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CHI - SFO

Find cheap flights from Chicago to San Francisco from ₹ 6,349

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Chicago to San Francisco departing on 19/8. 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
za 13/7
za 20/7

Search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to San Francisco

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to San Francisco, 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 Chicago to San Francisco, as well as popular online travel agencies
In the last 7 days, travellers have searched 44,216,777 times on KAYAK, and here's why:

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Cheap flight deals from Chicago to San Francisco (CHI-SFO)

Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Chicago to San Francisco 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 and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
17:57 - 20:41ORD-SFO
4h 44mdirect
10:27 - 16:48SFO-ORD
4h 21mdirect
₹ 11,444Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
wo, 20 nov. - wo, 4 dec.
18:20 - 21:00ORD-SFO
4h 40mdirect
23:59 - 06:20SFO-ORD
4h 21mdirect
₹ 12,029Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
za, 17 aug. - ma, 19 aug.
18:20 - 21:00ORD-SFO
4h 40mdirect
22:54 - 05:15SFO-ORD
4h 21mdirect
₹ 12,614Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
wo, 14 aug. - za, 17 aug.
06:35 - 09:12ORD-SFO
4h 37mdirect
00:58 - 23:38SFO-ORD
20h 40m1 stop
₹ 19,631
Find Deal
di, 23 jul. - di, 23 jul.
13:31 - 21:45ORD-SFO
10h 14m1 stop
00:51 - 08:34SFO-ORD
5h 43m1 stop
₹ 19,715Delta
Find Deal
do, 29 aug. - zo, 1 sep.
18:59 - 23:59ORD-SFO
7h 00m1 stop
05:37 - 16:31SFO-ORD
8h 54m1 stop
₹ 19,798Delta
Find Deal
di, 8 okt. - za, 19 okt.
06:35 - 09:12ORD-SFO
4h 37mdirect
10:24 - 02:02SFO-ORD
13h 38m1 stop
₹ 21,302
Find Deal
za, 13 jul. - za, 20 jul.
05:16 - 09:39ORD-SFO
6h 23m1 stop
00:12 - 06:30SFO-ORD
4h 18mdirect
₹ 23,557United Airlines
Find Deal
wo, 31 jul. - ma, 5 aug.
17:20 - 20:03ORD-SFO
4h 43mdirect
18:30 - 00:45SFO-ORD
4h 15mdirect
₹ 24,058United Airlines
Find Deal
do, 4 jul. - wo, 17 jul.
17:32 - 23:59ORD-SFO
8h 27m1 stop
00:04 - 14:45SFO-ORD
12h 41m1 stop
₹ 24,643Frontier
Find Deal
wo, 24 jul. - vr, 26 jul.

Flights from Chicago to San Francisco - Travel Insights & Trends

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

What is the cheapest Chicago to San Francisco flight route?

The cheapest price for flight routes found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks for one-way flights from Chicago to San Francisco.
Our data shows that the cheapest route for a one-way flight from Chicago to San Francisco cost ₹ 9,536 and was between Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport and San Francisco. On average, the best prices are found if you fly this route. The average price for a return flight for this route is ₹ 24,314.

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

The average price of all flights from Chicago to San Francisco clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
If you are looking for a flight deal from Chicago to San Francisco, look for departures on Tuesdays and avoid leaving on a Sunday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from San Francisco, Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly and Thursday is the most expensive.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from Chicago to San Francisco, 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 Chicago to San Francisco is September, where tickets cost ₹ 20,717 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and June, where the average cost of tickets is ₹ 31,994 and ₹ 30,574 respectively.

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

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from Chicago to San Francisco, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each month.
To get a below average price on the flight from Chicago to San Francisco, you should book around 2 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 51 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Chicago to San Francisco?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
In the last 72 hours, the best return deals on flights connecting Chicago to San Francisco were found on Alaska Airlines (₹ 11,444) and Delta (₹ 19,715). Alaska Airlines proposed the cheapest one-way flight at ₹ 6,349.

Which airlines fly direct between Chicago and San Francisco?

Airline and price data is aggregated from results in KAYAK’s search results from the last 2 weeks for flights from Chicago to San Francisco.
There are 5 airlines that fly direct from Chicago to San Francisco. They are: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest and United Airlines. The cheapest price of all airlines flying this route was found with Alaska Airlines at ₹ 12,028 for a one-way flight. On average, the best prices for this route can be found at Frontier.

How many flights are there between Chicago and San Francisco per day?

