$108 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to California

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 California departing on 7/28. 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

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These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to California.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to California.
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Cheap Flights from Chicago to California

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$204
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$307
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$295
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$269
Palm Springs
Palm Springsnonstop$251
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$273
Imperial
Imperial1 stop$575
Reno
Reno1 stop$260
Los Angeles
Los Angeles1 stop$204
San Francisco
San Francisco1 stop$307
San Diego
San Diego1 stop$295
San Jose
San Jose1 stop$269
Palm Springs
Palm Springsnonstop$251
Fresno
Fresno1 stop$273
Imperial
Imperial1 stop$575
Reno
Reno1 stop$260

Book Cheap Chicago to California Plane Tickets

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Chicago to California 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 California

Sat, Aug 15 - Sun, Aug 16
Frontier Logo
9:57 pm - 8:30 am
ORD
-
LAX
12h 33m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
11:59 pm - 6:17 am
LAX
-
ORD
4h 18mnonstop
$204Frontier
Tue, Aug 11 - Tue, Aug 18
Frontier Logo
9:13 pm - 11:57 pm
ORD
-
LAX
4h 44mnonstop
Frontier Logo
11:59 pm - 6:17 am
LAX
-
ORD
4h 18mnonstop
$206Frontier
Sat, Aug 8 - Sat, Aug 8
Frontier Logo
7:05 am - 5:14 pm
ORD
-
LAX
12h 09m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
11:59 pm - 6:17 am
LAX
-
ORD
4h 18mnonstop
$208Frontier
Tue, Aug 11 - Tue, Aug 18
Frontier Logo
9:57 pm - 8:55 am
ORD
-
LAX
12h 58m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
11:59 pm - 6:17 am
LAX
-
ORD
4h 18mnonstop
$209Frontier
Wed, Aug 19 - Tue, Aug 25
United Airlines Logo
8:06 pm - 10:35 pm
ORD
-
ONT
4h 29mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 1:10 pm
ONT
-
ORD
4h 10mnonstop
$239United Airlines
Sat, Aug 15 - Mon, Aug 24
Alaska Airlines Logo
5:59 pm - 11:55 pm
ORD
-
SJC
7h 56m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
10:12 am - 7:21 pm
SJC
-
ORD
7h 09m
1 stop
$269Alaska Airlines
Tue, Jul 14 - Tue, Jul 14
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:20 am - 11:24 am
ORD
-
SJC
7h 04m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
3:15 pm - 11:36 pm
SJC
-
ORD
6h 21m
1 stop
$283Alaska Airlines
Sat, Aug 8 - Sat, Aug 15
Southwest Logo
5:40 am - 12:05 pm
MDW
-
SFO
8h 25m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
6:10 am - 8:15 pm
SFO
-
MDW
12h 05m
1 stop
$312Southwest
Tue, Aug 4 - Mon, Aug 17
Southwest Logo
8:00 am - 1:15 pm
MDW
-
SFO
7h 15m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
7:00 am - 5:20 pm
SFO
-
MDW
8h 20m
2 stops
$315Southwest
Wed, Aug 5 - Sat, Aug 8
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 12:42 pm
ORD
-
SNA
8h 42m
1 stop
American Airlines Logo
3:21 pm - 9:58 pm
SNA
-
ORD
4h 37mnonstop
$330American Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Chicago to California flights

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

How much is a round-trip flight from Chicago to California?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Chicago to California departing in August.

What is the cheapest Chicago to California flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The cheapest ticket to California from Chicago found in the last 5 days was to Los Angeles, at $190 round-trip. The most popular route is from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) to Los Angeles (LAX), and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $190.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to California?

The average price for all round-trip flights from Chicago to California depending on the time of departure, clicked by users on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

The cheapest time of day to fly to California is generally at night, when round-trip flights cost $352 on average. Morning departures are around 50% cheaper than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to California is generally in the evening, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $797.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Chicago to California?

