SFO - CHI

$88 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Chicago

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from San Francisco to Chicago departing on 5/28. 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

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Chicago

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Chicago.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Chicago.
Travelers love KAYAK
41,299,237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

Save 22% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Bundle and saveSave money when you bundle your flight + hotel.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Flights Deals
Expert advice
Useful Info
Flights Deals

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Chicago

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

Recent round-trip flight deals from San Francisco to Chicago

KAYAK's recommended round-trip deals from the most popular airlines that fly from San Francisco to Chicago.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.
Hawaiian Airlines Logo
12:33 pm - 6:59 pmSFO-ORD
4h 26mnonstop
Hawaiian Airlines Logo
7:59 pm - 10:49 pmORD-SFO
4h 50mnonstop
$173Hawaiian Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, May 17 - Sat, May 24
Hawaiian Airlines Logo
12:33 pm - 6:59 pmSFO-ORD
4h 26mnonstop
Hawaiian Airlines Logo
7:59 pm - 10:49 pmORD-SFO
4h 50mnonstop
$175Hawaiian Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, May 17 - Sat, May 24
United Airlines Logo
11:20 pm - 5:45 amSFO-ORD
4h 25mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
6:30 am - 9:20 amORD-SFO
4h 50mnonstop
$179United Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, May 12 - Wed, May 14
United Airlines Logo
6:40 pm - 12:59 amSFO-ORD
4h 19mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
7:20 am - 10:02 amORD-SFO
4h 42mnonstop
$188United Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, May 27 - Tue, Jun 3
Frontier Logo
11:50 pm - 1:34 pmSFO-MDW
11h 44m1 stop
Frontier Logo
2:12 pm - 10:22 pmMDW-SFO
10h 10m1 stop
$198Frontier
Find Deal
Sat, May 10 - Wed, May 14
Frontier Logo
2:03 pm - 2:48 pmSFO-MDW
22h 45m1 stop
Frontier Logo
2:44 pm - 12:09 amMDW-SFO
11h 25m1 stop
$200Frontier
Find Deal
Sat, May 17 - Sat, May 24
Alaska Airlines Logo
12:33 pm - 6:59 pmSFO-ORD
4h 26mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:59 pm - 10:49 pmORD-SFO
4h 50mnonstop
$207Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Jun 3 - Sat, Jun 7
Alaska Airlines Logo
12:33 pm - 6:59 pmSFO-ORD
4h 26mnonstop
Alaska Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 1:43 pmORD-SFO
9h 43m1 stop
$208Alaska Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, May 28 - Wed, Jun 11
American Airlines Logo
11:10 am - 5:36 pmSFO-ORD
4h 26mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
9:00 pm - 11:49 pmORD-SFO
4h 49mnonstop
$249American Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, May 17 - Sat, May 24
American Airlines Logo
2:50 pm - 9:23 pmSFO-ORD
4h 33mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
5:38 pm - 11:58 pmORD-SFO
8h 20m1 stop
$268American Airlines
Find Deal
Fri, May 30 - Mon, Jun 2
Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from San Francisco to Chicago

 
Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of KAYAK-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Airlines
United Airlines

United's Economy Plus offers up to six inches more legroom than standard economy seats.


United's Priority Boarding can be purchased to ensure overhead bin space for carry-ons.

American Airlines

American's Main Cabin Extra provides early boarding and complimentary drinks for a small fee.


American Airlines offers high-speed Wi-Fi for purchase on most flights, with free options for T-Mobile users.

Alaska Airlines

Alaska's 20-minute baggage guarantee offers a discount or miles if bags are delayed.


Alaska's Premium Class offers priority boarding and complimentary drinks on flights over 350 miles.

Airports
SFO

SFO's curbside check-in is a time-saver for United, Delta, and Southwest passengers. Tip accordingly for this convenient service.

Read more about SFOby Blane Bachelor
ORD

Take the CTA Blue Line from ORD to downtown Chicago in about 45 minutes. It's reliable and avoids traffic delays.

Read more about ORDby Stefanie Waldek
Our travel experts
Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on United Airlines and ORD

Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

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.

Read more
Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Expert on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines

Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

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.

Read more
Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Expert on SFO

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

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.

