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Cheap flights from San Francisco to Chicago from $155

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 18/3. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — CHI
26 Feb — 5 Mar1
1 adult

The best prices from San Francisco to Chicago are usually found in February or April, booked 83 days in advance, depart on a Monday or Wednesday and return on a Thursday

Cheap flight deals from San Francisco to Chicago

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from San Francisco (SFO) to Chicago (CHI). Learn about various techniques such as flexible date searches, comparing prices across and setting up price alerts. Use these methods to find the cheapest flights available for your travel needs. Data last updated 21 February 2025.

Round-trip from

$325

One-way from

$155

Popular in

December

Cheapest in

February

Average price

$466

Good one-way deal

$407 or less
Alaska Airlines
  • Alaska Airlines
  • 18/3-30/3
  • Nonstop
  • 9h 11m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
Alaska Airlines
  • Alaska Airlines
  • 18/3
  • Nonstop
  • 4h 12m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 5% potential increase in price ($45 potential increase over avg. return price).
Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease ($22 potential savings vs. average return price).
Average for round-trip flights in February 2025
Price to beat on a one-way flight from San Francisco to Chicago (CHI).

Find flight deals from San Francisco to Chicago

Cheapest flights from San Francisco to Chicago
Explore the most affordable flight options available from San Francisco to Chicago. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on 21 February 2025.

Tue 18/310:46SFO - ORD
Nonstop4h 12mAlaska Airlines
Thu 27/318:56ORD - SFO
Nonstop4h 59mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 20/2$325
Mon 14/400:08SFO - ORD
Nonstop4h 22mUnited Airlines
Sun 20/406:30ORD - SFO
Nonstop4h 50mUnited Airlines
Deal found 20/2$326
Wed 16/405:02SFO - ORD
Nonstop4h 21mAmerican Airlines
Mon 28/418:50ORD - SFO
1 stop7h 08mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 21/2$343
Thu 20/312:15SFO - ORD
1 stop7h 32mDelta
Tue 25/307:30ORD - SFO
1 stop10h 18mDelta
Deal found 21/2$345
Mon 28/420:09SFO - ORD
1 stop7h 56mHawaiian Airlines
Thu 1/518:58ORD - SFO
Nonstop4h 59mHawaiian Airlines
Deal found 20/2$356
Sun 6/400:08SFO - ORD
1 stop9h 09mFrontier
Mon 14/410:02ORD - SFO
1 stop14h 56mFrontier
Deal found 21/2$361
Tue 1/405:20SFO - ORD
2 stops9h 05mSouthwest
Fri 4/419:10ORD - SFO
1 stop7h 20mSouthwest
Deal found 20/2$473
Thu 24/718:25SFO - ORD
1 stop22h 46mSun Country Air
Mon 28/720:10ORD - SFO
1 stop16h 58mSun Country Air
Deal found 20/2$525

Find flights from San Francisco to Chicago within your budget

Customise your flight search to find flights from San Francisco to Chicago that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 647,157 searches. Data last updated 21 February 2025.

Fly from

San Francisco

Fly to

Chicago

Route

Depart

Return

Price

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 18/3

10:46-16:58

Nonstop4h 12m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sun 30/3

18:56-21:55

Nonstop4h 59m

$325

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Mon 14/4

00:08-06:30

Nonstop4h 22m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sun 20/4

06:30-09:20

Nonstop4h 50m

$326

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Wed 16/4

05:02-11:23

Nonstop4h 21m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 28/4

18:50-23:58

1 stop7h 08m

$343

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 20/3

12:15-21:47

1 stop7h 32m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Tue 25/3

07:30-15:48

1 stop10h 18m

$345

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Mon 28/4

20:09-06:05

1 stop7h 56m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Thu 1/5

18:58-21:57

Nonstop4h 59m

$356

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sun 6/4

00:08-11:17

1 stop9h 09m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 14/4

10:02-22:58

1 stop14h 56m

$361

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 1/4

05:20-16:25

2 stops9h 05m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Fri 4/4

19:10-00:30

1 stop7h 20m

$473

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 24/7

18:25-19:11

1 stop22h 46m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 28/7

20:10-11:08

1 stop16h 58m

$525

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 18/3

10:46-16:58

Nonstop4h 12m

$155

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sat 26/4

14:25-23:02

1 stop6h 37m

$171

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 21/2

Showing 1-10 of 15 results
1
2

Best time to book a flight from San Francisco to Chicago

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Chicago from San Francisco with our price prediction graph.
Estimated return price
Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Travel insights for flights from San Francisco to Chicago

Get recent, data-driven insights about flights from San Francisco to Chicago including ideal travel times, pricing trends, and more.

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

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a return flight from San Francisco to Chicago. Price data was last updated on 14 February 2025.

The best time to book flights from San Francisco to Chicago is 76 days before your desired departure date. The cost of your flight will likely increase significantly if you book two weeks in advance of your flight.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from SFO to CHI?

Find hourly flight availability from San Francisco to Chicago. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated 21 February 2025.

Unlike in the morning, when flights are generally more expensive, you can save up to 28% on flights from San Francisco to Chicago by exploring options for tickets at midday.

