CHI - SMF

$150 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Sacramento

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 Sacramento departing on 6/2. 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 Sacramento

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to Sacramento.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to Sacramento.
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$236
Typical prices: $608-$361
Frontier
Sat 5/9Sat 5/16
ORD - SMF • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$397
Southwest
Thu 4/30Wed 5/6
MDW - SMF • Non-stop
Advice from real travelers
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
United's Economy Plus offers extra legroom comfort.
Expect shorter lines at Chicago Midway than at ORD.
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $236 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with American Airlines, Southwest and United Airlines. Average duration is 4h 40m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top routes
Cheapest • 9% average savings
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $173 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 6h 37m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 52% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 19% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Expert advice
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Chicago to Sacramento (CHI-SMF)

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

Sat, May 9 - Sat, May 16
Frontier Logo
8:56 pm - 7:31 pm
ORD
-
SMF
24h 35m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:16 pm - 6:39 am
SMF
-
ORD
8h 23m
1 stop
$236Frontier
Wed, May 20 - Sun, May 24
Frontier Logo
8:56 pm - 7:31 pm
ORD
-
SMF
24h 35m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:16 pm - 6:34 am
SMF
-
ORD
8h 18m
1 stop
$237Frontier
Sat, May 23 - Sun, May 31
Frontier Logo
8:46 pm - 7:31 pm
ORD
-
SMF
24h 45m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:16 pm - 6:34 am
SMF
-
ORD
8h 18m
1 stop
$239Frontier
Sat, May 23 - Wed, May 27
Frontier Logo
9:37 pm - 7:31 pm
ORD
-
SMF
23h 54m
2 stops
Frontier Logo
8:16 pm - 6:34 am
SMF
-
ORD
8h 18m
1 stop
$240Frontier
Sat, Jun 6 - Sat, Jun 13
Frontier Logo
9:04 pm - 7:31 pm
ORD
-
SMF
24h 27m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
8:08 pm - 6:19 am
SMF
-
ORD
8h 11m
1 stop
$241Frontier
Sat, May 9 - Sun, May 10
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:15 am - 7:31 pm
ORD
-
SMF
14h 16m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:16 pm - 6:39 am
SMF
-
ORD
8h 23m
1 stop
$251Multiple Airlines
Thu, Apr 30 - Wed, May 6
Southwest Logo
9:40 pm - 12:05 am
MDW
-
SMF
4h 25mnonstop
Southwest Logo
11:55 pm - 5:45 am
SMF
-
MDW
3h 50mnonstop
$397Southwest
Thu, Apr 30 - Wed, May 6
Southwest Logo
9:40 pm - 12:05 am
MDW
-
SMF
4h 25mnonstop
Southwest Logo
9:10 pm - 5:25 am
SMF
-
MDW
6h 15m
1 stop
$407Southwest
Wed, May 6 - Sat, May 9
Southwest Logo
10:00 am - 12:25 pm
MDW
-
SMF
4h 25mnonstop
Southwest Logo
6:35 am - 5:10 pm
SMF
-
MDW
8h 35m
2 stops
$408Southwest
Thu, Apr 30 - Wed, May 6
Southwest Logo
9:40 pm - 12:05 am
MDW
-
SMF
4h 25mnonstop
Southwest Logo
10:20 am - 7:55 pm
SMF
-
MDW
7h 35m
2 stops
$412Southwest
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Chicago to Sacramento flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Chicago to Sacramento 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 Sacramento?

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 Sacramento departing in May.

What is the cheapest Chicago to Sacramento flight route?

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

The absolute cheapest return flight from Chicago to Sacramento costs $347 on the route between Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) and Sacramento (SMF). However, over the past month, flights between Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) and Sacramento (SMF) were, on average, 9% cheaper than other Chicago-Sacramento routes. The most popular route is between Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) and Sacramento (SMF).

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

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

Your flight ticket price will generally be cheaper if you fly to Sacramento on a Saturday and more expensive on a Sunday. On your return trip to Chicago, you should consider flying back on a Wednesday, and avoid Sundays for better deals.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago to Sacramento, 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 Sacramento is January, where tickets cost $378 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are April and February, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $612 and $542 respectively.

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

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.

Yes, flying with a layover may cost you more time, but you can also save money on the route, with a 1 stop layover the cheapest option at $451 on average.

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

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 Sacramento, 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 Sacramento, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 52% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 18 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Chicago to Sacramento

 
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Our travel experts
Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on United Airlines, ORD and MDW

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.

Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Expert on American Airlines

Harriet is an award-winning journalist who is happiest in an airport or an unusual museum. Her stories about airports, air travel, and the business of travel have appeared on NBC News, CNBC, USA TODAY, The Points Guy and other outlets. She is the creator of the StuckatTheAirport.com blog and the author of nine books. When not out on the road or exploring the latest airport amenities, she’s home in Seattle getting ready for the next adventure.

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Expert on Southwest

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.

