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CHI - SFO

$69 Find cheap flights from Chicago to San Francisco

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Chicago to San Francisco departing on 6/12. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
0 bags
Fri 6/21
Fri 6/28

Search hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to San Francisco

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to San Francisco.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to San Francisco.
In the last 7 days travelers have searched 43,423,329 times on KAYAK, and here is why:

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Cheap flight deals from Chicago to San Francisco (CHI-SFO)

 
These are the cheapest deals for flights from Chicago to San Francisco currently on KAYAK along with options from the most popular airlines KAYAK users selected for this route. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Chicago to San Francisco

Recommended round-trip deals departing in the coming months from the most popular airlines that fly from Chicago to San Francisco.

Recent one-way flight deals from Chicago to San Francisco

Only flying one-way? Below are some of the best one-way flight deals from Chicago to San Francisco found on KAYAK recently.

Recent last minute flight deals from Chicago to San Francisco

Leaving soon but still want a bargain? Check out these latest deals for last minute flights from Chicago to San Francisco.

Recent direct flight deals from Chicago to San Francisco

The latest deals for direct flights from Chicago to San Francisco so you can sit back and relax without the need for a layover.

Cheap bus & train deals from Chicago to San Francisco

Find recent round-trip train or bus tickets from Chicago to San Francisco.

