SFO - CHI

₹ 11,588 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Chicago

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from San Francisco to Chicago departing on 6/1. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Chicago

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Chicago, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Chicago, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Everything you should know

Cheapest return fare
₹ 24,263
Overall average: ₹ 43,728
Southwest
Wed 31/12Tue 6/1
SFO - ORD • 1 stop
Cheapest direct flights
₹ 24,354
Typical prices: ₹ 27,885-₹ 46,716
United Airlines
Thu 12/3Wed 18/3
SFO - ORD • Direct
Top routes
SFO-ORD
Cheapest • 54% average savings
SFO-ORD
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
4 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 46% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
February
Cheapest • 19% price drop
May
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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KAYAK searches hundreds of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Chicago!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Chicago (SFO-CHI)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return flights from San Francisco to Chicago that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals from San Francisco to Chicago

Wed, 31 Dec - Tue, 6 Jan
Southwest Logo
05:30 - 15:25
SFO
-
ORD
7h 55m1 stop
Southwest Logo
16:25 - 21:50
ORD
-
SFO
7h 25m1 stop
₹ 24,263Southwest
Thu, 12 Mar - Wed, 18 Mar
United Airlines Logo
23:59 - 06:19
SFO
-
ORD
4h 20mdirect
United Airlines Logo
21:15 - 00:16
ORD
-
SFO
5h 01mdirect
₹ 24,354United Airlines
Thu, 5 Feb - Sun, 8 Feb
Alaska Airlines Logo
14:30 - 23:50
SFO
-
ORD
7h 20m1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
08:00 - 23:03
ORD
-
SFO
17h 03m1 stop
₹ 24,444Alaska Airlines
Wed, 7 Jan - Fri, 9 Jan
Delta Logo
14:05 - 23:59
SFO
-
ORD
7h 54m1 stop
Delta Logo
13:50 - 23:28
ORD
-
SFO
11h 38m2 stops
₹ 24,897Delta
Mon, 16 Mar - Tue, 17 Mar
Delta Logo
19:29 - 08:40
SFO
-
ORD
11h 11m2 stops
Delta Logo
17:39 - 23:01
ORD
-
SFO
7h 22m1 stop
₹ 24,988Delta
Mon, 12 Jan - Mon, 19 Jan
United Airlines Logo
16:55 - 23:14
SFO
-
ORD
4h 19mdirect
United Airlines Logo
06:47 - 09:40
ORD
-
SFO
4h 53mdirect
₹ 25,259United Airlines
Tue, 27 Jan - Sat, 31 Jan
Southwest Logo
11:30 - 22:35
SFO
-
ORD
9h 05m2 stops
Southwest Logo
13:00 - 19:20
ORD
-
SFO
8h 20m1 stop
₹ 25,350Southwest
Sun, 15 Mar - Tue, 17 Mar
Alaska Airlines Logo
06:30 - 23:56
SFO
-
ORD
15h 26m1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
15:07 - 23:59
ORD
-
SFO
10h 52m1 stop
₹ 25,531Alaska Airlines
Wed, 31 Dec - Tue, 6 Jan
Southwest Logo
05:30 - 15:25
SFO
-
ORD
7h 55m1 stop
Southwest Logo
07:15 - 15:30
ORD
-
SFO
10h 15m2 stops
₹ 25,712Southwest
Mon, 5 Jan - Tue, 13 Jan
United Airlines Logo
23:05 - 05:27
SFO
-
ORD
4h 22mdirect
United Airlines Logo
16:16 - 19:09
ORD
-
SFO
4h 53mdirect
₹ 25,802United Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for San Francisco to Chicago flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from San Francisco to Chicago to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest San Francisco to Chicago flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The absolute cheapest return flight from San Francisco to Chicago costs ₹ 14,272 on the route between San Francisco (SFO) and Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD). However, over the past month, flights between San Francisco (SFO) and Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) were, on average, 54% cheaper than other San Francisco-Chicago routes. The most popular route is between San Francisco (SFO) and Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD).

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from San Francisco to Chicago?

The average price of all round-trip flights from San Francisco to Chicago clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

If you are looking for a flight deal from San Francisco to Chicago, look for departures on Wednesdays and avoid leaving on a Sunday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Chicago, Saturday is the cheapest day to fly and Thursday is the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Chicago?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Chicago, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from San Francisco to Chicago is February, where tickets cost ₹ 25,531 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and November, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is ₹ 41,465 and ₹ 39,564 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a stopover from San Francisco to Chicago?

The average return price for all direct flights, flights with one stopover, and flights with two stopovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

No, with an average price for the route of ₹ 16,505, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco to Chicago?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Chicago, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from San Francisco to Chicago, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 46% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 10 weeks before departure.

Find deals

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight₹ 11,588
Best time to beat the crowds (7% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 1% lower on average.
Flight from San Francisco to Chicago

When to book flights from San Francisco to Chicago

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to Chicago based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated return price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or returns with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from San Francisco to Chicago

  • Should I fly into Chicago O’Hare or Chicago Midway Airport?

    O’Hare Airport is located within Chicago, Illinois, 17 miles northwest of the Chicago Loop. The smaller Midway International Airport is located 10 miles southwest of the center. Both airports offer easy public transport connections, so you can’t go wrong with either one.

  • What is the cheapest way to get from the airport to downtown Chicago?

    The “L” train is an inexpensive way to get downtown from the airport. The O’Hare train station is situated on the lower level concourse of Chicago O’Hare Airport, with direct connections from Terminals 1, 2, and 3. The CTA Blue Line trains from Chicago O’Hare run 24/7, with a travel time of 40-45 minutes. If you arrive at Midway Airport, the Midway train station is a short walk east of the airport. Orange Line train services run from early in the morning until 1 am. It takes 20-25 minutes to travel by train to the downtown loop.

