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SFO - CHI

Find cheap flights from San Francisco to Chicago from ₹ 5,764

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 13/8. 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
Sat 13/7
Sat 20/7

Search 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
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 San Francisco to Chicago (SFO-CHI)

Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip 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 and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
09:55 - 16:15SFO-ORD
4h 20mdirect
17:25 - 20:09ORD-SFO
4h 44mdirect
₹ 11,444Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, 7 Sep - Tue, 10 Sep
23:59 - 06:20SFO-ORD
4h 21mdirect
17:25 - 20:09ORD-SFO
4h 44mdirect
₹ 12,029Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, 19 Aug - Sat, 24 Aug
22:54 - 05:15SFO-ORD
4h 21mdirect
06:35 - 09:12ORD-SFO
4h 37mdirect
₹ 12,614Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, 17 Aug - Mon, 19 Aug
06:35 - 16:50SFO-ORD
8h 15m1 stop
06:05 - 11:06ORD-SFO
7h 01m1 stop
₹ 19,715Delta
Find Deal
Sat, 17 Aug - Wed, 21 Aug
00:58 - 01:03SFO-ORD
22h 05m1 stop
17:25 - 20:09ORD-SFO
4h 44mdirect
₹ 20,049
Find Deal
Thu, 15 Aug - Thu, 22 Aug
22:59 - 07:30SFO-ORD
6h 31m1 stop
06:05 - 13:08ORD-SFO
9h 03m1 stop
₹ 20,550Delta
Find Deal
Thu, 8 Aug - Tue, 13 Aug
00:12 - 06:30SFO-ORD
4h 18mdirect
19:00 - 21:44ORD-SFO
4h 44mdirect
₹ 23,557United Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, 11 Aug - Sat, 17 Aug
00:35 - 10:07SFO-ORD
7h 32m1 stop
06:30 - 09:11ORD-SFO
4h 41mdirect
₹ 24,226United Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, 17 Sep - Mon, 23 Sep
23:59 - 11:29SFO-ORD
9h 30m1 stop
20:05 - 08:11ORD-SFO
14h 06m1 stop
₹ 24,560Sun Country Air
Find Deal
Fri, 26 Jul - Wed, 31 Jul
09:12 - 19:10SFO-ORD
7h 58m1 stop
20:05 - 08:18ORD-SFO
14h 13m1 stop
₹ 26,732Sun Country Air
Find Deal
Thu, 8 Aug - Sun, 11 Aug

Flights from San Francisco to Chicago - Travel Insights & Trends

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?

The cheapest price for flight routes found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks for one-way flights from San Francisco to Chicago.
Our data shows that the cheapest route for a one-way flight from San Francisco to Chicago cost ₹ 4,288 and was between San Francisco and Chicago Midway Airport. On average, the best prices are found if you fly this route. The average price for a return flight for this route is ₹ 18,883.

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

The average price of all flights from San Francisco to Chicago clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
If your flying dates are flexible, you should consider flying to Chicago on a Tuesday, as we generally find the cheapest rates on that day for this route. On the other hand, Thursday is the most expensive day to fly from San Francisco to Chicago. For your return ticket, we recommend flying on a Tuesday and avoiding Sundays for the best deals.

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 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 September, where tickets cost ₹ 22,555 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and June, where the average cost of tickets is ₹ 31,577 and ₹ 29,739 respectively.

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

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for 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 month.
To get a below average price on the flight from San Francisco to Chicago, you should book around 2 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 61 days before departure.

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

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
The best deals for a one-way ticket found by KAYAK users over the last 3 days were on Alaska Airlines (₹ 5,764) and Frontier (₹ 7,017). The cheapest round-trip tickets were found on Alaska Airlines (₹ 11,444) and Delta (₹ 19,715).

Which airlines fly most frequently between San Francisco and Chicago?

United Airlines connects San Francisco to Chicago up to 18 flights per day, followed by American Airlines (5 flights per day), and Alaska Airlines (2 flights per day).

