Aquariums in the US: Our Family Favorites and Future Must Visits