Each day, there are between 28 and 35 nonstop flights that take off from Chicago and land in San Francisco, with an average flight time of 4h 39m. The most common departure time is 20:00 and most flights take off in the morning. Each week, there are 231 flights. The most frequent day of departure is Friday, when 15% of all weekly flights depart. The fewest flights depart on a Tuesday.

Which cabin class options are there for flights between Chicago and San Francisco?

The average price of flights for each cabin class for the route found by users searching on KAYAK over the last 2 weeks.
There are 3 cabin class options for the route. These are Business, Economy and Prem Economy. Perform a search on KAYAK to find the latest prices and availability for all cabin fares, which differ across airlines.

How long does a flight from Chicago to San Francisco take?

Direct flights take on average 4h 35m to travel the 4,805 km between Chicago and San Francisco.

What’s the earliest departure time from Chicago to San Francisco?

Early birds can take the earliest flight from Chicago at 06:05 and will be landing in San Francisco at 08:45.

What’s the latest departure time from Chicago to San Francisco?

If you prefer to fly at night, the latest flight from Chicago to San Francisco jets off at 22:15 and lands at 00:40.

Good to know

Low season

January

High season

December

Cheapest flight

₹ 6,349
Best time to beat the crowds (1% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 2% lower on average.
Flight from Chicago to San Francisco

When to book flights from Chicago to San Francisco

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Chicago to San Francisco 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 Chicago to San Francisco

  • Can I fly from Chicago to San Francisco non-stop?

    Yes, you can. Flights from Chicago to San Francisco are quite popular and, as such, there are a great number of non-stop flights between the two cities every week. The flight is also not overly long, as it usually takes a little less than 5 hours.

  • How do I get from downtown Chicago to O’Hare International Airport?

    To get to O’Hare International Airport from downtown Chicago you can use the Amtrak connections available (Blue Line) or the bus (there are a great number of lines serving the airport). Alternatively you can take one of the shuttle buses operated by many hotels in the area, or else just hail a cab.

  • Are there on-site hotels at Chicago Midway Airport?

    While there are no hotels located inside Chicago Midway Airport, there are a number of them located just outside, many of which include shuttle services to and from the airport in addition to comfortable rooms and a tasty breakfast spread. These include the Chicago Marriott Midway Hotel, the Courtyard Chicago Midway Airport Hotel, and the Fairfield Inn & Suites Chicago Midway Airport Hotel.

  • What is there to do in O’Hare International Airport?

    If your flight to San Francisco is running late, take a chance to relax and stretch at the airport’s yoga room or work up a sweat at the Hilton Athletic Club, open even to non-guests for a small fee. You can also spend the time pampering yourself at the spa, getting a haircut at the barber shop, or enjoying some local art featured in the many displays scattered throughout the airport.

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Chicago to San Francisco was ₹ 76 for a one-way ticket and ₹ 137 for a return.

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

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

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

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

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

    The Boeing 777 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Chicago to San Francisco flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Chicago to San Francisco?

    oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Chicago and San Francisco, with oneworld being the most commonly used for this route.

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

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

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Chicago to San Francisco, Alaska Airlines or United Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Chicago to San Francisco are Alaska Airlines and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of ₹ 29,554 and an overall rating of 8.0, Alaska Airlines is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of ₹ 32,141 and an overall rating of 7.4.

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

    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 Chicago to San Francisco.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San Francisco from Chicago 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 Chicago to San Francisco?

    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 San Francisco with an airline and back to Chicago with another airline.

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

    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 San Francisco from Chicago up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

Top tips for finding a cheap flight from Chicago to San Francisco

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for ₹ 11,988 or less one-way and ₹ 31,950 or less round-trip.
  • Flights from Chicago to San Francisco usually depart either from Chicago O’Hare International Airport or from Chicago Midway Airport. Although the former is larger and more popular than the latter, it is also furthest away from downtown Chicago, located as it is just 17.5 miles northwest of the city. Though less often used, Chicago Midway Airport is only 10.8 miles south of the city center.
  • If you are flying from Chicago O’Hare International Airport and you are traveling with children, head to Terminal 2, where you can find the children’s play area. Fun and colorful, Kids On The Fly is an aviation-themed playground that has been voted “Most Awesome Airport Play Area”.
  • If San Francisco is just one leg of your trip and you are worried about what to do on your stopover there, don’t! San Francisco International Airport is simply full of things to do: hit the shops for some retail therapy, enjoy the local cuisine at the dozens of cafés scattered throughout the airport, or learn something new at the Aviation Museum or at the various exhibits on art & culture, history, and science organized in the various terminals.
  • If your flight from Chicago to San Francisco has arrived late and you don’t want to travel into the city at night, why not sleep at the airport? Located inside the International Terminal, FreshenUp offers travelers a small number of basic yet comfortable ensuite rooms; alternatively, if you don’t find place there, there are a number of hotels located just minutes from the airport, many of them offering shuttle services to their guests.
  • Once you get to San Francisco Airport, to get downtown you can use the city’s rich transportation network, which includes a number of bus lines and Amtrak connections running between the airport and various important locations within the city multiple times a day.
See more tips

Prefer to fly direct from Chicago to San Francisco?