All round-trip flight deals to San Francisco

The cheapest plane tickets to San Francisco found on KAYAK recently.
Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
Choose your dates
4:09 pm - 6:47 pmMDW-SFO
4h 38mnonstop
9:03 am - 3:14 pmSFO-MDW
4h 11mnonstop
$138Frontier
Find Deal
Wed, Sep 18 - Sat, Sep 28
4:09 pm - 6:47 pmMDW-SFO
4h 38mnonstop
9:03 am - 3:14 pmSFO-MDW
4h 11mnonstop
$140Frontier
Find Deal
Sat, Sep 7 - Sat, Sep 14
5:25 pm - 8:09 pmORD-SFO
4h 44mnonstop
9:55 am - 4:15 pmSFO-ORD
4h 20mnonstop
$179Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 17 - Tue, Sep 24
6:00 am - 1:47 pmORD-SFO
9h 47m1 stop
9:55 am - 4:15 pmSFO-ORD
4h 20mnonstop
$188Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Sep 18 - Sat, Sep 28
7:10 am - 9:49 amORD-SFO
4h 39mnonstop
12:12 am - 6:30 amSFO-ORD
4h 18mnonstop
$199United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Jul 31 - Sun, Aug 4
9:19 pm - 12:03 amORD-SFO
4h 44mnonstop
1:10 am - 7:30 amSFO-ORD
4h 20mnonstop
$202United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Jun 5 - Mon, Jun 10
8:20 pm - 10:56 pmORD-SFO
4h 36mnonstop
11:59 pm - 6:13 amSFO-ORD
4h 14mnonstop
$209American Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Sep 19 - Mon, Sep 23
8:29 pm - 11:09 pmORD-SFO
4h 40mnonstop
11:59 pm - 6:14 amSFO-ORD
4h 15mnonstop
$217American Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Aug 21 - Mon, Aug 26
1:10 pm - 6:50 pmMDW-SFO
7h 40m1 stop
12:20 am - 8:41 amSFO-MDW
6h 21m1 stop
$236Delta
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 17 - Mon, Sep 30
6:00 am - 12:25 pmORD-SFO
8h 25m1 stop
1:10 pm - 9:47 pmSFO-ORD
6h 37m1 stop
$236Delta
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 17 - Tue, Oct 1
4:18 pm - 6:46 pmMDW-SFO
4h 28mnonstop
$69Frontier
Find Deal
Wed, Jun 12
4:18 pm - 6:46 pmMDW-SFO
4h 28mnonstop
$70Frontier
Find Deal
Wed, Jun 5
7:00 am - 9:37 amORD-SFO
4h 37mnonstop
$95Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Jun 12
5:50 pm - 11:42 pmORD-SFO
7h 52m1 stop
$104Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Jul 30
6:05 am - 8:45 amORD-SFO
4h 40mnonstop
$109United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Jul 10
5:04 am - 9:27 amORD-SFO
6h 23m1 stop
$124United Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Jun 15
2:00 pm - 8:48 pmMDW-SFO
8h 48m1 stop
$138Delta
Find Deal
Fri, Aug 30
7:20 pm - 12:04 amORD-SFO
6h 44m1 stop
$138Delta
Find Deal
Fri, Jun 21
7:14 am - 12:18 pmORD-SFO
7h 04m1 stop
$183American Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, Jun 16
8:15 pm - 10:55 pmORD-SFO
4h 40mnonstop
$215American Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Jun 11
5:56 pm - 8:10 amORD-SFO
16h 14m1 stop
12:59 am - 9:06 pmSFO-ORD
18h 07m1 stop
$283Frontier
Find Deal
Sat, May 25 - Fri, Jun 7
7:59 pm - 12:41 amORD-SFO
6h 42m1 stop
12:59 am - 8:48 pmSFO-ORD
17h 49m1 stop
$284Frontier
Find Deal
Sat, May 25 - Tue, Jun 4
6:05 am - 8:47 amORD-SFO
4h 42mnonstop
10:35 pm - 4:55 amSFO-ORD
4h 20mnonstop
$446United Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, May 25 - Tue, Jun 25
1:42 pm - 4:27 pmORD-SFO
4h 45mnonstop
6:00 am - 12:17 pmSFO-ORD
4h 17mnonstop
$454American Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, May 25 - Tue, May 28
2:35 pm - 7:11 pmORD-SFO
6h 36m1 stop
10:35 pm - 4:55 amSFO-ORD
4h 20mnonstop
$456United Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, May 25 - Tue, Jun 25
12:15 pm - 6:18 pmORD-SFO
8h 03m1 stop
6:00 am - 12:17 pmSFO-ORD
4h 17mnonstop
$462American Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, May 25 - Sat, Jun 1
2:54 pm - 9:35 pmORD-SFO
8h 41m1 stop
11:57 pm - 6:20 amSFO-ORD
