$220 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Chicago – Compare and Save

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from San Francisco to Chicago:

• Earliest: departs at 00:10 and lands at 04:36
• Latest: departs at 23:51 and lands at 04:17.

The flight takes about 4h 26m.

Only Economy class is available on flights from San Francisco to Chicago.

A direct flight from San Francisco to Chicago takes 4h 26m, covering 4,805 km.

No. A passport is not required for this domestic route, but you will need a real ID-compliant driver's license, a state ID, or another TSA-accepted form of identification.

Return flights from San Francisco to Chicago range from $565 to $937, with an average of $718 over the past 12 months. Anything below $565 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within 2 weeks of departure) run 42% above the route average of $718. Book 6 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average $460 return via Denver Intl (DEN), compared with $732 for direct.

United Airlines is slightly above the route average for timely arrivals, while American Airlines has a lower on-time arrival rate. On-time arrival rates on San Francisco to Chicago flights are:

• United Airlines: 91% on time
• American Airlines: 89% on time
• Alaska Airlines: 89% on time

On average, flights on this route are punctual 90% of the time.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge $70–$175 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

Morning is the busiest departure period on San Francisco to Chicago flights, with 41% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 28%, Night flights for 22%, and Evening flights for 9%.

Two airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi on San Francisco to Chicago flights:

• American Airlines
• JetBlue

Pricing varies by airline and fare class. Some plans are included with the ticket or loyalty programme, while others are paid add-ons priced by flight length.

One-way fares from San Francisco to Chicago are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $266, which is 39% below the typical average for this route.

Since Chicago is served by multiple airports, car rental options and rates can vary depending on which one you fly into.
Near Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) – daily rates from around $30:

• Routes Car & Truck Rentals
• Europcar
• Hertz
• Dollar
• Ace

Near Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) – daily rates from around $56:

• Hertz
• Dollar
• Budget
• Alamo
• Rent-A-Wreck

Near Chicago Greater Rockford Airport (RFD) – daily rates from around $53:

• Alamo
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Budget
• Avis
• National

Flights from San Francisco to Chicago usually depart from San Francisco (SFO) and may arrive at several airports in Chicago area, including Chicago Midway (MDW), Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) and Chicago Greater Rockford (RFD).

Morning flights have the fewest delays on this route. Delays tend to pile up throughout the day as one late flight pushes the next, so earlier departures are usually more reliable.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the San Francisco to Chicago route, 10% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2 hours 51 minutes.

One-stop flights from San Francisco to Chicago most commonly connect through:

• Denver Intl (DEN) – 21% of one-stop connections
• San Diego (SAN) – 17% of one-stop connections
• Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl (LAS) – 15% of one-stop connections
• Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) – 13% of one-stop connections

Denver Intl (DEN) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 23% on the San Francisco to Chicago route. Wednesday is the cheapest departure day at $655 return on average, while Sunday is the most expensive at $842, a difference of $187. KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

3 airlines operate flights between San Francisco and Chicago. The airlines offering direct flights on this route include:

• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Southwest

Flying via Salt Lake City (SLC) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 6h 29m, compared to 6h 48m via Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) and 6h 54m via Kansas City (MCI).

Chicago is 2 hours ahead of San Francisco (Central Time vs Pacific Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Some of the most popular sights in Chicago are Magnificent Mile and River North. These are among the most viewed places in Chicago on KAYAK.

Among airlines operating San Francisco to Chicago flights:

• American Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• United Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Southwest: offers free seat selection

Extra legroom and free seat selection availability depends on fare class and route.

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• American Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• United Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• Southwest: a cabin bag in Economy class class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route, and airline, so travellers should check the fare details before booking.

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.

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.

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.

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.