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 $475, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Chicago to California?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago to California, 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 California is August, when tickets cost $287 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and March, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $436 and $387 respectively.

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

The average price of all round-trip flights from Chicago to California clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

When flying from Chicago to California, you should consider leaving on a Thursday and avoid Mondays 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 Sundays.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago to California, 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 to California, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 23% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 7 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
Cheapest flight$108
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 15% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 8% increase in price.
Flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Ontario

Flights from Chicago to California: the best tips from KAYAK users

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from Chicago to California 
MarkFlew with American Airlines
ORD
-
LAX
Jun 2026
Get there early, only one TSA line open and thew queue was very long.
MikeFlew with American Airlines
ORD
-
LAX
Sep 2024
Arrive early, grab a bottle of soda before getting on the plane and open it in the terminal. If you wait until flying the pressure will decarbonize the drink.

FAQs - booking California flights

  • Is ORD accessible to all?

    You can count on having a smooth experience at ORD if you’re disabled, as this airport is accessible to all. To cater to passengers with mobility impairment, it features drop-off areas equipped with curb ranks and mandates each airline that serves flights to California to offer wheelchair assistance. It has also invested in restrooms throughout the airport with wheelchair-accessible facilities. The said restrooms are three in Terminal 1, two in Terminal two, over ten in Terminal 3, and two in Terminal 5.

  • How can I travel to ORD from Downtown Chicago?

    In case you’re set to fly from Chicago’s ORD to California, you can travel to the airport from Downtown Chicago via a Blue Line train, a Metra North Central Service train line, a CTA bus, or a taxi. Boarding a Blue Line train, a Metra North Central service train, or a CTA bus is advisable if you’re on a budget. On the other hand, boarding a taxi is advisable if you value convenience. This is because, unlike its comparisons, a taxi will pick you up at your preferred destination and transport you directly to the airport.

  • Can I breastfeed my baby before my flight to California?

    Regardless of the Chicago airport you’re set to fly out of, you can comfortably breastfeed your baby while waiting for your flight since both transit stations offer nursing rooms equipped with comfortable seats, deep sinks, changing tables, and power outlets. At MDW, the available nursing room is in Concourse C, next to the yoga room. In contrast, at ORD, the rooms are available near gates B4, B10, and C 20 in Terminal 1, between gates E5 and F9 in Terminal 2, the Rotunda and gate L6 in Terminal 3, gate M20 in Terminal 5, and on Level 1 of the Multi-Modal Facility.

  • Is it possible to rent a car at LAX?

    If you want to rent a car once you land at LAX, you’ll be able to do so with ease since the airport features counters for Alamo, Avis, Fox, Enterprise, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National, Payless, Six, Zipcar, and Thrifty. The counters for these agencies are housed in the airport’s car rental center, accessible through purple Rental Car Shuttles. These shuttles are boarded on the Lower/Arrivals Level islands outside the Baggage Claim.

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

    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 California.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from Chicago to California 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 California?

    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 from Chicago to California with an airline and back with another airline.

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

    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 from Chicago to California up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to California

  • You can board your flight to California at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) or O’Hare International Airport (ORD). When selecting your flight, choose one that departs at MDW. Doing so is in your best interest because MDW experiences lower passenger traffic than ORD, meaning it has shorter queues.
  • When booking a flight to California, book one that lands at an airport close to your preferred destination. You can land at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), San Diego International Airport (SAN), San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and Oakland International Airport (OAK) if you’re flying into Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Oakland, respectively.
  • Suppose you intend to fly to California with your pet. If that’s the case, you can let your pet relieve itself at ORD in one of the airport’s Service Animal Relief Areas. They are outside security on the lower levels of Terminals 1, 2, and 5 and inside security in Terminal 3 Rotunda and Main Hall.
  • If a small airport serves your California destination, use LAX as your travel base. This is because it serves commercial flights to nearly all small airports in the state. If you need assistance at MDW, visit the airport’s information desk at the Main Entrance of the Terminal. Here, you’ll find knowledgeable airport staff, always ready to help.
  • If you need assistance at MDW, visit the airport’s information desk at the Main Entrance of the Terminal. Here, you’ll find knowledgeable airport staff, always ready to help.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Chicago to California