4h 23mnonstop
$508Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, May 25 - Wed, Jun 5
7:00 am - 9:37 amORD-SFO
4h 37mnonstop
11:57 pm - 6:20 amSFO-ORD
4h 23mnonstop
$529Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, May 27 - Thu, May 30
7:00 am - 1:36 pmORD-SFO
8h 36m1 stop
10:05 am - 6:24 pmSFO-ORD
6h 19m1 stop
$654Delta
Find Deal
Sun, May 26 - Tue, May 28
3:45 pm - 11:22 pmMDW-SFO
9h 37m1 stop
12:40 am - 8:47 amSFO-MDW
6h 07m1 stop
$798Delta
Find Deal
Thu, May 23 - Sun, May 26
4:09 pm - 6:47 pmMDW-SFO
4h 38mnonstop
9:03 am - 3:14 pmSFO-MDW
4h 11mnonstop
$138Frontier
Find Deal
Wed, Sep 18 - Sat, Sep 28
4:09 pm - 6:47 pmMDW-SFO
4h 38mnonstop
9:03 am - 3:14 pmSFO-MDW
4h 11mnonstop
$140Frontier
Find Deal
Sat, Sep 7 - Sat, Sep 14
4:09 pm - 6:47 pmMDW-SFO
4h 38mnonstop
9:03 am - 3:14 pmSFO-MDW
4h 11mnonstop
$168Frontier
Find Deal
Fri, Sep 20 - Sat, Sep 28
5:25 pm - 8:09 pmORD-SFO
4h 44mnonstop
9:55 am - 4:15 pmSFO-ORD
4h 20mnonstop
$179Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 17 - Tue, Sep 24
6:20 pm - 9:00 pmORD-SFO
4h 40mnonstop
10:54 pm - 5:15 amSFO-ORD
4h 21mnonstop
$184Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Jul 20 - Sat, Aug 10
9:19 pm - 12:03 amORD-SFO
4h 44mnonstop
11:45 pm - 5:58 amSFO-ORD
4h 13mnonstop
$196United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Jun 26 - Tue, Jul 16
1:20 pm - 3:54 pmORD-SFO
4h 34mnonstop
11:59 pm - 6:13 amSFO-ORD
4h 14mnonstop
$198American Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Sep 14 - Sat, Sep 21
7:10 am - 9:49 amORD-SFO
4h 39mnonstop
12:12 am - 6:30 amSFO-ORD
4h 18mnonstop
$199United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Jul 31 - Sun, Aug 4
5:05 pm - 7:44 pmORD-SFO
4h 39mnonstop
6:20 am - 12:40 pmSFO-ORD
4h 20mnonstop
$204American Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Oct 5 - Sat, Oct 12
10:15 pm - 12:40 amMDW-SFO
4h 25mnonstop
5:40 am - 11:35 amSFO-MDW
3h 55mnonstop
$439Southwest
Find Deal
Tue, Jun 4 - Thu, Jun 6
2:00 pm - 4:57 pmChicago Union-
Emeryville
52h 57mnonstop
8:25 am - 2:39 pmEmeryville-
Chicago Union
52h 14mnonstop
$292Amtrak
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 17 - Tue, Sep 24
2:00 pm - 4:57 pmChicago Union-
Emeryville
52h 57mnonstop
8:25 am - 2:39 pmEmeryville-
Chicago Union
52h 14mnonstop
$356Amtrak
Find Deal
Fri, Jun 14 - Mon, Jun 17
2:00 pm - 4:57 pmChicago Union-
Emeryville
52h 57mnonstop
8:25 am - 2:39 pmEmeryville-
Chicago Union
52h 14mnonstop
$356Amtrak
Find Deal
Fri, Jun 14 - Mon, Jun 17
2:00 pm - 4:57 pmChicago Union-
Emeryville
52h 57mnonstop
8:25 am - 2:39 pmEmeryville-
Chicago Union
52h 14mnonstop
$394Amtrak
Find Deal
Wed, Jun 12 - Wed, Jun 19
2:00 pm - 4:57 pmChicago Union-
Emeryville
52h 57mnonstop
8:25 am - 2:39 pmEmeryville-
Chicago Union
52h 14mnonstop
$394Amtrak
Find Deal
Wed, Jun 12 - Mon, Jun 17
2:00 pm - 4:57 pmChicago Union-
Emeryville
52h 57mnonstop
8:25 am - 2:39 pmEmeryville-
Chicago Union
52h 14mnonstop
$394Amtrak
Find Deal
Fri, Jun 14 - Mon, Jun 17
2:00 pm - 4:57 pmChicago Union-
Emeryville
52h 57mnonstop
8:25 am - 2:39 pmEmeryville-
Chicago Union
52h 14mnonstop
$394Amtrak
Find Deal
Thu, Jun 6 - Thu, Jun 13
2:00 pm - 4:57 pmChicago Union-
Emeryville
52h 57mnonstop
8:25 am - 2:39 pmEmeryville-
Chicago Union
52h 14mnonstop
$394Amtrak
Find Deal
Thu, Jun 13 - Mon, Jun 17
2:00 pm - 4:57 pmChicago Union-
Emeryville
52h 57mnonstop
8:25 am - 2:39 pmEmeryville-
Chicago Union
52h 14mnonstop
$394Amtrak
Find Deal
Fri, Jun 7 - Fri, Jun 14
2:00 pm - 4:57 pmChicago Union-
Emeryville
52h 57mnonstop
8:25 am - 2:39 pmEmeryville-
Chicago Union
52h 14mnonstop
$394Amtrak
Find Deal
Fri, May 31 - Mon, Jun 17

