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Cheap flights from San Francisco to Chicago from $197

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 9/12. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — CHI
27 Dec — 3 Jan1
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 27 November 2025.

Round-trip from

$434

One-way from

$197

Popular in

November

Cheapest in

February

Average price

$720

Good round-trip deal

$691 or less
Delta
  • Delta
  • 21/1-26/1
  • 3 total stops
  • 16h 34m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
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United Airlines
  • United Airlines
  • 9/12
  • Nonstop
  • 4h 14m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
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Highest demand for flights based on searches. 17% potential increase in price ($179 potential increase over avg. return price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($27 potential savings vs. average return price).
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Average for round-trip flights in November 2025
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Price to beat on a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Chicago (CHI).
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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 27 November 2025.

Tue 9/1210:20SFO - ORD
1 stop7h 34mAlaska Airlines
Tue 16/1208:00ORD - SFO
2 stops12h 53mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 25/11$438
Wed 31/1200:10SFO - ORD
1 stop7h 15mDelta
Wed 7/107:30ORD - SFO
1 stop8h 08mDelta
Deal found 25/11$443
Fri 26/1205:00SFO - ORD
Nonstop4h 25mUnited Airlines
Wed 7/116:16ORD - SFO
Nonstop4h 53mUnited Airlines
Deal found 26/11$447
Tue 16/1208:09SFO - ORD
1 stop9h 45mAlaska Airlines
Mon 22/1220:58ORD - SFO
1 stop13h 17mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 25/11$452
Wed 31/1200:10SFO - ORD
1 stop7h 15mDelta
Tue 6/107:30ORD - SFO
1 stop8h 08mDelta
Deal found 26/11$454
Wed 24/1216:42SFO - ORD
1 stop17h 31mAlaska Airlines
Wed 31/1218:08ORD - SFO
1 stop17h 25mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 25/11$457
Sat 13/1220:31SFO - ORD
1 stop7h 50mAlaska Airlines
Mon 5/115:37ORD - SFO
1 stop10h 50mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 26/11$458
Wed 17/1207:00SFO - ORD
1 stop14h 50mAlaska Airlines
Sun 4/120:58ORD - SFO
1 stop21h 04mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 25/11$464
Sun 14/1207:00SFO - ORD
1 stop10h 54mAlaska Airlines
Wed 17/1220:59ORD - SFO
1 stop13h 16mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 26/11$466
Tue 9/1208:09SFO - ORD
1 stop9h 45mAlaska Airlines
Mon 15/1210:00ORD - SFO
1 stop7h 46mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 25/11$470
Tue 16/1205:05SFO - ORD
1 stop6h 25mSouthwest
Wed 17/1213:00ORD - SFO
2 stops10h 20mSouthwest
Deal found 25/11$472
Sat 13/1205:50SFO - ORD
1 stop6h 27mDelta
Sun 14/1208:50ORD - SFO
1 stop6h 43mDelta
Deal found 25/11$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 27 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

Tue 16/12

11:35-23:50

2 stops10h 15m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 22/12

20:58-08:15

1 stop13h 17m

$497

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Wed 10/12

07:35-16:55

1 stop7h 20m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Wed 10/12

20:59-09:10

1 stop14h 11m

$503

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Wed 25/3

13:25-21:34

1 stop6h 09m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sun 29/3

07:20-16:04

1 stop10h 44m

$509

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Wed 24/12

00:10-09:25

1 stop7h 15m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 5/1

14:20-23:28

1 stop11h 08m

$518

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 19/2

09:10-22:35

2 stops11h 25m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Fri 20/2

07:15-14:30

1 stop9h 15m

$523

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Wed 10/12

13:30-19:44

Nonstop4h 14m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 13/12

09:00-11:49

Nonstop4h 49m

$530

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Wed 10/12

06:00-12:24

Nonstop4h 24m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Wed 10/12

18:35-21:29

Nonstop4h 54m

$530

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 9/12

19:47-14:09

1 stop16h 22m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 13/12

08:00-15:46

1 stop9h 46m

$541

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Fri 9/1

00:40-11:47

1 stop9h 07m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 17/1

07:20-17:49

2 stops12h 29m

$546

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 30/12

05:00-11:25

Nonstop4h 25m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 5/1

06:15-09:12

Nonstop4h 57m

$572

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 25/11

Showing 1-10 of 24 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 21 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 $169). Flying from San Francisco to Chicago in March is currently the most expensive (average of $298). 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 27 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 27 November 2025.

The most flights from SFO to CHI are scheduled on a Monday (73 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Thursday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (23 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 52 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?

    Alaska Airlines, Delta, and Southwest can get you from San Francisco to Chicago in just under 6h 09m. Your travel time can differ by up to 5h 16m. 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 $197. Users have also found prices from $198 and $200 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%).

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

    On average you can expect to pay $740 for a flight from San Francisco to Chicago. The cheapest flight overall is $497 while the most popular route, (San Francisco - Chicago O'Hare Intl) is currently priced at $321.

  • 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 $169). Flying from San Francisco to Chicago in March is currently the most expensive (average of $298). 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.
San Francisco to O'Hare Intl flights
Los Angeles to O'Hare Intl flights

Fly with Cheapflights

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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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