Read more
Useful Info

KAYAK's insights & trends for San Francisco to Chicago flights

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

Find cheap flights to Chicago
Find cheap flights to Chicago

Planning a trip from San Francisco to Chicago? KAYAK’s data-powered insights will help you find cheap flights. Learn the best time to fly, how early to book your ticket, and other tips to secure great prices.

What is the cheapest San Francisco to Chicago flight route?

The cheapest price for flight routes found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Chicago.

Our data shows that the cheapest route for a return flight from San Francisco to Chicago cost $205 and was between San Francisco (SFO) and Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD). On average, the best prices are found if you fly from San Francisco (SFO) to Chicago Midway Airport (MDW). The average price for a return flight for this route is $205.

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

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

For San Francisco to Chicago, Wednesday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Sunday is the most expensive. Flying from Chicago back to San Francisco, the best deals are generally found on Thursday, with Monday being the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Chicago?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Chicago, 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 San Francisco to Chicago is February, where tickets cost $286 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $436 and $358 respectively.

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

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 $669, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Chicago, 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 San Francisco to Chicago, you should book around 4 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 12 weeks before departure.

 AI-powered savings tips

KAYAK's tips to save more on a San Francisco to Chicago flight

When planning a flight from San Francisco to Chicago, it's important to consider a few key factors to ensure you're getting the best deal. Generally, the cheapest day to fly is Saturday, and the most affordable month is September.

Day Choice: Opt for flights on Saturdays for the best rates.

Month Choice: September generally offers the cheapest flights.

Booking Advance: Book your flight at least 120 days in advance to get the best price.

Airline Choice: Frontier Airlines typically offers the cheapest fares for this route.

Route Selection: Flying from San Francisco to Chicago Midway (SFO - MDW) is usually the cheapest route.

Flight Type: Flights with one stop are generally cheaper than direct flights.

This feature is powered by ChatGPT: an OpenAI-developed artificial intelligence model trained with KAYAK proprietary data and third-party data not verified by KAYAK. 


Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
High seasonMay
Cheapest flight$88
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 10% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 1% increase in price.
Flight from San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare Airport

When to book flights from San Francisco to Chicago

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to Chicago 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.

Flights from San Francisco to Chicago: the best tips from KAYAK users' own experiences

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew the route from San Francisco to Chicago 
DinaFlew with United AirlinesSFO-ORDDec 2024
Choose an airline that will accommodate your needs
GeraldFlew with Alaska AirlinesSFO-ORDOct 2024
Book a flight as early in the day as possible to avoid incoming flight delays.
DonFlew with American AirlinesSFO-ORDJun 2024
United offers the best service from SFO to ORD. Great capacity and several redundant flights in the event of a cancellation or delay.

FAQs for booking flights from San Francisco to Chicago

  • Should I fly into Chicago O’Hare or Chicago Midway Airport?

    O’Hare Airport is located within Chicago, Illinois, 17 miles northwest of the Chicago Loop. The smaller Midway International Airport is located 10 miles southwest of the center. Both airports offer easy public transport connections, so you can’t go wrong with either one.

  • What is the cheapest way to get from the airport to downtown Chicago?

    The “L” train is an inexpensive way to get downtown from the airport. The O’Hare train station is situated on the lower level concourse of Chicago O’Hare Airport, with direct connections from Terminals 1, 2, and 3. The CTA Blue Line trains from Chicago O’Hare run 24/7, with a travel time of 40-45 minutes. If you arrive at Midway Airport, the Midway train station is a short walk east of the airport. Orange Line train services run from early in the morning until 1 am. It takes 20-25 minutes to travel by train to the downtown loop.

  • How do I get around Chicago O’Hare Airport?

    Getting around Chicago O’Hare Airport is easy using the Airport Transit System (ATS), which operates 24 hours a day along a 2.5-mile-long track. This service connects all four terminals, various parking facilities, the Kiss ‘N’ Fly drop off point, and the PACE bus stop. The ATS service is free and takes nine minutes to complete a round trip.

  • What is the closest hotel to Chicago O’Hare?

    The Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport Hotel is only a short walk from the airport’s domestic terminals. Amenities include a fitness center, restaurants, conference rooms, and a barber shop. If you need to freshen up after your flight, travelers can use the showers at the hotel’s health club for a small cost.

  • Where can I relax at SFO?

