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Cheap flights from San Francisco to Chicago from $161

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 30/6. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — CHI
18 Jun — 25 Jun1
1 adult

Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from San Francisco to Chicago are usually found in February or January, booked 34 days in advance, depart on a Monday or Tuesday 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 13 June 2025.

Round-trip from

$318

One-way from

$161

Popular in

December

Cheapest in

February

Average price

$543

Good one-way deal

$166 or less
United Airlines
  • United Airlines
  • 23/7-28/7
  • Nonstop
  • 9h 03m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
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Southwest
  • Southwest
  • 30/6
  • 1 total stop
  • 12h 50m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 5% potential increase in price ($49 potential increase over avg. return price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 2% potential price decrease ($22 potential savings vs. average return price).
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Average for round-trip flights in June 2025
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Price to beat on a one-way flight from San Francisco to Chicago (CHI).
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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 13 June 2025.

Wed 23/723:25SFO - ORD
Nonstop4h 14mUnited Airlines
Mon 28/718:20ORD - SFO
Nonstop4h 49mUnited Airlines
Deal found 11/6$318
Wed 13/811:55SFO - ORD
Nonstop4h 23mAlaska Airlines
Tue 19/813:03ORD - SFO
1 stop10h 09mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 11/6$319
Sat 6/906:50SFO - ORD
2 stops13h 10mSouthwest
Sat 20/915:10ORD - SFO
1 stop7h 15mSouthwest
Deal found 11/6$321
Tue 15/714:45SFO - ORD
1 stop7h 14mHawaiian Airlines
Wed 16/719:18ORD - SFO
Nonstop4h 48mHawaiian Airlines
Deal found 12/6$339
Wed 6/813:45SFO - ORD
1 stop8h 11mDelta
Sat 9/806:00ORD - SFO
1 stop6h 51mDelta
Deal found 11/6$393
Fri 18/723:59SFO - ORD
1 stop15h 16mSun Country Air
Fri 25/716:45ORD - SFO
1 stop8h 08mSun Country Air
Deal found 11/6$438

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 13 June 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 23/7

23:25-05:39

Nonstop4h 14m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 28/7

18:20-21:09

Nonstop4h 49m

$318

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Wed 13/8

18:53-05:40

1 stop8h 47m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 16/8

19:18-22:06

Nonstop4h 48m

$319

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sat 6/9

06:50-22:00

2 stops13h 10m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 20/9

15:10-20:25

1 stop7h 15m

$321

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 22/7

08:00-23:39

1 stop13h 39m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Wed 23/7

19:18-22:06

Nonstop4h 48m

$333

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Wed 6/8

13:45-23:56

1 stop8h 11m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 9/8

06:00-10:51

1 stop6h 51m

$393

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Fri 18/7

23:59-17:15

1 stop15h 16m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Fri 25/7

16:45-22:53

1 stop8h 08m

$438

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Mon 30/6

21:00-11:50

1 stop12h 50m

$161

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sun 13/7

23:55-06:15

Nonstop4h 20m

$167

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Mon 3/11

20:42-06:22

1 stop7h 40m

$181

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sat 11/10

08:00-05:01

1 stop19h 01m

$190

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 11/6

Showing 1-10 of 14 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.

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 9 June 2025.

The best time to book flights from San Francisco to Chicago is 34 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 13 June 2025.

Unlike in the morning, when flights are generally more expensive, you can save up to 9% 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 13 June 2025.

The most flights from SFO to CHI are scheduled on a Thursday (99 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Saturday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (53 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 13 June 2025.
See what other customers who have flown with Alaska Airlines, Southwest 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.
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very Good
10,000 reviews
Check prices

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Boarding

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very Good
10,000 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very Good
10,000 reviews
Check prices

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Boarding

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
Southwest
8.0
Very Good
4,286 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very Good
10,000 reviews
Check prices

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Boarding

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
Delta
8.0
Very Good
7,946 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very Good
10,000 reviews
Check prices

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Boarding

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
Hawaiian Airlines
7.9
Good
2,496 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very Good
10,000 reviews
Check prices

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Boarding

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.
United Airlines
7.4
Good
8,790 reviews
Alaska Airlines
8.0
Very Good
10,000 reviews
Check prices

Crew

8.5

Overall

8.0

Food

7.1

Comfort

7.8

Entertainment

7.1

Boarding

8.1

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

James,Apr 2025

LAX - SFO

Good flight except the uncontrollable cold air from the ceiling.

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 77 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 $318. Other airlines that can offer you cheap pricing are Alaska Airlines, from $319, and Southwest, from $321. 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 Southwest. According to our data, you can fly for as low as $161. Users have also found prices from $167 and $181 on United Airlines and Alaska 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: Fiji Airways (100%), China Southern (91%), Alaska 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

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

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