Find which airlines fly direct from Chicago to San Francisco, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Chicago to San Francisco

Monday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Tuesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +22 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +23 more

Wednesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +22 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +23 more

Thursday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Friday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Saturday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +24 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +25 more

Sunday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

San Francisco to Chicago

Monday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Tuesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +22 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +23 more

Wednesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Thursday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Friday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Saturday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +24 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +25 more

Sunday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +20 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +21 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 3 airlines serving from Chicago to San Francisco

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Chicago to San Francisco. 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 Chicago to San Francisco? 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.
8.0
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 9272 reviews
7.3Entertainment
8.2Boarding
8.6Crew
7.9Comfort
7.3Food
Airline reviews

It was good - I was just squished in between two men so that was uncomfortable but otherwise everything was good

8.0 ExcellentGrace, Jun 2024JFK - SFO
Read more about Alaska Airlines reviews

It was good - I was just squished in between two men so that was uncomfortable but otherwise everything was good

Mediocre is best way to describe. Bare bones narrow seats, Dirty pulldown tray, unfriendly cabin crew who were in a hurry to serve tiny drinks and tiny snacks. (Compared to much better Hawaiian Airlines experience, .. no comparison!)

It was really good and that's why we choose AA over other airlines.

The flight was about an hour late, and there was notable turbulence for a good part of it. But of course, that was not Alaska Air’s fault, and I think the crew did a good job of keeping it safe. Service suffered a little as a result (I wish I had been offered the option of purchasing food). Overall, it was ok, because we landed safe and sound. Thanks!

Sat on tarmac for 30 minutes despite staring at three empty gates, one of which we eventually pulled into

Flight was changed twice. Original flight was scheduled at 5:30pm. Weeks before flight, flight was changed to 7:00pm. On the date of flight, flight was delayed and departed at 9:00pm. This caused many problems and significantly affected our schedule at our destination.

They canceled my flight going back to SF after I was at the airport. Wanted me to take a flight 14 hours later. Not a happy camper.

I didn’t like not knowing my seat till I got to the airport - and my boarding group was F (last).

Clean plane, relatively spacious in Main Cabin. One experience: I'm 79, with torn rotator cuff (R shoulder). I asked for help getting my carryon into the overhead bin and was told that the staff "does not help with this" (or some such phrase. On previous flights, help has been offered (and accepted). I prevailed on a fellow passenger for this. Also, why not board back to front?? Would this not help in the speed of boarding?

No tv, movies for a 6 hour flight! Worst airline I have ever travelled!

Dinner was okay but the breakfast was not eatable on the flight San Francisco to Zurich.

I’ve had a couple flights this week on United that were delayed by an hour or more

Should have video screens Plane audio was poor and without wired connection hard to understand crew. Should serve more than just cups of water and pretzels on six hour flight. Did not see crew rest of flight. Fix charging sockets to retain charging blocks.

Do not like the feeling of being in the basic economy. Everyone should feel good no matter what.

So so. Terrible aircraft choice for that leg of the flight.

delay several times and wait extra long to board. no entertainment service because there are problem for some rows. always encounter some delays for the last flight of the day.

This was a Lufthansa flight. Disappointing main meal. Very rough over Canada and arrival at FRA. IFE was almost unusable.

I was not able to buy food in the flight. They refer to include your Credit card in the APP, and if you are not from USA (i have a credit card form Canada) it is not possible

United airline kept delaying our flight back to Phoenix for 8 hours before they cancelled it! If they know that we are not flying out for whatever the reason is, why did they keep lying to us for hours. We could find another flight earlier or even find a hotel with a shuttle. But cancellation at about midnight was not fun. We stayed in the airport all night till the following morning when we bought an Alaska tickets to go back to Phoenix. Total of 14 hours in the airport.

Poor seating comfort, seat cushion too thin, very uncomfortable. My luggage didi not make the flight due to equipment change. At least. United had it delivered the next day. I was without my toilet items for one day.

Online check-in was not user-friendly. Too many fees, not cost effective.

