ORD - SFO

C$ 172 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 18/12. 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
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

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
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights 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.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Chicago to San Francisco

Wed, 10 Dec - Sat, 13 Dec
Alaska Airlines Logo
3:05 p.m. - 9:46 p.m.ORD-SFO
8h 41m1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
2:50 p.m. - 11:50 p.m.SFO-ORD
7h 00m1 stop
C$ 348Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, 16 Dec - Tue, 6 Jan
Alaska Airlines Logo
3:05 p.m. - 9:46 p.m.ORD-SFO
8h 41m1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:00 a.m. - 5:12 p.m.SFO-ORD
8h 12m1 stop
C$ 350Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Sun, 15 Feb - Thu, 19 Feb
Delta Logo
6:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.ORD-SFO
7h 15m1 stop
Delta Logo
2:05 p.m. - 11:54 p.m.SFO-ORD
7h 49m1 stop
C$ 354Delta
Find Deal
Thu, 18 Dec - Tue, 30 Dec
Sun Country Air Logo
11:45 a.m. - 5:18 p.m.ORD-SFO
7h 33m1 stop
Sun Country Air Logo
11:59 p.m. - 10:44 a.m.SFO-ORD
8h 45m1 stop
C$ 357Sun Country Air
Find Deal
Thu, 18 Dec - Sun, 18 Jan
United Airlines Logo
7:05 a.m. - 9:55 a.m.ORD-SFO
4h 50mdirect
United Airlines Logo
1:35 p.m. - 7:51 p.m.SFO-ORD
4h 16mdirect
C$ 371United Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, 19 Feb - Sun, 22 Feb
Delta Logo
7:30 a.m. - 1:17 p.m.ORD-SFO
7h 47m1 stop
Delta Logo
6:05 a.m. - 11:44 p.m.SFO-ORD
15h 39m1 stop
C$ 375Delta
Find Deal
Wed, 24 Dec - Tue, 30 Dec
United Airlines Logo
9:05 p.m. - 12:03 a.m.ORD-SFO
4h 58mdirect
United Airlines Logo
6:00 a.m. - 12:25 p.m.SFO-ORD
4h 25mdirect
C$ 390United Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, 24 Nov - Wed, 3 Dec
Southwest Logo
1:00 p.m. - 8:10 p.m.ORD-SFO
9h 10m1 stop
Southwest Logo
7:45 a.m. - 10:35 p.m.SFO-ORD
12h 50m2 stops
C$ 406Southwest
Find Deal
Thu, 18 Dec - Sun, 28 Dec
Sun Country Air Logo
11:45 a.m. - 5:18 p.m.ORD-SFO
7h 33m1 stop
Sun Country Air Logo
11:59 p.m. - 6:38 p.m.SFO-ORD
16h 39m1 stop
C$ 413Sun Country Air
Find Deal
Thu, 18 Dec - Thu, 25 Dec
Southwest Logo
7:15 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.ORD-SFO
11h 00m2 stops
Southwest Logo
9:25 a.m. - 10:35 p.m.SFO-ORD
11h 10m1 stop
C$ 414Southwest
Find Deal

Everything you should know

Our travellers' advice
AI-generated summary based on content written by travel experts
At ORD, security lines can be 30 minutes or longer.
For a smooth arrival at SFO, consider taking BART.
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Top airlines
Alaska Airlines
Cheapest • from C$ 348 (round-trip)
Frontier
Best reviews • 5.8 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
When to book
4 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 49% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
May
Cheapest • 11% price drop
March
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Cheapest round-trip
C$ 348
Overall average: C$ 537
Alaska Airlines
Wed 10/12Sat 13/12
ORD - SFO • 1 stop
Cheapest direct flights
C$ 371
Typical prices: C$ 393-C$ 641
United Airlines
Thu 18/12Sun 18/1
ORD - SFO • Direct
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KAYAK searches hundreds of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to San Francisco!
Booking Insights

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 Wednesdays and the most expensive ones on Mondays.

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 May, where tickets cost C$ 401 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and November, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is C$ 537 and C$ 537 respectively.

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, which saves you about 49% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 15 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Chicago to San Francisco

 
Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarisation 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 original 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

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flightC$ 172
Best time to beat the crowds (6% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (18% 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$ 172 for a one-way ticket and C$ 348 for a round-trip.

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

    All the following airlines offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Chicago to San Francisco flight route: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Delta, United Airlines, Air Canada, and Qantas Airways.

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

    The Boeing 757-300 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Chicago to San Francisco flight 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.

  • 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.

Prefer to fly direct from Chicago to San Francisco?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from Chicago O'Hare Intl 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

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Friday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

See more nonstop flights

Direct returns

San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Intl

Monday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Friday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

See more nonstop flights

Reviews of the top airline 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.
5.8
FrontierOverall score based on 3124 reviews
6.7Crew
6.1Boarding
5.5Comfort
4.4Entertainment
4.6Food
Airline reviews

Terrible. The canceled my entire flight when I requested a refund for a trip frontier canceled trip one way.

2.0 MediocreAnonymous, Oct 2025DFW - SAN
Read more Frontier reviews

Terrible. The canceled my entire flight when I requested a refund for a trip frontier canceled trip one way.

Boarding was on time and plane departed as scheduled. There are obviously no amenities (food, drink, entertainment) on Frontier, but there also didn't seem to be any issues with luggage space either.

Inbound plane was on time and flight departed on time with no issues while boarding.

I knew going into this that Frontier, being a low cost carrier, would be pretty bare bones and charge for most extras but this was made up for by the fact that the airplane was a reasonably new Airbus, every employee was great and best of all, Everett Washington is an amazing airport - thanks Frontier for flying there!!!

i was unable to check in the flight. refund requested

It was well done. It was my first time flying with them and I was nervous b/c I have heard of many cancelled and/or delray flights. Everything went smoothly.

Just know that everything, and I mean everything is “ala cart”. 60$ just to put something in the overhead bin. I will never fly Frontier again nor do I recommend them to anyone else.

The single worst check in experience I could imagine. I’ll never do any business with Frontier or any affiliated company

Too many extra fees, uncomfortable, little leg room. Will not recommend this airline.

I think Frontier was very good at communication. Their app worked very well. Loading was great and the flight was nice and easy.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports

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