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SFO - ORD

$137 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 O'Hare Intl departing on 6/8. 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 8/6
Sat 15/6

Search hundreds of travel sites and compare cheap 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 43,895,468 times on KAYAK, and here's why:

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Cheap flight deals from San Francisco to O'Hare Intl (SFO-ORD)

Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San Francisco to O'Hare Intl 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
22:54 - 05:15SFO-ORD
4h 21mdirect
06:35 - 09:12ORD-SFO
4h 37mdirect
$272Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, 10 Aug - Wed, 14 Aug
23:59 - 06:20SFO-ORD
4h 21mdirect
06:35 - 09:12ORD-SFO
4h 37mdirect
$287Alaska Airlines
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Mon, 1 Jul - Wed, 31 Jul
16:55 - 04:40SFO-ORD
9h 45m1 stop
07:00 - 09:37ORD-SFO
4h 37mdirect
$294Alaska Airlines
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Tue, 28 May - Wed, 29 May
13:30 - 23:58SFO-ORD
8h 28m1 stop
07:10 - 14:17ORD-SFO
9h 07m1 stop
$359Delta
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Wed, 26 Jun - Tue, 2 Jul
13:10 - 21:47SFO-ORD
6h 37m1 stop
06:00 - 14:18ORD-SFO
10h 18m1 stop
$374Delta
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Wed, 18 Sep - Mon, 23 Sep
17:55 - 11:38SFO-ORD
15h 43m1 stop
20:05 - 11:07ORD-SFO
17h 02m1 stop
$380Sun Country Air
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Thu, 30 May - Mon, 10 Jun
23:59 - 20:39SFO-ORD
18h 40m1 stop
07:00 - 20:41ORD-SFO
15h 41m1 stop
$388Sun Country Air
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Fri, 12 Jul - Thu, 18 Jul
23:51 - 06:04SFO-ORD
4h 13mdirect
07:19 - 13:10ORD-SFO
7h 51m1 stop
$420American Airlines
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Wed, 31 Jul - Mon, 5 Aug
00:30 - 10:08SFO-ORD
7h 38m1 stop
22:15 - 00:59ORD-SFO
4h 44mdirect
$478United Airlines
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Tue, 28 May - Wed, 5 Jun
00:12 - 06:30SFO-ORD
4h 18mdirect
05:16 - 09:39ORD-SFO
6h 23m1 stop
$484United Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, 22 Jul - Tue, 6 Aug

Flights from San Francisco to O'Hare Intl - Travel Insights & Trends

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

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport, 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 O'Hare Intl Airport is January, where tickets cost $453 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and May, where the average cost of tickets is $703 and $649 respectively.

How far in advance should I book a flight from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport?

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 O'Hare Intl Airport, 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 O'Hare Intl Airport, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 85 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 ($137) and Delta ($179). The cheapest round-trip tickets were found on Alaska Airlines ($272) and Delta ($359).

Which airlines fly most frequently between San Francisco and Chicago?

United Airlines (17 flights per day), American Airlines (4 flights per day), and Alaska Airlines (2 flights per day) are the most frequent flyers of this route.

Which airlines fly direct between San Francisco and Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport?

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 O'Hare Intl Airport.
There are 3 airlines that fly direct from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport. They are: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines and United Airlines. The cheapest price of all airlines flying this route was found with American Airlines at $235 for a one-way flight. On average, the best prices for this route can be found at American Airlines.

How many flights are there between San Francisco and Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport per day?

Each day, there are between 23 and 26 nonstop flights that take off from San Francisco and land in Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport, with an average flight time of 4h 22m. The most common departure time is 23:00 and most flights take off at night. Each week, there are 170 flights. The most frequent day of departure is Saturday, when 15% of all weekly flights depart. The fewest flights depart on a Wednesday.

Which cabin class options are there for flights between San Francisco and Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport?

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 First, Business and 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?

The duration of a direct flight to Chicago from San Francisco is typically 4h 17m. The journey crosses a distance of 4,767 km.

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

Early birds can take the earliest flight from San Francisco at 00:09 and will be landing in Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport 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 O'Hare Intl Airport jets off at 23:59 and lands at 06:20.