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Chicago to California. 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 California? 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.
7.9
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 12582 reviews
8.1Boarding
8.5Crew
7.8Comfort
7.0Entertainment
7.0Food
Airline reviews

Extremely professional crew there are very friendly and first class. Everything worked well on the plane. Food was to be expected. Drinks were very good. Shout out to Charlie in first class who was an excellent flight attendant.

10.0 ExcellentAnonymous, May 2026
ORD - SEA
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

Extremely professional crew there are very friendly and first class. Everything worked well on the plane. Food was to be expected. Drinks were very good. Shout out to Charlie in first class who was an excellent flight attendant.

No WiFi. Terrible food. Very long walk to the gate and from the gate after landing. Gate changed without notice.

I really hate the seat assignment at the gate. I understand it is so families can sit together but it caused me and others a lot of unnecessary stress and confusion, enough for me to not fly Alaska again. The app is so awful that it did not even update my seat assignment on the boarding pass but sent me a notification of my seat... it showed in Apple Wallet but not in the Alaska app itself. That only made the stress worse. I think most people like myself prefer to know where they are seated at check in 24 hours before so they don't have to anxiously hang out at the gate the entire time. This is not a good use of your agents time either to be dealing with all of us asking where we are sitting. You should automatically assign the multiple seat purchases to be together before they check in and fill us solo travelers in those gaps as we check in.

The flight was delayed so we didn’t get into San Diego until almost 1 AM. Otherwise, it was lovely.

My flight got canceled never left san diego and miss out my fam event

would have been nice for flight to not be delayed by 2 hours so that we had to pay $80 to get home since BART had shut down. i thought a 10pm arrival would leave enough time to account for delays but i was wrong.

I like that volunteers were asked to check in their carryons for free. And then they come out of the carousels within 20 minutes as promised.

The landing was a little rough - but a good flight overall! :)

The issue was not alaska airlines. The ticket you printed was innacurate.

Pretty terrible. The aisles on this flight were too narrow so we had to carry our baby, care seat, luggage, travel stroller step by step down the aisle slowing down a lot of passengers in the process. Not only was this a safety hazard but remember that scene from game of thrones where Cersei walks naked through the streets? It felt about as excruciating as that except both me and my husband were carrying 50lbs of weight while everyone from the flight attendants and passengers dolled out comments like “that stroller doesn’t fit in the overhead compartment and you should check it at the gate” when it is a travel stroller that absolutely fits and did fit in the overhead compartment. The flight said it was 30 min delayed but in actuality we did not take off until 1.5 hours past the original time. It was absolutely terrible. Alaska also charged us 200 dollars just in baggage fees even tho we took the time to buy two check on baggages via their app and bought an extra seat for our child and they still refused to overlook our first time flying with them. Everyone in general looked super miserable and traveling with them with a child is pretty much untenable. Lastly I originally thought I had booked an AM flight for my family but it was a PM flight which I knew was not going to end well since we had a 1.5 year old with us on a flight that gets in 9p. I ended up calling Alaska to try to change the first leg for a change fee, and would even have accepted half of a refund to book a completely different flight but of course they refused and absolutely allowed no flexibility to plans so I guess my revenge was our baby cried for 3 out of the four hour flight and hopefully convinced every miserable person on that flight to never fly Alaska again 🤷🏻‍♀️

OKay. I sat in the back of the plane and it was really loud between babies and little kids, and adults who.like to talk a lot and loudly most of the flight.

The first time I flew in the extra legroom section. It was difficult to notice a difference. I had bad luck with my neighbors. The crew was okay. Southwest has reduced the live TV options.

