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Cheap flights from San Francisco to Chicago from $225

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 3/12. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — CHI
16 Dec — 23 Dec1
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 16 November 2025.

Round-trip from

$517

One-way from

$225

Popular in

November

Cheapest in

February

Average price

$848
Delta
  • Delta
  • 2/12-9/12
  • 3 total stops
  • 18h 22m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
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United Airlines
  • United Airlines
  • 14/2
  • Nonstop
  • 4h 23m total
  • San Francisco to Chicago
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 18% potential increase in price ($246 potential increase over avg. return price).
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Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($39 potential savings vs. average return price).
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Average for round-trip flights in November 2025
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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 16 November 2025.

Wed 10/1205:50SFO - ORD
1 stop9h 09mDelta
Fri 12/1206:00ORD - SFO
2 stops11h 57mDelta
Deal found 15/11$517
Thu 27/1106:00SFO - ORD
1 stop8h 03mDelta
Wed 3/1207:50ORD - SFO
1 stop10h 07mDelta
Deal found 16/11$521
Thu 4/1208:09SFO - ORD
1 stop9h 45mAlaska Airlines
Tue 16/1220:59ORD - SFO
1 stop13h 07mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 15/11$524
Thu 11/1200:30SFO - ORD
1 stop6h 10mDelta
Sun 14/1208:50ORD - SFO
1 stop6h 43mDelta
Deal found 14/11$526
Fri 5/1207:00SFO - ORD
1 stop10h 54mAlaska Airlines
Tue 9/1215:05ORD - SFO
1 stop9h 43mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 15/11$528
Sat 13/1219:25SFO - ORD
1 stop8h 56mAlaska Airlines
Mon 22/1220:58ORD - SFO
1 stop13h 17mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 16/11$531
Mon 24/1107:00SFO - ORD
1 stop10h 53mAlaska Airlines
Mon 8/1220:59ORD - SFO
1 stop14h 11mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 14/11$537
Thu 11/1209:15SFO - ORD
1 stop7h 28mDelta
Mon 15/1213:35ORD - SFO
2 stops10h 56mDelta
Deal found 14/11$538
Thu 27/1106:00SFO - ORD
1 stop9h 21mDelta
Fri 5/1208:50ORD - SFO
1 stop6h 43mDelta
Deal found 15/11$542
Wed 3/1205:25SFO - ORD
1 stop8h 00mSouthwest
Wed 17/1213:00ORD - SFO
2 stops10h 20mSouthwest
Deal found 15/11$545
Thu 18/1208:20SFO - ORD
1 stop13h 39mAlaska Airlines
Sat 20/1220:58ORD - SFO
1 stop13h 17mAlaska Airlines
Deal found 15/11$547
Mon 8/1210:30SFO - ORD
2 stops8h 51mDelta
Thu 11/1207:20ORD - SFO
2 stops10h 37mDelta
Deal found 14/11$552

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 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

Departure

Return

Price

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 8/1

09:50-23:53

2 stops12h 03m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Mon 12/1

07:30-18:18

2 stops12h 48m

$517

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 15/1

00:40-08:40

1 stop6h 00m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Tue 20/1

14:20-23:56

2 stops11h 36m

$521

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 22/1

00:47-08:40

1 stop5h 53m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Tue 27/1

14:20-23:56

2 stops11h 36m

$521

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 2/12

12:22-23:59

1 stop9h 37m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Tue 9/12

15:05-08:06

1 stop19h 01m

$528

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sat 21/3

11:30-05:07

1 stop15h 37m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Tue 31/3

10:00-18:01

1 stop10h 01m

$533

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Fri 17/4

18:50-05:07

1 stop8h 17m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Tue 21/4

19:55-09:51

1 stop15h 56m

$533

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Sat 21/3

11:30-05:07

1 stop15h 37m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Tue 24/3

17:00-23:38

1 stop8h 38m

$533

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 11/12

00:30-08:40

1 stop6h 10m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sat 13/12

15:00-23:13

1 stop10h 13m

$575

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Tue 27/1

09:55-22:35

2 stops10h 40m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Sun 1/2

13:00-22:45

1 stop11h 45m

$577

San FranciscoChicago

SFO - ORD

SFOORD

San Francisco

Thu 2/4

00:45-07:12

Nonstop4h 27m

Chicago O'Hare Intl

Fri 10/4

12:45-15:42

Nonstop4h 57m

$586

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 15/11

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 14 November 2025.

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 71 days in advance of your trip. Fares are likely to increase a fortnight or so before your departure date.

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 $194). Flying from San Francisco to Chicago in March is currently the most expensive (average of $341). 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 November 2025.

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 November 2025.

The most flights from SFO to CHI are scheduled on a Sunday (68 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Tuesday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (45 on average).

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 19.0 km from the centre of San Francisco. There are 54 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 $528, Delta can have you in Chicago from San Francisco in 9h 37m. 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 cheapest airlines to fly from San Francisco to Chicago one-way?

    The cheapest airline one-way is United Airlines, with whom users have recently found tickets for as low as $225. However, be on the lookout for offers from Alaska Airlines and Delta, as they are both options that can get you from San Francisco to Chicago for a low price.

  • 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: China Southern (100%), Asiana Airlines (94%), Fiji Airways (90%).

  • 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 $194). Flying from San Francisco to Chicago in March is currently the most expensive (average of $341). 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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