Weekly flight availability from San Francisco to Chicago

Explore weekly flight availability from San Francisco to Chicago. Discover flights operating on different days of the week, giving you the flexibility to choose a travel day that best fits your plans. Compare info to find the most convenient option for your journey. Data last updated 21 February 2025.

The most flights from SFO to CHI are scheduled on a Thursday (59 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Saturday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (18 on average).

Rainfall in Chicago by month

Plan your trip to Chicago by taking into account the average rainfall totals by month.

In terms of precipitation, rainfall in Chicago ranges from 43.0 - 125.0 inches per month. August is typically the wettest month, when rainfall can reach 125.0 mm. January is typically the driest time to visit Chicago when rainfall is around 43.0 mm.

Temperature in Chicago by month

Plan your trip to Chicago by taking into account the average temperature totals by month.

If weather is an important factor for your trip to Chicago, use this chart to help with planning. For those seeking warmer temperatures, July is the ideal time of year to visit, when temperatures reach an average of 23.0 C. Travellers hoping to avoid the cold should look outside of January, when temperatures are typically at their lowest (around -5.0 C).

Reviews of airlines servicing Chicago

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Chicago. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to Chicago. Reviews last updated 21 February 2025.
See what other customers who have flown with Southwest, Alaska Airlines and Delta from San Francisco to Chicago have to say. Users can see the overall rating for each airline as well as how each is rated in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.6

Comfort

8.1

Crew

8.7

Food

7.1

Overall

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20

10.0
Excellent

Arlene,May 2024

SAN - OAK

My original flight was delayed so they found this flight for me so I could arrive at a reasonable time

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.6

Comfort

8.1

Crew

8.7

Food

7.1

Overall

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20

10.0
Excellent

Arlene,May 2024

SAN - OAK

My original flight was delayed so they found this flight for me so I could arrive at a reasonable time

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.6

Comfort

8.1

Crew

8.7

Food

7.1

Overall

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20

10.0
Excellent

Arlene,May 2024

SAN - OAK

My original flight was delayed so they found this flight for me so I could arrive at a reasonable time

8.0
Very Good

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.6

Comfort

8.1

Crew

8.7

Food

7.1

Overall

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20

10.0
Excellent

Arlene,May 2024

SAN - OAK

My original flight was delayed so they found this flight for me so I could arrive at a reasonable time

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.6

Comfort

8.1

Crew

8.7

Food

7.1

Overall

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20

10.0
Excellent

Arlene,May 2024

SAN - OAK

My original flight was delayed so they found this flight for me so I could arrive at a reasonable time

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.6

Comfort

8.1

Crew

8.7

Food

7.1

Overall

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20

10.0
Excellent

Arlene,May 2024

SAN - OAK

My original flight was delayed so they found this flight for me so I could arrive at a reasonable time

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from San Francisco to Chicago. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.
  • What airport do you fly from for flights from San Francisco to Chicago?

    San Francisco (SFO) is the airport you will fly out of if you book a flight from San Francisco to Chicago. You should not have trouble finding flights to Chicago from San Francisco; the airport handles an average of 47 outbound flights to Chicago per day. You should also have plenty of airline options to choose from since 0 airlines have flights from the San Francisco airport to Chicago. It is only a 19.0 km journey to San Francisco (SFO) from San Francisco’s city centre.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from San Francisco to Chicago round-trip?

    Cheapflights users have booked flights from San Francisco to Chicago round-trip from $325. Other airlines that can offer you cheap pricing are United Airlines, from $326, and American Airlines, from $343. You may be able to fly from San Francisco to Chicago for 39% less than the average price by searching for these airlines.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from San Francisco to Chicago one-way?

    For one-way options, check prices for Alaska Airlines. According to our data, you can fly for as low as $155. Users have also found prices from $171 and $185 on United Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, respectively.

  • What are the most reliable airlines from San Francisco to Chicago?

    Before booking your flight to Chicago from San Francisco, have a look at the most reliable airlines to get you to your destination on time: Asiana Airlines (97%), Iberia (94%), Royal Jordanian( 94%).

  • What are the cheapest flights from San Francisco to Chicago?

    On average you can expect to pay $407 for a flight from San Francisco to Chicago. The cheapest flight overall is $311 while the most popular route, (San Francisco - Chicago O'Hare Intl) is currently priced at $279.

  • Can I find deals for flights from San Francisco to Chicago that include hotel bookings?

    Yes. In addition to deals on San Francisco to Chicago flights, Cheapflights offers holiday packages that include both flights and hotel.

  • How can I find direct flights from San Francisco to Chicago?

    After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from San Francisco to Chicago.

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from San Francisco to Chicago?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from San Francisco to Chicago by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

See more FAQs

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Alternative routes for San Francisco to Chicago

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Users can book flights with no change fees policies with our dedicated filters. Book flights from San Francisco to Chicago flexibly with Cheapflights today.

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Yes, and it’s super simple to set up. Click the bell icon next to the flight deals above and provide a valid email address to enable Price Alerts. That’s it!

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