Which airlines fly direct between San Francisco and Chicago?

Airline and price data is aggregated from results in KAYAK’s search results from the last 2 weeks for flights from San Francisco to Chicago.
There are 5 airlines that fly direct from San Francisco to Chicago. 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 ₹ 15,430 for a one-way flight. On average, the best prices for this route can be found at Frontier.

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

Each day, there are between 26 and 30 nonstop flights that take off from San Francisco and land in Chicago, with an average flight time of 4h 17m. The most common departure time is 23:00 and most flights take off at night, while the most flights land at Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport. Each week, there are 195 flights. The most frequent day of departure is Friday, when 15% of all weekly flights depart. The fewest flights depart on a Sunday.

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

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 San Francisco to Chicago take?

Direct flights from San Francisco generally make it to Chicago in 4h 08m. The flying distance between the two cities is 4,805 km.

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

Early birds can take the earliest flight from San Francisco at 00:12 and will be landing in Chicago at 06:30.

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

If you prefer to fly at night, the latest flight from San Francisco to Chicago jets off at 23:59 and lands at 06:20.

Good to know

Low season

February

High season

July

Cheapest flight

₹ 5,764
Best time to beat the crowds (6% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (12% more expensive 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 ₹ 69 for a one-way ticket and ₹ 137 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, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, 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 Boeing 777 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the San Francisco to Chicago flight route.

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Francisco to Chicago are Alaska Airlines and Frontier. With an average price for the route of ₹ 23,891 and an overall rating of 8.0, Alaska Airlines is the most popular choice. Frontier is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of ₹ 13,992 and an overall rating of 6.2.

  • 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.

See more FAQs

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 ₹ 5,035 or less one-way and ₹ 35,119 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.
See more tips

Prefer to fly direct from San Francisco to Chicago?

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

Direct departures

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

Direct returns

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
See more direct flights

Top airlines 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.
8.0
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 9272 reviews
7.3Food
7.3Entertainment
8.2Boarding
7.9Comfort
8.6Crew
Airline reviews

Crew was great snacks could be approved upon. Healthier options

8.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Jun 2024SFO - ANC
Read more about Alaska Airlines reviews

Crew was great snacks could be approved upon. Healthier options

Everything was great but there were no entertainment options available.

Flight was delayed 2 hours. It was too cold inside the cabin. My seat mate had no jacket so she was shivering the entire flight. The stewardess says there’s no available blanket.

The plane had to sit on the tarmac for 45 minutes once it had landed. Not Alaska’s fault.

Flight was cancelled just before we boarded. I had to stayed an extra night in SF and arrived one day late. Also I had to flight back JFK and not Newark since they didn't have flight to Newark until very late the following day. A real bad experience on this flight. It took me 2 days to get back home.

The flight was delayed by more than two hours. A notification ahead of time would be most helpful.

Plane hit turbulence diverted to Houston. We'll probably get in after 3am

Given incorrect gate upon check-in, corrected by the gate attendant, D6 rather than D5, minor inconvenience. As with the previous flight, passengers were admonished to voluntarily gate-check carry-on luggage with the statement that those in the last boarding group would have no choice but to do so. If the Boeing 737 MAX8/MAX9 doesn't have room for carry-ons it's an interior design flaw on the part of Boeing. Posting an advance warning would be helpful, such as "Boeing 737 MAX planes feature limited carry-on space. Please be aware." SFO's amenities and TSA much better than MCO's. Crew was amazing! Brought my own food because Alaska's onboard selection has soy in everything. Beverage service was excellent. This was the first and last trip with Alaska after the previous flight's issues. It's no reflection on the crew of this flight. They were great.

The flight was mostly smooth and quiet. No seatback screens.

I enjoyed the leg room at my seat, but I was in an exit row.

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 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.