Flights from Chicago to San Francisco - Travel Insights & Trends

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Chicago to San Francisco to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest Chicago to San Francisco flight route?

The cheapest price for flight routes found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks for one-way flights from Chicago to San Francisco.
Our data shows that the cheapest route for a one-way flight from Chicago to San Francisco cost $44 and was between Chicago Midway Airport and San Francisco. On average, the best prices are found if you fly this route. The average price for a return flight for this route is $72.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Chicago to San Francisco?

The average price of all flights from Chicago to San Francisco clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to San Francisco on a Wednesday and more expensive on a Sunday. On your return trip to Chicago, you should consider flying back on a Saturday, and avoid Fridays for better deals.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Chicago to San Francisco?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights from Chicago to San Francisco, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.
The cheapest month for flights from Chicago to San Francisco is September, where tickets cost $257 on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and June, where the average cost of tickets is $383 and $369 respectively.

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

To calculate daily average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each day before departure over the last year for flights from Chicago to San Francisco, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each month.
To get a below average price on the flight from Chicago to San Francisco, you should book around 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 51 days before departure.

Which airlines provide the cheapest flights from Chicago to San Francisco?

The cheapest price for the route for each airline clicked by KAYAK users in the last 72 hours.
In the last 3 days, Frontier offered the best one-way deal for that route, at $69. KAYAK users also found Chicago to San Francisco round-trip flights on Frontier from $138 and on Alaska Airlines from $179.

Which airlines fly most frequently between Chicago and San Francisco?

The airlines most regularly connecting Chicago to San Francisco are United Airlines (12 flights per day), American Airlines (5 flights per day), and Alaska Airlines (2 flights per day).

Which airlines fly non-stop between Chicago and San Francisco?

Airline and price data is aggregated from results in KAYAK’s search results from the last 2 weeks for flights from Chicago to San Francisco.
There are 5 airlines that fly nonstop from Chicago to San Francisco. They are: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest and United Airlines. The cheapest price of all airlines flying this route was found with Frontier at $84 for a one-way flight. On average, the best prices for this route can be found at Frontier.

How many flights are there between Chicago and San Francisco per day?

Each day, there are between 22 and 26 nonstop flights that take off from Chicago and land in San Francisco, with an average flight time of 4h 40m. The most common departure time is 9:00 pm and most flights take off in the morning. Each week, there are 166 flights. The most frequent day of departure is Monday, when 16% of all weekly flights depart. The fewest flights depart on a Tuesday.

Which cabin class options are there for flights between Chicago and San Francisco?

The average price of flights for each cabin class for the route found by users searching on KAYAK over the last 2 weeks.
There are 4 cabin class options for the route. These are First, Business, Economy and Prem Economy. Perform a search on KAYAK to find the latest prices and availability for all cabin fares, which differ across airlines.

How long does a flight from Chicago to San Francisco take?

The duration of a nonstop flight to San Francisco from Chicago is typically 4h 28m. The journey crosses a distance of 1,855 miles.

What’s the earliest departure time from Chicago to San Francisco?

Early birds can take the earliest flight from Chicago at 6:05 am and will be landing in San Francisco at 8:45 am.

What’s the latest departure time from Chicago to San Francisco?

If you prefer to fly at night, the latest flight from Chicago to San Francisco jets off at 10:15 pm and lands at 12:40 am.

Good to know

Low season

January

High season

July

Cheapest flight

$69
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 1% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 17% increase in price.
Flight from Chicago Midway Airport to San Francisco

When to book flights from Chicago to San Francisco

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Chicago to San Francisco based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from Chicago to San Francisco

  • What is the best way to get out of San Francisco International Airport?

    For individuals connecting from SFO to various locations within the Bay Area, including downtown San Francisco, BART trains are the convenient means of transportation. From the airport, it takes around 30 minutes to get to Downtown San Francisco.

