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Cheap flights from San Francisco to Chicago from $175

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 22/4. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — CHI
19 Jan — 26 Jan1
1 adult

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

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 14 January 2025.

Round-trip from

$322

One-way from

$175

Popular in

December

Cheapest in

April

Average price

$512
United Airlines
  • United Airlines
  • 12/2-19/2
  • 1 total stop
  • 11h 02m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
Alaska Airlines
  • Alaska Airlines
  • 22/4
  • 1 total stop
  • 7h 29m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
High demand for flights, 5% potential price rise
Best time to find cheap flights, 2% potential price drop
Average for round-trip flights in January 2025

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 14 January 2025.

Wed 12/214:40SFO - ORD
1 stop6h 02mUnited Airlines
Wed 19/206:30ORD - SFO
Nonstop5h 00mUnited Airlines
Deal found 13/1$322
Mon 18/806:18SFO - ORD
Nonstop4h 17mAmerican Airlines
Wed 20/814:45ORD - SFO
Nonstop4h 36mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 11/1$335
Sat 8/207:00SFO - ORD
1 stop8h 59mAlaska Airlines
Tue 11/207:45ORD - SFO
1 stop9h 50mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 13/1$351
Mon 18/800:40SFO - ORD
1 stop5h 51mDelta
Wed 20/807:00ORD - SFO
1 stop9h 23mDelta
Deal found 11/1$414
Fri 28/219:50SFO - ORD
1 stop12h 10mSouthwest
Tue 4/306:15ORD - SFO
2 stops10h 15mSouthwest
Deal found 12/1$426
Thu 10/418:07SFO - ORD
1 stop21h 59mSun Country Air
Fri 18/411:40ORD - SFO
1 stop7h 20mSun Country Air
Deal found 12/1$549

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 14 January 2025.

Fly from

Any airport

Fly to

Any airport

Route

Depart

Return

Price

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Wed 12/2

14:40-22:42

1 stop6h 02m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Wed 19/2

06:30-09:30

Nonstop5h 00m

$322

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sat 8/2

07:00-17:59

1 stop8h 59m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Tue 11/2

07:45-15:35

1 stop9h 50m

$351

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Fri 14/2

00:40-10:28

1 stop7h 48m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 22/2

11:35-18:06

1 stop8h 31m

$418

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Fri 28/2

19:50-10:00

1 stop12h 10m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Tue 4/3

06:15-14:30

2 stops10h 15m

$426

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 10/4

18:07-18:06

1 stop21h 59m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Fri 18/4

11:40-17:00

1 stop7h 20m

$549

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 22/4

14:30-23:59

1 stop7h 29m

$175

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sat 3/5

06:30-14:50

1 stop6h 20m

$177

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Fri 21/2

00:32-10:37

1 stop8h 05m

$193

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 27/2

00:40-08:59

1 stop6h 19m

$210

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 20/2

05:55-18:10

2 stops10h 15m

$307

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 13/1

Showing 1-10 of 11 results
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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 10 January 2025.

The best time to book flights from San Francisco to Chicago is 83 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 14 January 2025.

Unlike in the morning, when flights are generally more expensive, you can save up to 36% 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 14 January 2025.

The most flights from SFO to CHI are scheduled on a Monday (58 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Tuesday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (34 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 14 January 2025.
See what other customers who have flown with United Airlines, Delta and Southwest 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.
8.1
Very Good
4,657 reviews

Comfort

8.1

Boarding

8.2

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.7

Entertainment

7.7

Food

7.2

Reviews

1 / 10

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

8.1
Very Good
4,657 reviews
8.1
Very Good
4,657 reviews

Comfort

8.1

Boarding

8.2

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.7

Entertainment

7.7

Food

7.2

Reviews

1 / 10

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

8.0
Very Good
9,669 reviews
8.1
Very Good
4,657 reviews

Comfort

8.1

Boarding

8.2

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.7

Entertainment

7.7

Food

7.2

Reviews

1 / 10

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

8.0
Very Good
8,505 reviews
8.1
Very Good
4,657 reviews

Comfort

8.1

Boarding

8.2

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.7

Entertainment

7.7

Food

7.2

Reviews

1 / 10

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

7.4
Good
3,195 reviews
8.1
Very Good
4,657 reviews

Comfort

8.1

Boarding

8.2

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.7

Entertainment

7.7

Food

7.2

Reviews

1 / 10

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

7.4
Good
8,953 reviews
8.1
Very Good
4,657 reviews

Comfort

8.1

Boarding

8.2

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.7

Entertainment

7.7

Food

7.2

Reviews

1 / 10

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 48 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 $322. Other airlines that can offer you cheap pricing are Alaska Airlines, from $351, and Delta, from $418. You may be able to fly from San Francisco to Chicago for 42% 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 $175. Users have also found prices from $177 and $193 on United Airlines and American 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: China Southern (97%), Aer Lingus (96%), United Airlines( 89%).

  • 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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Why should you use Cheapflights to find cheap flight tickets from San Francisco to Chicago?

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Can Cheapflights find flights from San Francisco to Chicago with no change fees?

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

Can Cheapflights notify me if prices for flights from San Francisco to Chicago become cheaper?

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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