Bill Fink

Bill Fink

Expert on SMF

Bill is an award-winning travel writer with extensive credits covering airlines and the aviation industry for publications including AARP, AFAR, The Points Guy and Yahoo. Based in Portland, Oregon, Bill has traveled to more than 75 countries - and been late for his flight in most of them. He once achieved top-level frequent flier status for all of American, Delta and United Airlines during a single year.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$150
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 16% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 7% increase in price.
Flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Sacramento

When to book flights from Chicago to Sacramento

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Chicago to Sacramento 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 flights from Chicago to Sacramento

  • What is the cheapest flight from Chicago to Sacramento?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Chicago to Sacramento was $150 for a one-way ticket and $236 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Chicago and Sacramento?

    No, a passport isn't needed to fly from Chicago to Sacramento. However, local authorities might ask for an official ID.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Chicago to Sacramento?

    There are 2 airports in Chicago (Chicago Midway and Chicago O'Hare Intl.) and only 1 airport in Sacramento (Sacramento Intl). The cheapest flights are generally found on the Chicago O'Hare Airport to Sacramento Intl flight route.

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

    American Airlines, Delta, Hawaiian Airlines, and Alaska Airlines offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Chicago to Sacramento flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Chicago to Sacramento?

    The Boeing 737-800 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Chicago to Sacramento flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Chicago to Sacramento?

    SkyTeam, oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Chicago and Sacramento, with SkyTeam being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Chicago to Sacramento?

    There are nonstop flights from Chicago to Sacramento on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Chicago to Sacramento, Southwest or Delta?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Chicago to Sacramento are Southwest and Delta. With an average price for the route of $437 and an overall rating of 8.0, Southwest is the most popular choice. Delta is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $359 and an overall rating of 7.9.

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

    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 Sacramento.

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

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

    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 Sacramento 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 Sacramento?

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

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Chicago to Sacramento

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $247 or less one-way and $509 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Chicago to Sacramento?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from Chicago to Sacramento Intl.
Find which airlines fly direct from Chicago to Sacramento Intl Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Chicago to Sacramento Intl

Monday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Tuesday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Wednesday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Thursday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Friday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Saturday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Sunday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Sacramento Intl to Chicago

Monday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Tuesday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Wednesday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Thursday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Friday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Saturday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Sunday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Chicago to Sacramento

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Chicago to Sacramento. 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 Sacramento? 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
SouthwestOverall score based on 4334 reviews
7.5Entertainment
8.1Boarding
7.0Food
8.0Comfort
8.6Crew
Airline reviews

The Air hostess were very rude on my flight from Houston to Austin . Their regular communication itself felt a they are shouting at people.

4.0 Okaysangeetha, Apr 2026
AUS - SJC
Read more Southwest reviews

The Air hostess were very rude on my flight from Houston to Austin . Their regular communication itself felt a they are shouting at people.

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.

Boarding was easy. The seats are small and fairly uncomfortable

The problem with the seat assignments is that there were a lot of rows in the front that were empty but my row at the back was full. Just not so pleasant.

No food or entertainment, just a quick 40 minute flight. A little bumpy due to Santa Ana winds but pilot has no control over that. Good flight and landing!

Good but I prefer choose your own seat. With the new assigned seats they should board from the back I see no advantage to this new boarding. Just like every other airline

Mediocre. Boarding is now unpleasant. The employees, once friendly and nice, are now regularly speaking sternly to passengers, badgering them to do things right so they can take off on time and gate check bags because they don't have enough overhead bin space. The pretzel snack was crushed flat and broken into even smaller pieces, which happens frequently lately. Drink service was suspended before they reached my row.

The charges were ridiculous for an hour flight and the turbulence was very scary.

3 hour delay. Had to change plans and was still delayed.

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

WiFi didn’t work most of the time. The usb chargers would work only occasionally for 5 mins and wouldn’t charge after that. Had to keep trying repeatedly at each of the seats in the row.

The crew bent over backwards to thank us for flying and make us comfortable. The food service was quick and efficient. The Captain communicated and said goodbye and thank you as we departed. They really stood out!

Okay considering we had weather delays which the Pilot notified us of immediately!

Generally on time departures and arrivals, clean planes, sky miles membership provides great benefits (complimentary upgrades, etc).

The boarding was organized and informative but the plane was tight meaning that you were sitting on one another and extremely uncomfortable. It’s disappointing that can’t have common seating comfort on the plane.

Everything could have benn better. Short fly, no food, no entertainment and no wifi.

my mom urmila patel needed a wheelchair which was not available on the curbside. she needed to walk almost 50 meters inside (at the risk of falling) and then had to wait in line to get a wheelchair (this is not ok). Once obtained she had to seat in it for 30-45 minutes for someone to take her in thru the checkin process (which was fairly smooth and easy). the lady who helped her with her checkin process was very courteous and helpful

Staff at the check-in counter were friendly, happy and helpful. They tagged our bags and sent us to “bag drop off” but were not very clear about where that was. The airport was busy we headed off in what we thought was the right direction until a gentleman waved us down and actually came after us. He was the baggage handler for Delta and recognized our “deer in the headlights “ look-he brought us to the right area (which was marked as the Southwest Airlines Drop Off) and sent us on our way. Wonderful guy, low key and working with a big smile on his face. Loved it. Loved him.