  • How can I catch up with the earliest flight from Chicago to San Francisco?

    Spend the night at Hampton Inn & Suites Rosemont Chicago O'Hare for increased convenience if you want to make the first flight out of Chicago to San Francisco. You can connect to the airport using the free airport shuttles from the hotel.

  • Which airlines should I book when flying from Chicago to San Francisco with kids?

    Extra legroom and spacious seats are some of the exciting onboard amenities available on American Airlines and United Airlines, which ensure that you and your child(ren) will be more comfortable for the entire flight. Additionally, American Airlines gives parents of young children priority boarding.

  • How convenient is it to land at San Francisco International Airport late at night?

    You can spend the rest of the night in one of the nap rooms at Terminals 2 or 3 of the airport if your flight from ORD or MDW lands at SFO late at night. You can also choose to connect to a hotel close by, such as the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront. It is easier for you to connect to the airport through the hotel's free 24-hour airport shuttle service.

  • Which nearby cities can I get to from San Francisco Airport (SFO)?

    SFO serves a number of cities in Northern California in addition to acting as the international gateway to San Francisco. From SFO, you can travel to places like Mountain View, San Jose, Santa Clara, and Palo Alto, among others. A more convenient way to get from SFO to these cities is by renting a car.

  • How can I access rental cars upon landing at San Francisco International Airport?

    A rental car center with several rental car companies, including Enterprise, Avis, Budget, and Dollar, on Level 4, inside the airport. As a result, renting a car at SFO after landing is a simple process.

  • Can I fly from Chicago to San Francisco non-stop?

    Yes, you can. Flights from Chicago to San Francisco are quite popular and, as such, there are a great number of non-stop flights between the two cities every week. The flight is also not overly long, as it usually takes a little less than 5 hours.

  • How do I get from downtown Chicago to O’Hare International Airport?

    To get to O’Hare International Airport from downtown Chicago you can use the Amtrak connections available (Blue Line) or the bus (there are a great number of lines serving the airport). Alternatively you can take one of the shuttle buses operated by many hotels in the area, or else just hail a cab.

  • Are there on-site hotels at Chicago Midway Airport?

    While there are no hotels located inside Chicago Midway Airport, there are a number of them located just outside, many of which include shuttle services to and from the airport in addition to comfortable rooms and a tasty breakfast spread. These include the Chicago Marriott Midway Hotel, the Courtyard Chicago Midway Airport Hotel, and the Fairfield Inn & Suites Chicago Midway Airport Hotel.

  • What is there to do in O’Hare International Airport?

    If your flight to San Francisco is running late, take a chance to relax and stretch at the airport’s yoga room or work up a sweat at the Hilton Athletic Club, open even to non-guests for a small fee. You can also spend the time pampering yourself at the spa, getting a haircut at the barber shop, or enjoying some local art featured in the many displays scattered throughout the airport.

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Chicago to San Francisco was $69 for a one-way ticket and $138 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Chicago and San Francisco?

    No, a passport isn't needed to fly from Chicago to San Francisco. However, local authorities might ask for an official ID.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Chicago to San Francisco?

    Chicago has 2 major airports: Chicago Midway and Chicago O'Hare Intl. San Francisco is the only airport in San Francisco. You’ll usually find the cheapest deals if you fly from Chicago Midway Airport.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Chicago to San Francisco?

    American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Chicago to San Francisco flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Chicago to San Francisco?

    The Boeing 737-900 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Chicago to San Francisco flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Chicago to San Francisco?

    oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Chicago and San Francisco, with oneworld being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Chicago to San Francisco?