Good to know

Low season

January

High season

July

Cheapest flight

$137
Best time to beat the crowds (20% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (9% more expensive on average)
Flight from San Francisco to Chicago

When to book flights from San Francisco to O'Hare Intl

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to O'Hare Intl 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 San Francisco to Chicago flights

  • Where can I get emergency housing or transportation assistance at ORD?

    If you need transportation assistance or emergency housing, you should head to one of the airport’s Traveler’s Aid offices. Traveler’s Aid is a non-profit organization that assists passengers to organize last-minute housing and transportation. This organization has offices in Terminals 1, 2, 3, and 5, with the main office being in Terminal 2, next to the children’s museum.

  • Does SFO have a children’s play area?

    In case you’re traveling with older children to Chicago, you can let them have fun in one of the play areas found at SFO. These play areas, available near Gate 22 in Terminal 1, Gate 54A in Terminal 2, and close to Gates 87A and 62 in Terminal 3, feature various toys and soft playgrounds.

  • Is there any other Chicago airport I can fly into apart from ORD?

    Apart from ORD, the other Chicago airport you can fly into from SFO is Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW). When booking your flight to Chicago, it’s in your best interest to book one that lands at MDW, as MDW has shorter queues and lesser passenger crowds than ORD.

  • Is it possible to shower at ORD?

    If you want to shower before leaving ORD, you can do so at the airport’s Hilton Athletic Club. To enter this club, between Terminal 2 and the parking garage, you’ll have to purchase a day pass.

  • What is the cheapest flight from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport was $90 for a one-way ticket and $179 for a return.

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

    American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Delta, and Air Canada 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.

  • 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 travellers 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 $309 or less round-trip.
  • When set to fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), you should get to SFO at least 2h before your flight. If you get to this airport as early as advised, you’ll be able to go through its tedious security checkpoints in time for your flight. You’ll also get the opportunity to check out the airport’s point of interest.
  • SFO has several TSA Care officials mandated with caring for disabled passengers as well as those with medical conditions. If you’re disabled or have limited mobility, you can receive assisted services at SFO from these officials; provided you contact and inform the airport’s TSA Care office of the services you will need at least 72h ahead of your flight.
  • If you’re traveling to Chicago with an infant, you can easily breastfeed him/her while waiting for your flight at SFO, as this airport features numerous nursing rooms. These nursing rooms, located on the Airside of every terminal as well as the Landside of Terminal 2, feature comfortable seats, deep sinks, and power outlets.
  • In case your phone is nearly running out of charge, you can charge it for free before leaving ORD, as this outstanding airport features several power stations. These stations are near Gates B4, B14, C15, C21, and C28 in Terminal 1, Gate F2 in Terminal 2, Gates K12, and L10 in Terminal 3, and Gates M5 and M7 Terminal 5.
  • If you have an inquiry at ORD, you can get the answer you need at any of the airport’s information desks. These desks are Gate F1D in Terminal 2, a short distance to Gate B7 and C18 in Terminal 1, and Gate K2 in Terminal 3. Terminal 5, they are situated on the upper and lower levels.
See more tips

Prefer to fly direct from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl?

Find which airlines fly direct from San Francisco to O'Hare Intl, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl

Monday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +19 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +20 more

Tuesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Wednesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +20 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +21 more

Thursday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +20 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +21 more

Friday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +19 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +20 more

Saturday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +22 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +23 more

Sunday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +19 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +20 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Chicago O'Hare Intl to San Francisco

Monday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +19 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +20 more

Tuesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Wednesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Thursday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +20 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +21 more

Friday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +19 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +20 more

Saturday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +22 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +23 more

Sunday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +20 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +21 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top airline flying from San Francisco to O'Hare Intl

 
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 O'Hare Intl? 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.
7.3
American AirlinesOverall score based on 14665 reviews
6.6Food
7.1Entertainment
7.6Boarding
7.2Comfort
8.0Crew
Airline reviews

The CX617 from HK to BKK was delayed more than 1.5 hours.

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, May 2024STL - ORD
Read more about American Airlines reviews

The CX617 from HK to BKK was delayed more than 1.5 hours.

This flight is frequently delayed. The connections seemingly are more frequently delayed. I’ve missed connections as a result twice on the same route to charlotte then Charleston. Final destination arrival has been the next day, twice in a row. No pilots, no crew. Too many excuses. Unfortunately, my days with American are over.

