$122 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago O'Hare Airport to San Diego - Compare and Save

If you are looking for an easy and convenient flight from Chicago to San Diego, you will be glad to know that there are several direct departures per day. These are typically operated by either American Airlines or United Airlines. Or, if you are looking to save money, you can find some flights that require one layover, typically operated by Spirit Airlines with a stop in Las Vegas (LAS). However, it is good to know that the direct departures are more frequent than the indirect routes.

It takes about 40min by car to reach ORD from downtown Chicago. So, rideshares such as Lyft or Uber or a taxi will cost about $50. Or, you can take public transport. The CTA Blue Line costs about $2.50 for about a 30min ride.

Downtown San Diego is less than a 10min drive from the airport, so you can easily take a rideshare like Uber or Lyft or take a taxi. Alternatively, you can take the COASTER commuter train or the Amtrak InterCity train.

There are several other cities served by the San Diego airport. These include the nearby Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City, the entire San Diego Bay, and up north to Del Mar.

Among airlines operating Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Diego flights:

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

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

3 airlines operate flights between Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport and San Diego. The airlines offering nonstop flights on this route include:

• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Alaska Airlines

Flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Diego usually depart from Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) and arrive at San Diego (SAN).

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
• Alaska Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class
• American Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class

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

Three cabin classes are available on flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Diego:

• Economy Class
• Business Class
• First Class

On this route, layover flights are cheaper than nonstop options on average. Layover fares average $161 round-trip via Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (PHX), compared to $314 for nonstop.

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.

The Airbus A321-100/200 family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by American Airlines and United Airlines. Other aircraft seen on the route include Boeing 737-800 variants.

One-stop flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Diego most commonly connect through:

• Denver Intl (DEN) - 48% of one-stop connections
• Las Vegas Harry Reid Intl (LAS) - 17% of one-stop connections
• Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) - 13% of one-stop connections
• Salt Lake City (SLC) - 11% of one-stop connections

Denver Intl (DEN) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 14% on the Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Diego route. Wednesday is the cheapest departure day at $298 round-trip on average, while Sunday is the most expensive at $344, a difference of $46. KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Diego flights, with 39% of flights leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 31%, evening flights for 23%, and night flights for 7%.

Some of the most popular sights in San Diego are Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego Convention Center and SeaWorld San Diego. These are among the most viewed places in San Diego on KAYAK.

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Diego:

• Earliest: departs at 6:05 am and lands at 10:38 am
• Latest: departs at 9:38 pm and lands at 2:11 am.

The flight takes about 4h 33m.

Last-minute fares on this route - booked within 2 weeks of departure - run 44% above the route average of $313. Book 7 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

A nonstop flight from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Diego takes 4h 33m, covering 1,719 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.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, round-trip prices on this route showed a wide range, from about $246 to $2,257. That means the highest observed fare was about 9x higher than the lowest one.

One-way fares from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Diego are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $128, which is 34% below the typical average for this route.

Flying via Salt Lake City (SLC) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time at 6h 23m, compared with 6h 29m via Minneapolis St Paul (MSP) and 6h 33m via Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl (PHX).

San Diego is 2 hours behind Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (Pacific Time vs Central Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

San Diego Airport (SAN) hosts 5 major car rental companies, with daily rates starting from around $14 for economy cars. Top options include:
· Dollar
· Payless
· Europcar
· Thrifty
· Fox

Round-trip flights from Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Diego range from $225 to $394, with an average of $313 over the past 12 months. Anything below $225 counts as a good deal.

Three airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi on Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport to San Diego flights:

• • Alaska Airlines
• • American Airlines
• • JetBlue