    There are nonstop flights from Chicago to San Francisco on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Chicago to San Francisco, Alaska Airlines or Delta?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Chicago to San Francisco are Alaska Airlines and Delta. With an average price for the route of $298 and an overall rating of 8.0, Alaska Airlines is the most popular choice. Delta is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $293 and an overall rating of 8.0.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Chicago to San Francisco?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Chicago to San Francisco.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Chicago to San Francisco?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San Francisco from Chicago is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Chicago to San Francisco?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to San Francisco with an airline and back to Chicago with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Chicago to San Francisco?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to San Francisco from Chicago up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

See more FAQs

Top tips for finding a cheap flight from Chicago to San Francisco

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $95 or less one-way and $142 or less round-trip.
  • Either Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) or Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) are the departure points for flights from Chicago to San Francisco. The advantage of leaving from ORD is that you have access to a large number of airlines and can book a ticket depending on your schedule at various times of the day. There are more daily flights from ORD than from MDW to San Francisco. However, leaving MDW allows you to take advantage of shorter queues at various security checkpoints.
  • Buses provide a convenient and affordable way of getting to O'Hare International Airport (ORD) from downtown Chicago. Blue Line Buses avail nonstop connections between the airport terminals from downtown. Taxis are the alternative means of transport, particularly suitable for those rushing against time.
  • Most flights from Chicago arrive at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which serves as their primary destination. However, San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJE) and Oakland International Airport (OAK) also receive a sizable amount of flights. Having more transportation alternatives makes it simpler to get from SFO to the city center of San Francisco. There are fewer lines at the baggage claim areas for passengers arriving at OAK or SJE.
  • Flights from Chicago to San Francisco usually depart either from Chicago O’Hare International Airport or from Chicago Midway Airport. Although the former is larger and more popular than the latter, it is also furthest away from downtown Chicago, located as it is just 17.5 miles northwest of the city. Though less often used, Chicago Midway Airport is only 10.8 miles south of the city center.
  • If you are flying from Chicago O’Hare International Airport and you are traveling with children, head to Terminal 2, where you can find the children’s play area. Fun and colorful, Kids On The Fly is an aviation-themed playground that has been voted “Most Awesome Airport Play Area”.
  • If San Francisco is just one leg of your trip and you are worried about what to do on your stopover there, don’t! San Francisco International Airport is simply full of things to do: hit the shops for some retail therapy, enjoy the local cuisine at the dozens of cafés scattered throughout the airport, or learn something new at the Aviation Museum or at the various exhibits on art & culture, history, and science organized in the various terminals.
  • If your flight from Chicago to San Francisco has arrived late and you don’t want to travel into the city at night, why not sleep at the airport? Located inside the International Terminal, FreshenUp offers travelers a small number of basic yet comfortable ensuite rooms; alternatively, if you don’t find place there, there are a number of hotels located just minutes from the airport, many of them offering shuttle services to their guests.
  • Once you get to San Francisco Airport, to get downtown you can use the city’s rich transportation network, which includes a number of bus lines and Amtrak connections running between the airport and various important locations within the city multiple times a day.
See more tips

Prefer to fly non-stop from Chicago to San Francisco?

Find which airlines fly direct from Chicago to San Francisco, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Nonstop departures

Chicago to San Francisco

Monday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Tuesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +22 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +23 more

Wednesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +23 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +24 more

Thursday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Friday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Saturday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +24 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +25 more

Sunday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

See more direct flights

Nonstop returns

San Francisco to Chicago

Monday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Tuesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +22 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +23 more

Wednesday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +22 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +23 more

Thursday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Friday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +21 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +22 more

Saturday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +24 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +25 more

Sunday

ANA, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, +20 more

ANA, Aer Lingus, +21 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 5 airlines serving from Chicago to San Francisco

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Chicago to San Francisco. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Chicago to San Francisco? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.0
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 9171 reviews
7.3Food
7.3Entertainment
8.6Crew
7.9Comfort
8.2Boarding
Airline reviews

Sat on tarmac for 30 minutes despite staring at three empty gates, one of which we eventually pulled into

2.0 MediocreRon, May 2024LAX - SFO
Read more about Alaska Airlines reviews

Sat on tarmac for 30 minutes despite staring at three empty gates, one of which we eventually pulled into

Flight was changed twice. Original flight was scheduled at 5:30pm. Weeks before flight, flight was changed to 7:00pm. On the date of flight, flight was delayed and departed at 9:00pm. This caused many problems and significantly affected our schedule at our destination.

