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Cheap flights from San Francisco to Chicago from $219

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 6/9. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — CHI
15 Sep — 22 Sep1
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

Cheap 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 16 August 2026.

Mon 23/1118:42 -
Nonstop4h 17m
Sat 12/1206:00 -
Nonstop4h 44m
Deal found 14/8$451
Tue 8/914:30 -
1 stop7h 01m
Fri 11/907:00 -
1 stop8h 13m
Deal found 14/8$453
Tue 1/909:41 -
1 stop6h 38m
Fri 4/908:48 -
1 stop7h 39m
Deal found 12/8$458
Wed 18/1123:30 -
Nonstop4h 17m
Fri 27/1121:00 -
Nonstop4h 51m
Deal found 11/8$462
Wed 14/1000:35 -
Nonstop4h 21m
Mon 19/1021:40 -
Nonstop4h 50m
Deal found 14/8$465
Fri 4/917:16 -
1 stop18h 06m
Wed 9/907:20 -
1 stop7h 40m
Deal found 14/8$467
Tue 1/913:30 -
1 stop6h 03m
Fri 11/914:05 -
2 stops11h 35m
Deal found 12/8$468
Sat 5/905:00 -
Nonstop4h 25m
Sat 5/916:25 -
Nonstop4h 52m
Deal found 14/8$472
Sun 27/914:28 -
1 stop13h 10m
Sun 4/1013:01 -
1 stop11h 27m
Deal found 13/8$473
Fri 25/917:08 -
Nonstop4h 32m
Fri 2/1018:59 -
Nonstop4h 53m
Deal found 11/8$478
Mon 21/916:59 -
2 stops12h 57m
Mon 28/907:00 -
1 stop8h 13m
Deal found 14/8$484
Wed 9/916:59 -
2 stops12h 57m
Thu 10/913:55 -
1 stop9h 54m
Deal found 12/8$492

Find 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 16 August 2026.

Round-trip from

$451

One-way from

$219

Popular in

July

Cheapest in

February

Average price

$718
United Airlines
  • United Airlines
  • 23/11-12/12
  • Nonstop
  • 9h 01m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
Search Deals
Delta
  • Delta
  • 6/9
  • 1 total stop
  • 8h 41m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 7% potential increase in price ($99 potential increase over avg. return price).
Search Deals
Cheapest flight prices on average. 1% potential price decrease ($16 potential savings vs. average return price).
Search Deals
Average for round-trip flights in August 2026
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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 134,765 searches. Data last updated 16 August 2026.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from San Francisco to Chicago that are best for you.

Fly from

Fly to

Route

Departure

Return

Price

Cheapest return flight

San FranciscoChicago

SFO San Francisco - ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 9/2

08:00-18:55

1 stop8h 55m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 13/2

14:03-19:49

1 stop7h 46m

$521

San FranciscoChicago

SFO San Francisco - ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl

SFOORD

San Francisco

Mon 23/11

14:15-23:59

1 stop7h 44m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Thu 26/11

08:00-16:03

1 stop10h 03m

$523
Fastest return journey

San FranciscoChicago

SFO San Francisco - ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl

SFOORD

San Francisco

Mon 28/9

18:38-00:59

Nonstop4h 21m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Thu 1/10

06:07-08:45

Nonstop4h 38m

$541

San FranciscoChicago

SFO San Francisco - ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl

SFOORD

San Francisco

Mon 19/10

18:38-00:55

Nonstop4h 17m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 7/11

12:42-15:35

Nonstop4h 53m

$572

San FranciscoChicago

SFO San Francisco - ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl

SFOORD

San Francisco

Mon 23/11

18:42-00:59

Nonstop4h 17m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Fri 27/11

06:00-08:44

Nonstop4h 44m

$584

San FranciscoChicago

SFO San Francisco - ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 1/9

10:05-16:36

Nonstop4h 31m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Fri 4/9

14:35-17:23

Nonstop4h 48m

$619

San FranciscoChicago

SFO San Francisco - ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sat 19/12

23:45-06:09

Nonstop4h 24m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sun 10/1

06:00-08:44

Nonstop4h 44m

$893

San FranciscoChicago

SFO San Francisco - ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl

SFOORD

San Francisco

Fri 18/12

18:42-01:05

Nonstop4h 23m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 9/1

11:51-14:41

Nonstop4h 50m

$896

San FranciscoChicago

SFO San Francisco - ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 17/12

00:55-07:24

Nonstop4h 29m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Wed 6/1

21:40-00:36

Nonstop4h 56m

$896

San FranciscoChicago

SFO San Francisco - ORD Chicago O'Hare Intl

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sun 27/9

15:25-23:59

1 stop6h 34m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sun 4/10

06:00-21:17

2 stops17h 17m

$935

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 15/8

Showing 1-10 of 22 resultsSorted by cheapest first
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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

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from San Francisco to Chicago?

Currently, September is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Chicago (average of $599). Flying from San Francisco to Chicago in June is currently the most expensive (average of $821). 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 16 August 2026.

When flying from San Francisco to Chicago, the time of day you decide to fly out makes little to no difference towards the overall price you’ll pay on tickets.

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 16 August 2026.

The most flights from SFO to CHI are scheduled on a Saturday (91 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Sunday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (68 on average).

How much does it cost for a return flight from San Francisco to Chicago?

Airfare is below average for this route at the moment.
San Francisco to Chicago flights typically cost between $567 and $937 in November.
The cheapest return price found within the last 5 days was $451 on United Airlines (23 Nov–12 Dec).

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 188 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, United Airlines have had the lowest number of delays on this route, with just 9% of flights being delayed.

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

The price you pay for your flight from San Francisco to Chicago may vary depending on when you book. For the best chance of a lower fare, look to book 66 days in advance of your trip. Fares are likely to increase a fortnight or so before your departure date.

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?

    If you book a flight to Chicago from San Francisco, you will be flying from San Francisco, which is the city’s only airport. San Francisco (SFO) is located 17.7 km from the centre of San Francisco. There are 77 flights from San Francisco to Chicago per day from 0 different airlines.

  • How long is the flight from San Francisco to Chicago?

    For as low as $472, Delta can have you in Chicago from San Francisco in 4h 25m. San Francisco and Chicago are separated by a distance of 2963 km. Both multi-stop and direct flights can be found to your destination and back.

  • What are the most reliable airlines from San Francisco to Chicago?

    Looking for the most reliable airlines to get you to your destination on time? Our data shows these are most likely to get you from San Francisco to Chicago on time: ITA Airways (93%), Austrian Airlines (86%), Brussels Airlines (85%).

  • 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, September is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Chicago (average of $599). Flying from San Francisco to Chicago in June is currently the most expensive (average of $821). 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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It’s simple! Cheapflights, which is free to use for everyone, saves millions of users time and money every year by helping them find the cheapest and most suitable flights from San Francisco to Chicago.

Can Cheapflights find flights from San Francisco to Chicago with no change fees?

Yes! Cheapflights helps users easily find flights from San Francisco to Chicago with no change fees.

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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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