$235 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 O'Hare Intl Airport:

• Earliest: departs at 00:10 and lands at 04:36
• Latest: departs at 23:52 and lands at 04:18.

The flight takes about 4h 26m.

Only Economy class is available on flights from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport.

A direct flight from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport takes 4h 26m, covering 4,767 km.

No, a passport is not required for this domestic route, but you will need another form of identification, such as a driving licence.

Return flights from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport range from $589 to $960, with an average of $742 over the past 12 months. Anything below $589 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within two weeks of departure) run 40% above the $742 route average. Book 6 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average $489 return via Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), compared with $755 for direct.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge $71–$178 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

The Boeing 737-800 family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by American Airlines. Other aircraft seen on the route include Airbus A321neo variants.

Morning is the busiest departure period on San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport flights, with 37% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 32%, Night flights for 21%, and Evening flights for 10%.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, return flight prices on this route showed a wide range, from about $528 to $5,055. That means the highest observed fare was about 10x higher than the lowest one.

Two airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi on San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport 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 O'Hare Intl Airport are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $274, which is 40% below the typical average for this route.

Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) hosts 5 major car rental companies, with daily rates starting from around $113 for economy cars. Top options include:

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

Flights from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport usually depart from San Francisco (SFO) and arrive at Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD).

Morning flights have the fewest delays on this route, while evening departures tend to have the most.

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 O'Hare Intl Airport route, 9% of flights were delayed in the past three months, with delays averaging 3h 03m.

One-stop flights from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport most commonly connect through:

• San Diego (SAN) – 26% of one-stop connections
• Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl (LAS) – 22% of one-stop connections
• Denver Intl (DEN) – 15% of one-stop connections
• Salt Lake City (SLC) – 9% of one-stop connections

Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 23% on flights from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport. Wednesday is the cheapest departure day at $663 return on average, while Sunday is the most expensive at $854, a difference of $190.

KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to three days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

3 airlines operate flights between San Francisco and Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport. The airlines offering direct flights on this route include:

• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Aer Lingus

Flying via Salt Lake City (SLC) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 6h 32m, compared to 7h 32m via Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) and 7h 49m via Portland (PDX).

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

River North is one of the most viewed places in Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport on KAYAK.

Among airlines operating San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport flights:

• American Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• United Airlines: offers extra legroom; 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
• JetBlue: a cabin bag in Economy class class

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