  • How do I get around Chicago O’Hare Airport?

    Getting around Chicago O’Hare Airport is easy using the Airport Transit System (ATS), which operates 24 hours a day along a 2.5-mile-long track. This service connects all four terminals, various parking facilities, the Kiss ‘N’ Fly drop off point, and the PACE bus stop. The ATS service is free and takes nine minutes to complete a round trip.

  • What is the closest hotel to Chicago O’Hare?

    The Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport Hotel is only a short walk from the airport’s domestic terminals. Amenities include a fitness center, restaurants, conference rooms, and a barber shop. If you need to freshen up after your flight, travelers can use the showers at the hotel’s health club for a small cost.

  • What is the cheapest flight from San Francisco to Chicago?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Chicago was ₹ 11,588 for a one-way ticket and ₹ 24,263 for a return.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from San Francisco to Chicago?

    On your way to Chicago, you’ll fly out from San Francisco. You’ll be landing at Chicago O'Hare Intl.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from San Francisco to Chicago?

    American Airlines, JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, and Delta offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the San Francisco to Chicago flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from San Francisco to Chicago?

    The Airbus A321neo is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the San Francisco to Chicago flight route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from San Francisco to Chicago?

    There are direct flights from San Francisco to Chicago on a daily basis.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from San Francisco to Chicago?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from San Francisco to Chicago.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from San Francisco to Chicago?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Chicago from San Francisco is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from San Francisco to Chicago?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional return ticket. You could then fly to Chicago with an airline and back to San Francisco with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from San Francisco to Chicago?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Chicago from San Francisco up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from San Francisco to Chicago

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for ₹ 166,845 or less round-trip.
  • Flights from San Francisco to Chicago usually depart from San Francisco International Airport. If you’re traveling with children, San Francisco International Airport has a number of interactive play areas to keep kids busy. Additionally, the video arts room showcases contemporary works from local filmmakers and many restaurants have special menus for children.
  • American Airlines and United Airlines offer regular, direct flights from San Francisco to Chicago O’Hare. Non-stop flights take less than four hours to arrive and the return trip takes around five hours.
  • The San Francisco International Airport incorporates a wide selection of art and exhibitions to provide a rich cultural and educational experience for travelers. While you’re waiting for your flight, you can visit more than twenty-five galleries throughout the terminals that reflect the history and cultural life of San Francisco. Travelers can also visit the Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, which house a permanent collection with a focus on local aviation history.
  • Want to relax before your flight from San Francisco to Chicago? Treat yourself to a manicure, pedicure, or massage at one of four XpresSpa outlets at San Francisco International Airport. There are also two dedicated spaces to practice yoga if you want to stretch out before getting on the plane.
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi is available at San Francisco International Airport, O’Hare International Airport, and Midway International Airport. Charging stations and power outlets can be found throughout the terminals and baggage claim areas.

Prefer to fly direct from San Francisco to Chicago?

 
Nonstop data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying nonstop from San Francisco to Chicago.
Find which airlines fly direct from San Francisco Airport to Chicago, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

San Francisco to Chicago

Monday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Tuesday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Wednesday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Friday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Saturday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Sunday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Chicago to San Francisco

Monday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Tuesday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Wednesday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Friday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Saturday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Sunday

American Airlines, Southwest, United Airlines

American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top airline flying from San Francisco to Chicago

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Francisco to Chicago. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from San Francisco to Chicago? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.2
American AirlinesOverall score based on 11052 reviews
6.5Food
7.2Comfort
8.0Crew
7.5Boarding
6.9Entertainment
Airline reviews

Awful. They won’t help me with anything. I booked on American but they abdicated to Iberia. The ticket was overpriced. Everything negative

2.0 MediocreJohn, Dec 2025
GSO - ORD
Read more American Airlines reviews

Awful. They won’t help me with anything. I booked on American but they abdicated to Iberia. The ticket was overpriced. Everything negative

I enjoyed the extra leg room compared to other airlines. The first stewards made my daughter’s birthday special by giving her an extra snack. Then the last one coming home from Chicago to Appleton made our night really enjoyable Thanks for making our trip enjoyable

It was good..clean, comfy seat. Friendly warm welcoming crew. Was able to check my cabin luggage at the gate which I was able to pickup in a decent time from baggage claim. The app gave all updates from delays to baggage claim info. Overall smooth flight.

Mostly good. Flight was crowded but Airline personnel were very friendly & accommodating. It would be good to have savory snacks rather than just sweet Biscoff cookies.

It was a typical flight. We had a delay which seems to be the normality now. And we had no in flight service due to conditions.

After we landed we sat on the tarmac for 1.5 hours waiting to get to our gate. Ridiculous.

Terrible. Flight delayed for more than 8 hours with only a $12 meal voucher provided for the inconvenience. The airplane did not have breaks on arrival yet they still made us go through the motions and board on time knowing we could not take off then sit for 40+ minutes before having to get of the time. A complete waste of my time. I cannot believe they can stay business with these shenanigans. I’ll avoid this company like the plague moving forward as the lack of accountability is disgraceful.

This was the best 2 flights I have had with American out of SGF. Great crew both flights.

It was a red eye flight, so no meals were provided, but it was fine with snacks. The seats felt cramped and almost too narrow.

Very crowded flight but what can you expect these days?? Crew was accommodating.

Everything you need to know for your flight from San Francisco to Chicago

Information on your arrival and departure airports

San Francisco (SFO)