I flew twice this week on Southwest, was delayed over 2 hours both ways. From Pittsburgh to Chicago it was due to weather but the gate agents, pilot etc were great at updating everyone. Today from Midway to Pittsburgh the plane had come from an international location, kept getting delayed, no information was given until we were delayed for the third time. It was ridiculous, whoever scheduled that plane to fly to Pittsburgh after didn’t consider a lot of things.

The staff was very friendly, professional, and courteous. The overall flight was a great experience.

Plane crashed into a bus or some other vehicle on the ground while pulling out of the gate. No injuries, but wing tip was damaged and returned to gate for “maintenance issues” and we departed 5 hours later because the plane went out of service and new plane was flown in from a nearby airport, Midway.

All was good. I just had a hard time getting connected to the WiFi/internet during the flight

after landing, we stay 2 hours on the taxi way before reaching the gate The airline and the crew were good though

I'm not a fan of Southwest's model. I don't like the herding style of boarding.

Flight was delayed more than 2 hour do the scheduling issues and then some confusing weight and balance matters, followed by a miscommunication with the tower on which runway was going to be used based on the airplane weight. All these things should have been figured out in advance. Instead of arriving at 12:30 a.m. we arrived at 2:30 a.m. very difficult to find a taxi or other transport at SFO. Luggage was delayed. An extension of an unpleasant flight day

no entertainment options available on a 4+ hour flight. packed in like sardines. one bathroom. late flight.

The crew was great. Very friendly and responsive. The plane was old, small and tight. We ran out of overhead space and I had to check. Middle seat was particularly tight.

Several missed and almost missed connections. It felt like everything was being patched together last minute without enough resources and it ended up being an extremely stressful experience that basically ruined our weekend on the west coast. What a waste.

Terrible, if possible won't be flying again anytime soon!

Subject: Formal Complaint: Discriminatory and Unprofessional Conduct – Request for Immediate Action & Compensation Dear [Airline Customer Relations Team], I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding my recent travel experience with [Airline], which was by far the worst I have ever encountered. What occurred was not only unprofessional, but in several instances discriminatory, unsafe, and unacceptable. On the first leg of my trip, I arrived only four minutes past check-in. Instead of making any attempt to resolve the matter, your representative flatly denied me boarding and made me wait while she attended to passengers who arrived after me. By the time a manager intervened, it was too late to board, costing me time, money, and unnecessary frustration. The second leg of my trip (Chicago–San Francisco) raised even more serious concerns. From the outset, it was apparent that the staff—particularly two attendants—prioritized Caucasian passengers while dismissing African American and minority passengers. • When a Caucasian passenger in the exit row refused to comply with federal safety requirements, I, as a first responder, immediately offered to switch seats and assume the responsibility. My offer was blatantly ignored, and instead, a Caucasian passenger seated further up was chosen. This was discriminatory and deeply insulting, especially as I was actively de-escalating the situation that could have delayed the flight further. • During a lengthy tarmac delay of over 90 minutes, passengers were given conflicting and unreasonable instructions that created unnecessary distress and tension. • Throughout the flight, a visibly intoxicated passenger directly in front of me was disruptive, rude to others, failed to comply with seatbelt and electronic device rules, and yet faced no enforcement from the crew. In stark contrast, I was singled out for repeated compliance checks even though I was following every rule. This unequal treatment was so obvious that multiple passengers around me spoke up in my defense. This pattern of behavior demonstrated a clear lack of professionalism, disregard for passenger safety, and discriminatory treatment. I expect far better from an airline of your stature. As a paying customer subjected to this unacceptable treatment, I am formally requesting: 1. A full investigation into the conduct of the staff on both flights. 2. A written apology acknowledging the discriminatory and unprofessional behavior I endured. 3. Appropriate compensation for the distress, inconvenience, and mishandling of my travel. If this matter is not addressed promptly and thoroughly, I will have no choice but to escalate my complaint further, including filing with the U.S. Department of Transportation and sharing my experience through other channels. I trust [Airline] will take this complaint seriously and provide a timely resolution.