They wouldn’t let us on the flight even tho we were an hour early. No refund not even our bags that were prepaid

I brought a ticket and car rental through Travelocity. There was no where to add a KTN. So I thought i’d add it by looking up ticket on frontier website. I tried 3 times with the frontier chat bot to add my KTN it never updated my boarding pass. So then I tried showing up early to do it in person at the airport. The first employee update my ktn in the system and gave me a new boarding pass. I was sent back by tsa to join regular line. Then I was told to add my Ktn. It would cost me $25 extra. Given the length of the cue I did pay. Congratulations! BUT I will NEVER fly frontier again. Plus the plane was very old. It had actual ashtrays and old looking tray backs. Worst travel experience ever. Im warning my friends and family not to use frontier ever.

I did not enjoy the trip home on Frontier for several reasons: there is too much cost besides the flight, which was more than I would normally pay, then having to pay for luggage, and carry-on, seat (if you want to reserve when booking) then you must pay over $3 for a can of soda, and $4 for a snack. A cup of water is free.

Did not realize seats did not recline. Best to travel in an exit row... No question

I strongly dislike Frontier. I find them barebones, the seats not particularly comfortable, the nickel and diming is maddening, the app is TERRIBLE - super confusing to navigate, and the last 4 frontier flights I have flown have been on AVERAGE 2 hours late, one ruining a fancy night out in Vegas with reservations made well in advance, which was nodded to with a measly 5000 miles, which translates to almost nothing. At least credit a free checked bag or something.

8 hr delay. had to buy another ticket with another airline

Four and a half hour delay in total. What frustrates me most is the poor communication and disorganization.

The agent at check-in was strident, unwelcoming, and condescending to customers ahead of me.

It was delayed 9 hours for operational reasons, despite the plane arriving to the airport on time.

Book cheap flights from Chicago to San Francisco

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Chicago to San Francisco found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
19/8ma
directAlaska Airlines
4h 40mORD-SFO
₹ 6,349
14/8wo
1 stopAlaska Airlines
8h 40mORD-SFO
₹ 7,101
24/7wo
1 stopSun Country Air
14h 13mORD-SFO
₹ 9,440
25/11ma
1 stopDelta
7h 00mORD-SFO
₹ 9,857
19/8ma
directUnited Airlines
4h 39mORD-SFO
₹ 10,108
4/7do
1 stopDelta
8h 30mORD-SFO
₹ 12,029
2/12ma
1 stopSun Country Air
29h 16mORD-SFO
₹ 13,616
23/8vr
1 stopUnited Airlines
6h 29mORD-SFO
₹ 15,037
6/7za
1 stopAmerican Airlines
7h 57mORD-SFO
₹ 19,130
11/7do
1 stopAmerican Airlines
6h 38mORD-SFO
₹ 35,419

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Last minute flights from Chicago to San Francisco

Last minute flight, train and bus deals

 
These last-minute flight deals are the cheapest flights found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours for flights from Chicago to San Francisco that are departing in the next 10 days.
14/6vr
directAlaska Airlines
4h 37mORD-SFO
20/7za
directAlaska Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
₹ 34,250
14/6vr
directAlaska Airlines
4h 37mORD-SFO
21/7zo
directAlaska Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
₹ 37,591
16/6zo
multi-stopDelta
8h 23mORD-SFO
20/7za
multi-stopDelta
9h 13mSFO-ORD
₹ 40,766
17/6ma
multi-stopAlaska Airlines
12h 50mORD-SFO
21/7zo
directAlaska Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
₹ 42,019
14/6vr
multi-stopAlaska Airlines
7h 13mORD-SFO
20/7za
directAlaska Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
₹ 42,520
16/6zo
multi-stopSun Country Air
13h 00mORD-SFO
20/6do
multi-stopSun Country Air
9h 39mSFO-ORD
₹ 51,041
16/6zo
multi-stopDelta
6h 44mORD-SFO
17/6ma
multi-stopDelta
10h 00mSFO-ORD
₹ 54,299
16/6zo
multi-stopSun Country Air
13h 00mORD-SFO
23/6zo
multi-stopSun Country Air
7h 36mSFO-ORD
₹ 58,058
14/6vr
directUnited Airlines
4h 46mORD-SFO
14/6vr
directUnited Airlines
4h 20mSFO-ORD
₹ 59,812
14/6vr
directUnited Airlines
4h 33mORD-SFO
16/6zo
directUnited Airlines
4h 20mSFO-ORD
₹ 60,230

Search by stops

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Flights to San Francisco

Destination:

San Francisco (SFO)United States

Return flight deals:

San Francisco - Chicago

Cabin classes:

₹ 13,449

Browse origins:

  • Flights » 
  • Chicago

Browse destinations:

  • Flights » 
  • San Francisco