Entertainment was okay not because anything was wrong but it is a short flight so having no wifi is annoying but understandable. Crew was outstanding as usual

Those seats were way too narrow. I had the middle seat, one person was a very skinny person and we still couldn’t avoid touching each other anytime one of us moved. The other person was larger and we were basically sitting in each others lap the entire flight. There was zero entertainment. The flight was long enough to justify tvs, but no. Gotta sit there in your infant seat and twiddle your thumbs.

Flight was fine. It took an unusually long time to have baggage delivered to the carousel in ORD.

Average - flew with Jet Blue internal and it was far more comfortable and better food and entertainment. Notable difference

The flight got canceled due to mechanical issues, and he to be rebooked and missed my appointments for that day

The flight was scheduled to depart DCA at 12:30 pm but was delayed twice on the ground so that we were finally scheduled to depart at around 4:00 pm. Once we boarded, it was announced that takeoff would be delayed again to fix a hydraulic problem which delayed our eventual takeoff until around 5:00 pm. Once we departed, it was a smooth flight back to ORD. We did not get any explanation about what caused the original significant delay. In my experience, this happens frequently with AA.

The only problem experienced was a ground stop in Chicago due to weather. But the crew handled everything professionally. They prioritized rebooking those passengers who had connecting flights and then deplaning the other passengers. When the hold was lifted, they efficiently re-boarded all the passengers so that we could depart before our departure limit expired.

Our second leg to Jackson WY was unable to land due to weather. We were flown back to Dallas after stopping in SLC. We were given hotel rooms and vouchers. We were told that we would be back on the same plane in the morning. Instead we were given a different flight with different seats. Not a good experience. No one knew what was going on.

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.
6/8Tue
directAlaska Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
$137
1/7Mon
directAlaska Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
$144
6/8Tue
1 stopAlaska Airlines
7h 20mSFO-ORD
$151
26/5Sun
1 stopDelta
8h 47mSFO-ORD
$179
29/5Wed
1 stopDelta
8h 44mSFO-ORD
$187
4/11Mon
directAmerican Airlines
4h 15mSFO-ORD
$204
2/6Sun
1 stopSun Country Air
21h 18mSFO-ORD
$213
1/10Tue
1 stopUnited Airlines
7h 35mSFO-ORD
$242
6/7Sat
directUnited Airlines
4h 15mSFO-ORD
$243
8/6Sat
1 stopSun Country Air
17h 31mSFO-ORD
$248

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Last minute flights from San Francisco to O'Hare Intl

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.
14/5Tue
directUnited Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
18/5Sat
directUnited Airlines
4h 40mORD-SFO
$642
11/5Sat
multi-stopDelta
6h 44mSFO-ORD
14/5Tue
multi-stopDelta
6h 40mORD-SFO
$643
14/5Tue
directUnited Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
18/5Sat
multi-stopUnited Airlines
10h 12mORD-SFO
$656
13/5Mon
multi-stopAlaska Airlines
6h 50mSFO-ORD
22/5Wed
directAlaska Airlines
4h 37mORD-SFO
$689
10/5Fri
multi-stopDelta
8h 45mSFO-ORD
18/5Sat
multi-stopDelta
9h 55mORD-SFO
$698
10/5Fri
multi-stopDelta
8h 45mSFO-ORD
16/5Thu
multi-stopDelta
7h 37mORD-SFO
$704
14/5Tue
directUnited Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
18/5Sat
directUnited Airlines
4h 53mORD-SFO
$736
13/5Mon
multi-stopAlaska Airlines
6h 50mSFO-ORD
12/6Wed
multi-stopAlaska Airlines
17h 44mORD-SFO
$748
13/5Mon
directUnited Airlines
4h 21mSFO-ORD
15/5Wed
multi-stopUnited Airlines
7h 54mORD-SFO
$750
11/5Sat
directAlaska Airlines
4h 30mSFO-ORD
14/5Tue
multi-stopAlaska Airlines
8h 47mORD-SFO
$844

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San Francisco - Chicago Flights

Departure:

San Francisco (undefined)United States

Destination:

Chicago (ORD)United States

Cabin classes:

$4,651
$272

Browse origins:

  • Flights » 
  • San Francisco

Browse destinations:

  • Flights » 
  • Worldwide » 
  • Chicago » 
  • Chicago O'Hare Airport