$149 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to San Francisco - Compare and Save

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from Chicago to San Francisco:

• Earliest: departs at 12:01 am and lands at 5:01 am
• Latest: departs at 11:00 pm and lands at 4:00 am.

The flight takes about 5h.

Three cabin classes are available on flights from Chicago to San Francisco:

• Economy Class
• Business Class
• First Class

A nonstop flight from Chicago to San Francisco takes 5h, covering 1,855 miles.

No, a passport is not required for this domestic route, but you will need a real ID-compliant driver's license, a state ID or another TSA-accepted form of identification.

Round-trip flights from Chicago to San Francisco range from $308 to $504, with an average of $386 over the past 12 months. Anything below $308 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within two weeks of departure) run 54% above the $386 route average. Book 9 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, layover flights are cheaper than nonstop options on average. Layover fares average $244 round-trip via Seattle/Tacoma Intl (SEA), compared to $391 for nonstop.

United Airlines is slightly above the route average for timely arrivals, while American Airlines has a lower on-time arrival rate. On-time arrival rates on Chicago to San Francisco flights are:

• United Airlines: 77% on time
• American Airlines: 68% on time
• Southwest: 57% on time

Overall, flights on this route are punctual 73% of the time on average.

There is no standard. Checked-bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge $40–$100 for the first checked bag in economy. Premium fares and elite-status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Chicago to San Francisco flights, with 40% of flights leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 35%, evening flights for 20%, and night flights for 5%.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, round-trip prices on this route showed a wide range, from about $287 to $2,071. That means the highest observed fare was about 7x higher than the lowest one.

Two airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi on Chicago to San Francisco flights:

• American Airlines
• JetBlue

Pricing varies by airline and fare class. Some plans are included with the ticket or loyalty program; others are paid add-ons priced by flight length.

One-way fares from Chicago to San Francisco are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $149, which is 44% below the typical average for this route.

San Francisco Airport (SFO) hosts 5 major car rental companies, with daily rates averaging $63 for economy cars. Top options include:

• Europcar
• Thrifty
• Dollar
• Hertz
• Fox

Flights from Chicago to San Francisco may depart from several airports in Chicago area, including Chicago Midway (MDW), Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) and Chicago Greater Rockford (RFD). Flights usually arrive at San Francisco (SFO).

Morning flights have the fewest delays on this route, while evening departures tend to have the most.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the Chicago to San Francisco route, 27% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2h 39m.

One-stop flights from Chicago to San Francisco most commonly connect through:

• Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) - 22% of one-stop connections
• Denver Intl (DEN) - 20% of one-stop connections
• San Diego (SAN) - 17% of one-stop connections
• Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl (LAS) - 11% of one-stop connections

Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 34% on flights from Chicago to San Francisco. Wednesday is the cheapest departure day at $351 round-trip on average, while Monday is the most expensive at $527, a difference of $176.

KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

3 airlines operate flights between Chicago and San Francisco. The airlines offering nonstop flights on this route include:

• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Southwest

Flying via Salt Lake City (SLC) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time at 6h 31m, compared with 6h 34m via Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (PHX) and 7h via Portland (PDX).

San Francisco is 2 hours behind Chicago (Pacific Time vs Central Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Some of the most popular sights in San Francisco are Fisherman's Wharf, Union Square and Moscone Center. These are among the most viewed places in San Francisco on KAYAK.

Among airlines operating Chicago to San Francisco flights:

• United Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• American Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Southwest: offers free seat selection

Extra legroom and free seat selection availability depends on fare class and route.

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• United Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class
• American Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class
• Southwest: a cabin bag in Economy Class class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route and airline, so always check the fare details before booking.

SFO serves several cities in Northern California and also acts as San Francisco's international gateway. From SFO, travelers can reach cities such as Mountain View, San Jose, Santa Clara and Palo Alto. Renting a car is a convenient way to get to these cities from SFO.

From downtown Chicago, travelers can take the CTA’s Blue Line or use one of the many bus lines that serve O’Hare International Airport (ORD). Hotel shuttles from many area hotels and cabs are also available.

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is a convenient option for travelers heading from SFO to destinations around the Bay Area, including downtown San Francisco. The trip to downtown San Francisco takes about 30 minutes.

A centralized rental car center on the 4th Floor houses several rental car companies. It is accessible from the airport terminals via the AirTrain Blue Line.

Travelers arriving at SFO late at night on flights from ORD or MDW can spend the rest of the night in fee-based nap rooms at Freshen Up! The facility is in the International Terminal Main Hall, pre-security and rooms are subject to availability.