They canceled my flight going back to SF after I was at the airport. Wanted me to take a flight 14 hours later. Not a happy camper.

I didn’t like not knowing my seat till I got to the airport - and my boarding group was F (last).

Clean plane, relatively spacious in Main Cabin. One experience: I'm 79, with torn rotator cuff (R shoulder). I asked for help getting my carryon into the overhead bin and was told that the staff "does not help with this" (or some such phrase. On previous flights, help has been offered (and accepted). I prevailed on a fellow passenger for this. Also, why not board back to front?? Would this not help in the speed of boarding?

No tv, movies for a 6 hour flight! Worst airline I have ever travelled!

Ground crew was great in Austin, flight crew left a lot to be desired. Not particularly friendly, helpful or nice.

Like South West(2 check in baggage free) if Alaskan Airlines could give at least one check in baggage free then it would be great.

Staff great. Tight seating. Pretzels and drink same as any other airline.

Horrible. I likely will have to spend several thousand dollars to rebook my international flights, due to their delays, plus a hotel in SF. I can’t wait to never fly them again!

Your crew could maybe answer the call bell at least one of the times I pressed it. I pressed it first time with 2.5 hours left in our flight bc my partner was hungry and wanted a sandwich. We finally got the sandwich with 40 mins left in the flight.

The Flight crew didn’t serve us until about 1.5 hours into the flight because of turbulence but after it ended it was fine to move around. They served us water only and snacks and then NEVER, NOT ONE TIME came through to collect trash until right before landing about 1.5 hours later. There was absolutely no need for that. They crew was just standing around talking and visiting with each other and really never tried to see if we might want something besides water or even try to come pick up trash. This is VERY unusual for a Delta flight but it was not what I would have expected for a 4 hour flight.

There was a loud squeaky sound the whole time we were flying.

Had a broken tray in business class. Crew just shrugged it off.

I didn’t like that I could not select my seat and was assigned a seat when I checked in at LAX

Great experience overall. Check in at Austin was congested as they only have about 6 check in kiosks, one was broken, and there was a lot of Spring Break travelers.

Bag drop off was slow and annoying. Only 2 agents at the entire delta desk, and no one directing traffic for what line to be in, many confused people slowed down the process. Boarding was fine. Seats in Delta comfort plus were fine. Snacks were great! Definitely a bonus. The entertainment system was awful — old, slow, not responsive, and completely unable to play games due to some kind of error. But on the other hand, thank you to Delta for the free WiFi. That made it better.

Everything was very good other than I had selected a specific seat when I booked the flight and they changed it once I checked-in the day before my flight. I was still in first class but lost my aisle seat for a window seat. Being tall, the aisle offers more comfort so I always select an aisle seat.

Flight diverted in SD. Later take off in Seattle by 1.3hrs

Horrible. Flight ORD to CGH was okay, but Paris was a nightmare. Old planes, delays, involuntary downgrades, broken planes, terrible communication. CGH to CPT was my worst flight ever.

I’ve had a couple flights this week on United that were delayed by an hour or more

Should have video screens Plane audio was poor and without wired connection hard to understand crew. Should serve more than just cups of water and pretzels on six hour flight. Did not see crew rest of flight. Fix charging sockets to retain charging blocks.

Do not like the feeling of being in the basic economy. Everyone should feel good no matter what.

So so. Terrible aircraft choice for that leg of the flight.

delay several times and wait extra long to board. no entertainment service because there are problem for some rows. always encounter some delays for the last flight of the day.

This was a Lufthansa flight. Disappointing main meal. Very rough over Canada and arrival at FRA. IFE was almost unusable.