Arlene was a great flight attendant. I also liked how one of the other flight attendants gave us a heads up about snacks and asked everyone to remove their headphones when it was their turn to order. Good idea.

I haven’t flown economy in over 20 years but it was not bad. Room by my feet for my bag and seat was roomy enough. Surprised in a good way.

Poor communication, flight was delayed for preventable reasons. I missed my connection.

No meal service to the back of the plane as it started late or was too slow to get it out before it was time to land.

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

Efficient boarding and early departure. Very smooth flight. Early arrival in ATL. Great flight.

Smooth and easy boarding, comfortable for the entire 5 hour flight, and the seat back entertainment was great! I appreciated all the features, from location info and maps, movies, the ability to connect with Bluetooth headphones, and good selection of movies. Food was good, normal airline snacks (I didn’t purchase anything)

Awful. No counter attendants. No dinner offered due to delays.

This trip did not start off well. The inbound flight was delayed about 20 minutes. Then, after initial onboarding, the passengers had to deplane due to a mechanical problem. That took about 30 minutes to fix and be cleared. Then, reboarding was chaotic. It took a long time to sort passengers and two passengers on standby were ticketed but there was no seat. So, they had to deplane. One of the flight crew was trying to help passengers figure out a place to put their carry-on bags and that took more time. In the end, our scheduled 10:30 am departure did not actually take off until about 12:05 pm CST. The flight itself was long but we got to Houston. Some passengers missed their connecting flights and had to rebook. Not the best of flights I've had.

We were delayed for about an hour from taking off due to traffic control procedures at the destination airport. But once in the air, the flight went well. The crew members were great and provided cabin service despite moderate turbulence during much of the flight.

Short flight, but no drink/snack service. The flights both going and coming were delayed.

Not being stranded in Chicago for her airport to 11:30 tomorrow morning the 3rd

Delays experienced in boarding/take off due to incoming plane delayed. However, the boarding time/depart time in the app was significantly delayed in providing these updates. Usually not updated until an hour after we should have already boarded. Poorly managed.

Moved to earlier flight which unexpectedly had maintenance issues initially indicated as quick fix to ultimately plane changes. Moved back to original flight, also delayed. In all cases customer updates and communication very unclear, no updates on drivers for delays.

Typical AA - late by 90+ mn. Gate changed twice... Changed the departure time 6 times No explanation, no communication on reasons for delay I travel with AA twice a year... and it is consistently very poor.. I will continue to use AA only when i have to.

The gate got changed several times and the flight was delayed over an hour. Awful experience

American continues to decline in their customer service and its beyond disappointing.

It was an older plane. First Class was not especially roomy or comfortable. It was a short flight so there were no meal but they did offer mixed nuts which used to be normal but now is rare. Crew member was very polite and professional.

Flight to Tampa was delayed taking off due to plane arriving late but no other issues

As previously stated the delay I experienced flying from Wichita to Chicago caused a host of issues. When I finally was able to be booked on the last remaining American flight from Chicago to Cincinnati, the gate changed four times with the last change occurring very near the scheduled boarding time. While I didn't have a problem moving from gate to gate, I did notice and make note of others that had mobility issues and had to move each time for the gate change.

Maintenance took a very long time and then we were in a holding pattern. While a one-off maintenance issue is standard, there were delays on both of my flights for this trip based on maintenance issues with the planes, which delayed both flights over 45 minutes. Thankfully, I didn't have any connections but it wasn't an experience that would make me pick AA if I have other options.

No Snacks or Entertainment. The flight was short, snacks should still be given.

They switched our terminal 3 times and we were delayed for four plus hours!!!

It was an early flight and most people napped/slept and the crew let us which was nice.

The crew acted like they had never done this and kept barking passive aggressive orders at people. + the security line + the delay + sitting on the tarmac for 2 hours + none of the apps or signage updating with correct times

More inflight connection. And leg space is horrible. And the paying for baggage I'd ridiculous!!!

My flight was originally from SAT to MCO connecting from MCO to ORD. We got diverted to ATL and than Frontier staff there was sooo un helpful first they said they couldn’t give us any accommodation since our flight first got delayed that cancelled and now it’s 221am and I am still in ATL since they said they need to create a new flight my final destination is ORD and I have been delayed twice and cancelled. With no real help the frontier app didn’t work no email updates over all such a horrible experience

There's no seats that lean back with little leg space i wad uncomfortable the entire flight. Your charges for extra baggage is despicable and costly!!

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 !!!!!!!

Our flight was canceled. I will never use Kayak nor Frontier for travel again. The entire experience was a headache.

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

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

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports