ORD - SFO

C$ 125 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 29/5. 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

KAYAK searches 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, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to San Francisco, as well as popular online travel agencies
Travellers love KAYAK
41,299,237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

Save 27% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Free to useThere are no hidden charges or fees.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Cheap Flight Deals from Chicago to San Francisco (ORD-SFO)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Chicago to San Francisco that are departing in the next months. 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

KAYAK's recommended round-trip deals from the most popular airlines that fly from Chicago to San Francisco.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.
Choose your dates
United Airlines Logo
2:40 p.m. - 5:26 p.m.ORD-SFO
4h 46mdirect
United Airlines Logo
11:25 p.m. - 5:39 a.m.SFO-ORD
4h 14mdirect
C$ 248United Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, 1 Jul - Wed, 2 Jul
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:59 p.m. - 10:49 p.m.ORD-SFO
4h 50mdirect
Alaska Airlines Logo
12:33 p.m. - 6:59 p.m.SFO-ORD
4h 26mdirect
C$ 260Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, 29 May - Tue, 3 Jun
United Airlines Logo
7:47 p.m. - 10:37 p.m.ORD-SFO
4h 50mdirect
United Airlines Logo
4:50 p.m. - 11:13 p.m.SFO-ORD
4h 23mdirect
C$ 273United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, 18 Jun - Tue, 24 Jun
Frontier Logo
4:15 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.ORD-SFO
23h 00m1 stop
Frontier Logo
1:39 p.m. - 8:53 p.m.SFO-ORD
29h 14m1 stop
C$ 289Frontier
Find Deal
Fri, 16 May - Wed, 21 May
Hawaiian Airlines Logo
7:59 p.m. - 10:49 p.m.ORD-SFO
4h 50mdirect
Hawaiian Airlines Logo
6:49 p.m. - 5:40 a.m.SFO-ORD
8h 51m1 stop
C$ 301Hawaiian Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, 7 Jun - Tue, 10 Jun
Southwest Logo
6:55 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.ORD-SFO
6h 35m1 stop
Southwest Logo
10:45 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.SFO-ORD
12h 00m1 stop
C$ 307Southwest
Find Deal
Tue, 15 Jul - Tue, 29 Jul
Southwest Logo
5:25 p.m. - 11:10 p.m.ORD-SFO
7h 45m1 stop
Southwest Logo
5:30 a.m. - 2:05 p.m.SFO-ORD
6h 35m1 stop
C$ 313Southwest
Find Deal
Wed, 16 Jul - Thu, 21 Aug
Hawaiian Airlines Logo
7:59 p.m. - 10:49 p.m.ORD-SFO
4h 50mdirect
Hawaiian Airlines Logo
7:49 p.m. - 5:40 a.m.SFO-ORD
7h 51m1 stop
C$ 314Hawaiian Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, 24 May - Fri, 30 May
Delta Logo
7:09 a.m. - 12:52 p.m.ORD-SFO
7h 43m1 stop
Delta Logo
6:05 a.m. - 3:04 p.m.SFO-ORD
6h 59m1 stop
C$ 356Delta
Find Deal
Thu, 19 Jun - Sun, 22 Jun
Delta Logo
3:58 p.m. - 9:25 p.m.ORD-SFO
7h 27m1 stop
Delta Logo
1:48 p.m. - 11:59 p.m.SFO-ORD
8h 11m1 stop
C$ 359Delta
Find Deal
Sat, 14 Jun - Tue, 17 Jun

Expert advice for your flight from Chicago to San Francisco

 
Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of KAYAK-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are specific to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Airports
ORD

At ORD, security lines can be 30 minutes or longer during peak times. Arrive early to avoid delays.

Read more about ORDby Stefanie Waldek
SFO

For a smooth arrival at SFO, consider taking BART to the city. It's affordable and avoids traffic.

Read more about SFOby Blane Bachelor
Our travel experts
Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on ORD

Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek is a freelance space, travel, and design writer based in Saratoga Springs, NY. Her words have appeared in Space.com, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful, among other publications. An expert in aviation and expedition cruising, Stefanie is frequently up in the air or on the sea, likely en route to Antarctica or the Arctic.

Read more
Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Expert on SFO

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor is a journalist and editor specializing in travel and aviation who writes regularly for top global outlets. Born and raised in Florida, Blane has worked and lived in four countries, including the Netherlands, where she’s currently based with her family. Her favorite way to get to know a new destination is by running or riding a bike around town – or hearing a spooky ghost story about local history. She will always choose the window seat.

Read more

KAYAK's insights & trends for Chicago to San Francisco flights

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

The average price of all round-trip flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Francisco clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.
When flying from Chicago to San Francisco, you should consider leaving on a Wednesday and avoid Sundays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to Chicago, you’ll find the best rates on Saturdays and the most expensive ones on Tuesdays.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Francisco?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport 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 O'Hare Intl Airport to San Francisco is September, where tickets cost C$ 403 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and June, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is C$ 530 and C$ 496 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Francisco?

The average round-trip price for all non-stop flights, flights with one layover, and flights with two layovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.
No, with an average price for the route of C$ 816, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Francisco?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Francisco, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.
To get a below average price on the flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Francisco, you should book around 4 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 20 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low season

February

High season

July

Cheapest flight

C$ 125
Best time to beat the crowds (9% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (6% more expensive on average)
Flight from Chicago 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 Chicago to San Francisco flights

  • What is the cheapest flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Francisco?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Francisco was C$ 90 for a one-way ticket and C$ 179 for a round-trip.

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

    American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and Delta 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 Airbus A321neo 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 direct 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 Frontier?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Chicago to San Francisco are Alaska Airlines and Frontier. With an average price for the route of C$ 286 and an overall rating of 8.0, Alaska Airlines is the most popular choice. Frontier is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of C$ 359 and an overall rating of 5.9.

  • 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 travellers 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

Prefer to fly direct from Chicago to San Francisco?

Find which airlines fly direct from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Francisco Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Chicago O'Hare Intl 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, +20 more

ANA,Aer Lingus, +21 more

Thursday

ANA,Aer Lingus,Air Canada, +22 more

ANA,Aer Lingus, +23 more

Friday

ANA,Aer Lingus,Air Canada, +20 more

ANA,Aer Lingus, +21 more

Saturday

ANA,Aer Lingus,Air Canada, +23 more

ANA,Aer Lingus, +24 more

Sunday

ANA,Aer Lingus,Air Canada, +21 more

ANA,Aer Lingus, +22 more

See more nonstop flights

Direct returns

San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl

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, +20 more

ANA,Aer Lingus, +21 more

Thursday

ANA,Aer Lingus,Air Canada, +22 more

ANA,Aer Lingus, +23 more

Friday

ANA,Aer Lingus,Air Canada, +20 more

ANA,Aer Lingus, +21 more

Saturday

ANA,Aer Lingus,Air Canada, +23 more

ANA,Aer Lingus, +24 more

Sunday

ANA,Aer Lingus,Air Canada, +21 more

ANA,Aer Lingus, +22 more

See more nonstop flights
See more nonstop flights

Top airlines flying 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 9911 reviews
8.2Boarding
8.5Crew
7.1Food
7.1Entertainment
7.9Comfort
Airline reviews

Flight attendant took my carefully folded coat and flung it across the aisle to the bin across the way. Where one of the passengers rescued it for me, because that just wasn’t right!!

8.0 ExcellentJudy, Apr 2025SNA - SFO
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

Flight attendant took my carefully folded coat and flung it across the aisle to the bin across the way. Where one of the passengers rescued it for me, because that just wasn’t right!!

the flight was delayed twice and then delayed from taking off.

This was my first trip in years with Alaska. I don’t think I’ll do it again. The planes are old and tired looking. The seats are small with zero legroom. The JFK terminal is one of the worst I’ve been in. On this flight the pilot had to abort the landing and circle the Bay before trying again. I think I’ll stick with the usual suspects …

Changed flight from San Fran to Seattle Then with a Delayed takeoff barely made my connection Waited over an hour for luggage 😜

Alaska no longer allows customers to print boarding passes at the airport. They only use mobile phones for boarding passes. Try getting on an Alaska plane with a dead phone and no boarding pass! Great customer service Alaska!

Flight was delayed twice, I was forced to check my bag, and the only offered water or apple juice on the flight

Appreciate efficiency and early arrivals. Missed video on such a long flight (DCA to SFO).

I paid $49 to select my seat---6A a window seat just behind first class. When I started to get on the plane I was told that my seat had been given to someone else and I now had a middle seat. They finally gave me an aisle seat. When I told them I wanted my $49 back, I was told I would need to call alaska and fight with them to get my money back. And when i was on the flight people going by kept hitting me with their bags. I have tried calling alaska twice to talk about a refund but never got thru to the right person!

All 4 members of my family found the seats terribly uncomfortable. 2 of us suffered from back issues the next few days.

Delays, delays, delays.... (and) Told no room for carry on after boarding B Group and told to drop off our carry on at door to be checked in instead. There was plenty of room left in the overheads above our seats right up to the end of boarding!!!!

Not very good. Paid in excess of $400 for assigned seating for my family and that was not provided. I want that money back.

The seats were hard molded plastic covered in plastic vinyl. And the scam to charge people extra to sit together. Don’t they know we can just ask someone to trade seats. And watching the staff separate young children from parents… super classy. We had to guilt them into offering up our seats. This companies policies suck. Don’t give them your money.

The seats were awful, hard plastic covered in sheet vinyl. The airline tries to scam you into paying extra to get seat together when the flight wasn’t full. They were going to separate a family with young children but my wife who had a row to herself gave up her seat so the young mom could be with her young boys. I’m never giving this airline my money again.

It was a short flight so no food or entertainment….

Seats are uncomfortable but price is good. Guess I can put up with misery for four hours.

Everything went as planned. Crew was great. Seats were still not that comfortable.

No frills for sure. No gate announcements about flight delay, not even water to drink on the flight.

The plane was clean, the crew was friendly and helpful. It’s a low cost airline so there was no food, drinks or in flight entertainment but we didn’t expect any of these things. In the room for improvement department, they should install USB ports in seats to charge mobile devices.

I was surprised that all baggage, including carry on, were charged. Each additional bag went up in cost. Really disappointed in the additional costs.

Charges unexpected. For seat that didnt recline. Please reverse extra seat and carryon charge. Bad business that is a bait and switch.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports

Not what you’re looking for? Find thousands of other hotels, flights, car rentals and package deals with KAYAK.