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Cheap flights from San Francisco to Chicago from $198

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 6/12. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — CHI
21 Dec — 28 Dec1
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

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 November 2025.

Round-trip from

$450

One-way from

$198

Popular in

November

Cheapest in

February

Average price

$745
Delta
  • Delta
  • 4/1-8/1
  • 3 total stops
  • 16h 35m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
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United Airlines
  • United Airlines
  • 10/2
  • Nonstop
  • 4h 16m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
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Highest demand for flights based on searches. 18% potential increase in price ($190 potential increase over avg. return price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($29 potential savings vs. average return price).
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Average for round-trip flights in November 2025
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Find flight deals from San Francisco to Chicago

Enter your travel dates to find the best prices.

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 November 2025.

Fri 12/1214:50SFO - ORD
Nonstop4h 17mUnited Airlines
Tue 16/1214:35ORD - SFO
Nonstop4h 53mUnited Airlines
Deal found 20/11$447
Wed 17/1207:00SFO - ORD
1 stop10h 54mAlaska Airlines
Sun 21/1220:58ORD - SFO
1 stop13h 17mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 19/11$451
Tue 16/1207:00SFO - ORD
1 stop14h 50mAlaska Airlines
Sat 20/1220:58ORD - SFO
1 stop13h 17mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 19/11$454
Thu 27/1106:00SFO - ORD
1 stop8h 03mDelta
Wed 3/1207:00ORD - SFO
1 stop18h 05mDelta
Deal found 19/11$456
Sun 14/1207:00SFO - ORD
1 stop14h 50mAlaska Airlines
Fri 19/1206:00ORD - SFO
1 stop19h 54mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 19/11$460
Sun 7/1220:31SFO - ORD
1 stop7h 50mAlaska Airlines
Tue 16/1208:55ORD - SFO
1 stop15h 53mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 20/11$464
Tue 16/1207:00SFO - ORD
1 stop14h 50mAlaska Airlines
Mon 22/1208:00ORD - SFO
1 stop16h 54mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 20/11$467
Sat 27/1200:10SFO - ORD
1 stop7h 15mDelta
Tue 6/107:30ORD - SFO
1 stop8h 08mDelta
Deal found 21/11$468
Mon 15/1205:20SFO - ORD
1 stop8h 05mSouthwest
Wed 17/1213:00ORD - SFO
2 stops10h 20mSouthwest
Deal found 20/11$470
Sat 6/1220:31SFO - ORD
1 stop7h 50mAlaska Airlines
Wed 10/1208:00ORD - SFO
2 stops12h 53mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 18/11$471
Fri 5/1207:00SFO - ORD
1 stop10h 54mAlaska Airlines
Tue 9/1220:59ORD - SFO
1 stop13h 07mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 19/11$473
Wed 10/1207:00SFO - ORD
Nonstop4h 23mUnited Airlines
Wed 17/1206:55ORD - SFO
Nonstop4h 45mUnited Airlines
Deal found 19/11$474

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
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 November 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from San Francisco to Chicago that are best for you.

Fly from

San Francisco

Fly to

Chicago

Route

Depart

Return

Price

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Wed 17/12

07:00-23:50

1 stop14h 50m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 22/12

15:33-22:54

1 stop9h 21m

$467

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sun 7/12

08:09-19:54

1 stop9h 45m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Wed 10/12

15:05-21:46

1 stop8h 41m

$473

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sat 14/2

17:03-23:26

Nonstop4h 23m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Tue 17/2

06:25-09:27

Nonstop5h 02m

$474

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Wed 3/12

22:45-08:04

1 stop7h 19m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sun 7/12

06:00-11:27

1 stop7h 27m

$476

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sun 11/1

00:40-08:40

1 stop6h 00m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 12/1

18:45-23:47

1 stop7h 02m

$476

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sun 7/12

09:59-18:45

1 stop6h 46m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Tue 9/12

06:00-11:27

1 stop7h 27m

$476

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 1/1

00:10-09:25

1 stop7h 15m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Fri 9/1

14:20-22:55

2 stops10h 35m

$484

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Fri 5/12

13:20-21:21

1 stop6h 01m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Fri 12/12

17:42-00:19

1 stop8h 37m

$493

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 12/5

06:55-19:26

1 stop10h 31m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Wed 20/5

09:30-21:41

1 stop14h 11m

$499

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Fri 13/3

23:59-06:19

Nonstop4h 20m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 30/3

06:25-09:16

Nonstop4h 51m

$501

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 19/11

Showing 1-10 of 23 results
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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.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight from San Francisco to Chicago

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 November 2025.

The best time to book flights from San Francisco to Chicago is 71 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 month to book a flight from San Francisco to Chicago?

Currently, December is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Chicago (average of $170). Flying from San Francisco to Chicago in March is currently the most expensive (average of $300). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

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 November 2025.

Unlike at midday, when flights are generally more expensive, you can save up to 35% on flights from San Francisco to Chicago by exploring options for tickets in the afternoon.

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 November 2025.

The most flights from SFO to CHI are scheduled on a Thursday (70 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Saturday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (37 on average).

How often are flights from San Francisco to Chicago delayed?

About 10% of weekly flights between San Francisco and Chicago have experienced delays in the past year, with the average delay time being 181 minutes.

What is the most punctual flight time for San Francisco to Chicago flights?

Historically, flights departing in the morning are less likely to be delayed, whereas flights leaving in the evening tend to experience delays more often.

What day of the week experiences the fewest flight delays on this route?

Tuesday tends to have the lowest number of delays on this route, whereas Sunday has historically faced a higher average of delays compared to other days of the week.

Which airline has the best punctuality record on San Francisco to Chicago flights?

Over the past year, Delta have had the lowest number of delays on this route, with no flights being classified as delayed.

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 51 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.

  • How long is the flight from San Francisco to Chicago?

    United Airlines, Delta, and Alaska Airlines can get you from San Francisco to Chicago in just under 4h 17m. Your travel time can differ by up to 6h 37m. The distance between San Francisco and Chicago is about 2963 km. This flight may include one or multiple stops.

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

    For one-way options, check prices for United Airlines. According to our data, you can fly for as low as $198. Users have also found prices from $199 and $201 on Alaska Airlines and Delta, 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 (100%), Asiana Airlines (95%), Fiji Airways( 90%).

  • 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.

  • What is the cheapest month to book a flight from San Francisco to Chicago?

    Currently, December is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Chicago (average of $170). Flying from San Francisco to Chicago in March is currently the most expensive (average of $300). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

See more FAQs

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Alternative routes for San Francisco to Chicago

See prices for flight routes from nearby airports that may be better suited for you.
Los Angeles to O'Hare Intl flights
San Francisco to O'Hare Intl flights

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How does Cheapflights help users find flights from San Francisco to Chicago?

Cheapflights makes it easy to find San Francisco to Chicago flights by helping our users search from 900+ travel sites for deals. We also provide you with filters for cabin, price, airline, airports, number of stops, and many more to narrow down that perfect flight.

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

Cheapflights taps into our reliable network of hundreds of airlines and travel agencies to find the best deals for flights from San Francisco to Chicago for you. Better yet — we are completely free to use.

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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