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

I appreciated the upgrade to free cary-on bag and seat selection at no charge

Flight was delay 9hrs and nothing was provided at airport, had to go and get a room to sleep in, paid for Uber back and fort with no offers until we landed back home a 1hr later for a $75 voucher for a future flight.

Our flight was delayed an hour, then when we got to board our flight finally, we were waiting in our seats for take off for 45 minutes before it was communicated that there was a maintenance issue therefore we waited on the plane for over an hour while that was resolved. We did not get to Phoenix until almost 3 hours after we were originally supposed to. This was the first and last time I will be flying Frontier.

There were 3 leg for the trip and each leg was delayed by 90 minutes or more. The boarding process takes forever with people waiting on the jetway even though most folks do not have carry-on. The whole process is poorly managed.

They cancelled the flight then did nothing to help us rebook. It was awful - I won’t fly with them again

The process of buying the ticket and navigating all the hidden charges that Frontier throws at you was a terrible experience. The actual airport experience and flying was fine.

Book cheap flights from San Francisco to Chicago

Recent one-way flight deals

 
Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from San Francisco to Chicago found on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.
13/8Tue
directAlaska Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
₹ 5,764
19/8Mon
directAlaska Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
₹ 6,349
23/7Tue
1 stopFrontier
20h 40mSFO-ORD
₹ 7,017
28/8Wed
directUnited Airlines
4h 15mSFO-ORD
₹ 9,523
13/7Sat
1 stopDelta
9h 13mSFO-ORD
₹ 9,857
21/11Thu
1 stopDelta
9h 28mSFO-ORD
₹ 10,358
24/7Wed
2 stopsFrontier
31h 11mSFO-ORD
₹ 11,612
12/7Fri
1 stopSun Country Air
18h 40mSFO-ORD
₹ 11,695
4/7Thu
1 stopSun Country Air
23h 44mSFO-ORD
₹ 13,783
13/7Sat
directUnited Airlines
4h 18mSFO-ORD
₹ 15,037

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Last minute flights from San Francisco to Chicago

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 San Francisco to Chicago that are departing in the next 10 days.
17/6Mon
directAlaska Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
1/7Mon
directAlaska Airlines
4h 37mORD-SFO
₹ 33,832
16/6Sun
multi-stopAlaska Airlines
7h 20mSFO-ORD
1/7Mon
directAlaska Airlines
4h 37mORD-SFO
₹ 38,343
16/6Sun
directUnited Airlines
4h 20mSFO-ORD
17/7Wed
directUnited Airlines
4h 40mORD-SFO
₹ 42,938
16/6Sun
directUnited Airlines
4h 20mSFO-ORD
17/7Wed
multi-stopUnited Airlines
6h 23mORD-SFO
₹ 43,773
17/6Mon
multi-stopDelta
8h 08mSFO-ORD
1/7Mon
multi-stopDelta
7h 54mORD-SFO
₹ 48,367
17/6Mon
multi-stopDelta
9h 38mSFO-ORD
20/6Thu
multi-stopDelta
8h 23mORD-SFO
₹ 50,289
18/6Tue
multi-stopSouthwest
7h 40mSFO-ORD
20/6Thu
multi-stopSouthwest
14h 45mORD-SFO
₹ 50,706
18/6Tue
multi-stopSouthwest
9h 50mSFO-ORD
20/6Thu
multi-stopSouthwest
14h 45mORD-SFO
₹ 51,124
18/6Tue
directAmerican Airlines
4h 19mSFO-ORD
20/6Thu
directAmerican Airlines
4h 40mORD-SFO
₹ 54,883
18/6Tue
multi-stopAmerican Airlines
7h 57mSFO-ORD
20/6Thu
directAmerican Airlines
4h 38mORD-SFO
₹ 55,719

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San Francisco - Chicago Flights

Departure:

San Francisco (SFO)United States

Return flight deals:

Chicago - San Francisco

Cabin classes:

₹ 364,970
₹ 12,196

Browse origins:

  • Flights » 
  • San Francisco

Browse destinations:

  • Flights » 
  • Chicago