    Start an early vacation at any of the numerous lounges at San Francisco Airport. Head to the Centurion Lounge at Gate 74 of Terminal 3 whereas Concourse A of International Terminal is home to the Air France-KLM Lounge. Pay at the door or buy a lounge permit to access their amenities such as showers and drinks. You may also access the USO lounge on the Mezzanine Level of Terminal 1 if you are an active US military member as well as your family. Amenities offered at this lounge include drinks, games, toys, as well as books.

  • Where can I park at San Francisco International Airport (SFO)?

    There are several parking options at SFO ranging from hourly and daily parking to short and long-term parking. The Domestic Garage in the heart of SFO offers short-term parking whereas in the front of the International Terminal there is hourly and daily parking at the International Parking garages. There is an off-site long-term parking at 801 South Airport Boulevard.

  • What is there for kids to do at ORD?

    Are you taking your children with you? ORD airport provides travelers with kid-friendly services to ensure a wonderful travel experience. Encourage your children to point out flags they identify or count them out at Terminal 3's Grand Hall of Flags, which represents countries served directly by American Airlines from O'Hare. Furthermore, Terminal 2 houses the Kids on the Fly exhibit, where children may play an aviation inspector or explore the helicopter simulator.

  • Does Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) offer accessible services?

    Yes. The airport has accessible parking spots in each of its parking structures in addition to the bathrooms that are wheelchair-accessible and are situated in Gates A9 and A4A of Concourse A and Gate B15 of Concourse B. Passengers with hearing impairments have access to TTY telephones. At drop-off and pick-up sites, the airport also offers curb ramps and elevators. Shuttles with elevators are provided for free between the terminals and the parking lots.

  • What is the cheapest flight from San Francisco to Chicago?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Chicago was $88 for a one-way ticket and $173 for a round-trip.

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

    A passport is not required to fly from San Francisco to Chicago.

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

    When flying out of San Francisco you will be using San Francisco. You will be landing at one of these airports: Chicago Midway or Chicago O'Hare Intl.

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

    All the following airlines offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the San Francisco to Chicago flight route: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, and Delta.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from San Francisco to Chicago?

    The Airbus A321neo is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the San Francisco to Chicago flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from San Francisco to Chicago?

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

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

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

  • Which is the best airline for flights from San Francisco to Chicago, Alaska Airlines or Southwest?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from San Francisco to Chicago are Alaska Airlines and Southwest. With an average price for the route of $323 and an overall rating of 8.0, Alaska Airlines is the most popular choice. Southwest is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $361 and an overall rating of 8.0.

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

    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 San Francisco to Chicago.

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

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

    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 Chicago with an airline and back to San Francisco with another airline.

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

    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 Chicago from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Chicago

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $183 or less one-way and $344 or less round-trip.
  • Flights from San Francisco to Chicago usually depart from San Francisco International Airport. If you’re traveling with children, San Francisco International Airport has a number of interactive play areas to keep kids busy. Additionally, the video arts room showcases contemporary works from local filmmakers and many restaurants have special menus for children.
  • American Airlines and United Airlines offer regular, direct flights from San Francisco to Chicago O’Hare. Non-stop flights take less than four hours to arrive and the return trip takes around five hours.
  • The San Francisco International Airport incorporates a wide selection of art and exhibitions to provide a rich cultural and educational experience for travelers. While you’re waiting for your flight, you can visit more than twenty-five galleries throughout the terminals that reflect the history and cultural life of San Francisco. Travelers can also visit the Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, which house a permanent collection with a focus on local aviation history.
  • Want to relax before your flight from San Francisco to Chicago? Treat yourself to a manicure, pedicure, or massage at one of four XpresSpa outlets at San Francisco International Airport. There are also two dedicated spaces to practice yoga if you want to stretch out before getting on the plane.
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi is available at San Francisco International Airport, O’Hare International Airport, and Midway International Airport. Charging stations and power outlets can be found throughout the terminals and baggage claim areas.
  • Perch your laptop and hold meetings while on the go at the Executive Center of Terminal 3 in Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). The business center is equipped with meeting rooms and charging stations convenient for business travelers.
  • ORD is Chicago’s major hub and it features four terminals and nine concourses. If you want to transfer between terminals, the automated train ATS will provide convenient access to the entire airport complex.
  • SFO provides the Wag Brigade in an effort to relax and de-stress their passengers on flights from San Francisco to Chicago. Look out for four-legged volunteers throughout the airport and pet them.
  • If you want a quiet area to meditate and reflect, head to the Berman Reflection Room at the Main Hall of the International Terminal of SFO.
  • Your four-legged companion is welcome at Chicago Midway Airport. However, there are some limits and laws in place. MDW's pet policies, like those of other airports, require all pets to be restrained in crates unless they are utilizing pet relieving areas or being screened for security. The airport has two hygienic pet relieving areas, one indoor across Gate A5 in Concourse A and one outdoor on the Lower Level terminal road.