Check in was quick and easy during early hours. Flight was on time, and customer services was a plus.

A bit rush for transit. Food and entertainment are not available

We arrived early and finally made it to our gate almost an hour after.

Was a pain having to leave the plane and reboard but glad the plane was fixed

My flight was delayed for a whole day, so I lost a day of my vacation.

Flighty delayed on boarding - then group 1 had to check their carry on bags but groups 3 and beyond could carry bags on - very inconvenient for weekend business trip with no checked baggage. Then delayed on the runway - before take off. No communication from pilot on why or how long. Wifi/Entertainment didn't work for 4+ flight. Upon arrival, attendants announced wrong carousel for baggage claim - everyone was waiting at the wrong place for their checked bags. This was a mess united!

Very turbulent flight, no drinks, very little service, unorganized boarding, gate changed multiple times

It was so much better than expected, Ohare is not such a pleasant experience but American Airlines with the new, clean aeroplane and free Wi-Fi was outstanding and the crew so pleasant and helpful.

Amazing food, great staff, with one noticable detail missing ...but no seat entertainment in any of aircraft ...I am not a fan

My boarding pass wouldn't pull up in the app very easily and had to really dig through my email. That caused a delay in TSA..

Baby cried a lot. Nothing anyone could do about it. Just part of flying.

The flight crew was fantastic! Which the seats had a small TV.

My husband and I pre-ordered our food, but they did not have my husband’s order, and my cheese plate was very average. I asked for a blanket and was told they don’t carry blankets on domestic routs. The flight was on time and smooth!

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.

Boarding was a mess - the agent basically called every group in rapid succession, so there was no organization at all. The economy seats are a joke, and main cabin extra seats were sold out when I purchased my flight. As such, I was locked in the same position for four hours. Being 6’6”, it was impossible to get my bag out from under the seat in front of me, and I couldn’t have used my laptop even if my bag were accessible due to the minuscule seat pitch. Also the wifi was broken. American is a joke - can’t wait until they merge with Spirit.

Horrible scam. Make you pay extra for more leg room then switch your seat as you’re boarding to a regular seat. Never fly American!

Flight was canceled. Most upsetting was message from Kayak, stating that the flight was canceled and click with Kayak for details regarding rebook, refund details. THERE'S NO INFORMATION PROVIDED BY KAYAK EXCEPT THAT FLIGHT IS CANCELED. AND NOW THIS SURVEY TO FIND OUT HOW WAS THE FLIGHT !!!!!!!

Better than expected. Staff were friendly and nice on both flights.

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.

Great for the price. No wifi or entertainment, but gate agents and crew were fantastic and we boarded quickly and left on time.

Our flight was canceled for no known reason. We weren’t told until we were checking in at 5:00 am. This was after our last flight with Frontier where we sat on the plane for three hours (not an exaggeration) before we took off because of a mechanical issue. We won’t be flying Frontier again.

I didn’t have enough time to catch my connecting flight and had to use a different Airline. I will be requesting a refund.

I brought a ticket and car rental through Travelocity. There was no where to add a KTN. So I thought i’d add it by looking up ticket on frontier website. I tried 3 times with the frontier chat bot to add my KTN it never updated my boarding pass. So then I tried showing up early to do it in person at the airport. The first employee update my ktn in the system and gave me a new boarding pass. I was sent back by tsa to join regular line. Then I was told to add my Ktn. It would cost me $25 extra. Given the length of the cue I did pay. Congratulations! BUT I will NEVER fly frontier again. Plus the plane was very old. It had actual ashtrays and old looking tray backs. Worst travel experience ever. Im warning my friends and family not to use frontier ever.

It was delayed 9 hours for operational reasons, despite the plane arriving to the airport on time.

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.

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.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Chicago to California

Cabin class types available on flights to California

Cabin classes available on flights to California. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability is not guaranteed.