I was not able to buy food in the flight. They refer to include your Credit card in the APP, and if you are not from USA (i have a credit card form Canada) it is not possible

United airline kept delaying our flight back to Phoenix for 8 hours before they cancelled it! If they know that we are not flying out for whatever the reason is, why did they keep lying to us for hours. We could find another flight earlier or even find a hotel with a shuttle. But cancellation at about midnight was not fun. We stayed in the airport all night till the following morning when we bought an Alaska tickets to go back to Phoenix. Total of 14 hours in the airport.

Poor seating comfort, seat cushion too thin, very uncomfortable. My luggage didi not make the flight due to equipment change. At least. United had it delivered the next day. I was without my toilet items for one day.

My experience is based on one crew member. I had found my seat and sat down but there was a gentleman to claimed to the flight attendant I was in his seat. She then came to me and curtly said, "I need your ticket!" No hi, no excuse me may I see your boarding pass? NOTHING! I was taken aback by her attitude and she repeated herself, "your ticket?!?!" I calmly responded with ok, here you go. Only to discover the gentleman was looking at the wrong boarding pass. She gave me back my ticket with no apology. She then was curt with another man who was putting his coat in the overhead bin, already helped by another flight attendant who said it was fine. She realizes it's ok and then asks him if he drinks. The look on the man's face was priceless. She said she was going to comp him drinks. He gets offered a comp drink for a coat as well as an apology, and I got no apology.

Attendants were rude. Scowling. Seats were miserable and we paid extra.

Somehow I got “offloaded” even though I had my boarding pass and was in transit Food is horrible Staff were nice and cheerful No headphones were provided on 11 hours flight

Good flights. Departure and arrivals were on time. DFW was a little problematic in that the Skytrain without prior notice bypassed the Echo terminal so that delayed my arrival at my connecting flight.

Because I can’t stand very long in one place, I was allowed to reword.

Plane was good but was delayed. probably not AA fault but caused a 1 hour delay. Seating was cramped.

The staff were very helpful with lots of refreshments on offer. The toilets were clean. The seats were comfortable and entertainment was good. No complaints, it was excellent.

5 hour flight - full flight - not enough room to use my computer - slightly delayed - Admirals club was excellent quality food, drink made up for flight seating. No food offerred on flight, you ahd to prebook.

Excellent- plan was barely populated. I cannot remember a flight where I was able/encouraged to stretch out!

Great flight. Boarding was efficient and quick. On time departure and smooth flight. Flight arrived early at destination. Good experience.

Had technical issue which delayed the flight period. Flight crew knew there was 5 passengers that the connecting flight was within 15 minutes once at the gate. Rather than identify the 5 passengers to assure they got first. The flight attended mentioned it but didn't assist to assure passengers with connecting flights off first. This caused a hardship and our party of 3 missed the connecting flight.

Plane could have been more on time. More leg room .

They cancelled the flight then did nothing to help us rebook. It was awful - I won’t fly with them again

The truck that was refueling the plane drove away with the hose still connected to the plane and ripped part of the plane off with it

The boarding time. I was in Section 1 the lady in charge just let people in section 3 without see us. Make a line , I have to step out and ask her. We were in the line and she just take my ticket and that’s it, so if I don’t ask her she could leave us at the end! We paid more for that privilege and. She doesn’t care….

Was just ok with over selling I guess. A lot of people in a short space and when we finally arrive i20 minutes, waiting to get out from the plain because we were waiting authorization for out boarding? Something like that.

See my previous comment which is mostly about our flight from Phoenix to SFO

They changed my flight and did not want to accommodate me or try to help me in any way. They do not care about their customers.

The check in at the airport was awful. Told I need to pay for a bag. The item was taken at screening. I went back to get my $ back and they gave me a coupon with a QR code that doesn’t work. Worst costumer service ever!!!!!

4 hour delay because they used our aircraft to fly a different segment (per the captain)

Lost baggage on my connecting flight. 24 hours later, still no update on my bags.

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