Prefer to fly direct from San Francisco to Chicago?

Find which airlines fly direct from San Francisco Airport to Chicago, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

San Francisco to Chicago

Monday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Tuesday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Wednesday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Thursday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Friday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Saturday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Sunday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Chicago to San Francisco

Monday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Tuesday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Wednesday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Thursday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Friday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Saturday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

Sunday

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, +1 more

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, +2 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 5 airlines serving from San Francisco to Chicago

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Francisco to Chicago. 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 San Francisco to Chicago? 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
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 9968 reviews
7.1Entertainment
8.2Boarding
7.1Food
7.9Comfort
8.5Crew
Airline reviews

No non-alcoholic drinks available except water and small apple juice cans.

8.0 ExcellentJohn, Apr 2025SFO - LAS
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

No non-alcoholic drinks available except water and small apple juice cans.

The flight was delayed over two and a half hours thus causing me to miss my best friend’s funeral. All because the flight crew had to get more rest. That was the reason stated. I understand however very unfortunate. Glad everyone is well rested and resting in peace.

All good except both the outbound and return flights were delayed about 1 1/2 hrs.

Not great. My flight was canceled due to a mechanical problem and I could not get rebooked for the same day. I needed to get to my destination yesterday, not today. I was able to book with another airline but it was a layover and ultimately a 1 hour flight took me 12 hours. Normally I like Alaska much more than Southwest, but Southwest came through with a not terrible price for same day.

The plane was late arriving. The Alaska people did a great job of turning it around quickly and getting us off. We took off about 35 minutes after it reached the gate.

I liked the flight attendant named Tyler. He was charismatic and genuine. I like the pilot in my second flight, he was considerate to everyone’s feelings. I liked the people I sat beside. I like the plane size. I like Alaska airlines

Flight delay was inconvenient and exhausting getting in at 1 am. However the crew and lounge was very comfortable.

No complaints. Great service. A first class entry lane at boarding wouldn’t hurt.

I appreciate the priority for safety. I did not enjoy how the delays were handled.

Awful . Extra charge on my bags even after it was confirmed it wasn’t overweight.

It was a perfect flight in all aspects! Both legs!

Great flight, 47 passengers on a 180 seat plane. Stewardess was pleasant and cheerful.

I liked the crew member who gave flight instructions on "in case of a problem:. The seats are so small that only a young teenager could sit in middle seat.

Great flight staff. Ease of boarding. Overall, very uneventful and easy trip.

Flight was awfully bumpy and landing was a bit jolting. I was in the restroom when snacks and drinks were served and was not asked if i wanted any. I had to ask for water finally.

Employees were kind and funny, as always! Flight was late but no announcements were made for people with tight connections to help them transition quickly. No service due to turbulence.

I recently flew Southwest from San Jose to Honolulu. I was very impressed with the flight crew, especially the flight attendant in charge of the front of the plane. She came through the aisle at least five times for drinks and water, and two times for snacks. I have not seen such service since I flew first class. Also, for the first time, they gave us the correct baggage claim number, and the luggage came out quickly. I can't wait for Southwest to have assigned seating! I absolutely hate the Cattle Call boarding procedure and the mad dash to get seats and overhead bins. However, the boarding was efficient.

We had a nice flight. Boarding was easy, our seats were comfortable and the on board service was pleasant.

Service was great, boarding and exiting went smoothly, and the flight was very pleasant.

Was as expected. Crowed planes. Too many carryons delaying takeoff. But the ride only took an hour and saved me a lot of time SFO is a not a great airport.

Compared with other carriers business class for an overnight was not worth the extra expense.

Easy to board. Flight was super crowded though so I didn't sleep well on that cross country red-eye flight. The aisles seem ot have gotten narrower and the seat smaller whn luggage and people are getting bigger so it would be AWESOME to have more space and breathing room in general ;)

Pilot Erika DeLong made us feel safe and at ease in a frankly scary time to be flying. Her warm smile and greeting and excellent command of the aircraft in foggy bumpy weather helped us all to calm our nerves and get us home safely.

Wish movie and music choices changed more often. Mostly same from a month or two ago when I last flew.

It was good. Just that the seats could not be reclined. The people behind were not ready to let the chairs be reclined

Plane left & arrived early- 5 Crew great. Wi fi - paid for 2, only 1 worked - so so. Waste of $. Coolie was good

There was no USB plug in my section of the plane. So I could not charge my phone. Also, there was no screen to watch movie or anything like that. Wish I had known that in advance, I would’ve brought my iPad.

Made all groups except 2 check despite ample bin space. Inflight WiFi and entertainment didn’t work most of the time.

Not enough room between rows and food was gross. $160 baggage charge?! Never again.

Excellent staff helping my 96 year old senior promptly with her oxygen needs

British Airways staff are very polite and willing to help.

To start, I’d like to say that every American Airline personnel I interacted with on the ground, especially flight crew, was very friendly and did their best to help me out. Despite this, however, my experience with the airline was an entire mess. The 7:19 PM flight was heavily delayed due to weather, and pushed to 10:30 AM the next morning. Because of this, I had to spend the night inside of the airport. At some point later in the night, I got an email saying that the flight had been canceled. I called the support number, and the representative on the other line told me that the flight was still on and that I didn’t need to rebook. The next morning, no one came to the gate to open the door for the crew until almost 11 AM. By this time the flight crew had been waiting for over an hour, and they had called management to get someone to open the door for them multiple times. Around 11:30, the gate screen had changed to a different flight. I ended up buying a last minute ticket with Southwest airline just to get to Chicago, because the next flight with American wasn’t until 7:19 pm that day. Now, earlier that morning my suitcase had been sent ahead of me to ORD. I went to baggage claim to ask them if I could have my suitcase forwarded to where I was staying. The representative at SDF baggage claim said they could and put the claim in for me. As I was going back through TSA, I got an email that the airline had found my suitcase, but the next step was to send it BACK to SDF. I called the airline support number again, and I made it clear that my suitcase needed to stay in Chicago and to not come back to SDF. The representative told me that they would hold my suitcase at ORD and that it wasn’t going to be forwarded anywhere. Once I got there, I found that they had loaded my suitcase onto a plane to send it back to SDF. Thankfully, I had gotten to the baggage claim counter in time for them to put in a request to bring my suitcase back up. My refund with the airline is processing already, but because of this entire experience and miscommunication at every turn of the way, I will not book with American Airlines in the future.

The plane was late and then sat on the runway for almost 45 minutes before taking off.

We kept being told that the flight was full and that all overhead compartments were full and therefore had to check in our hand luggage. We were some of the last people to board and noticed that there was still sufficient space in the overhead compartments. We were obliged to check in hand luggage when there was space and so had to wait at luggage retrieval which took a while to then noticed damage to our luggage - not a great experience!

Crew professional. Easy bag drop off. On time. Good entertainment.

Everything was great. Boarding, early departure, early arrival, and deplaning were smooth. Smooth flight.

Per usual, flight status, staff courtesy and professionalism were excellent

The only thing is if Wi-Fi is available after you land and taxi to the gate. It takes forever to get to the gate, and having the Wi-Fi continue would be great to bide the time at least 5 minutes before you arrive at the entrance. That is my only comment; otherwise, everything was good.

Amazingly comfy flight - I had upgraded for a reasonable price and it was worth it. The food also was good.

Had to wait on pilot and crew to depart and had to wait to arrive at the gate because they only had 2 crews working. Delays, delays....Planes just keep getting smaller and tighter and they nickle and dime for everything. When will an airline actually wake up and make flying more enjoyable?

The seats were awful, hard plastic covered in sheet vinyl. The airline tries to scam you into paying extra to get seat together when the flight wasn’t full. They were going to separate a family with young children but my wife who had a row to herself gave up her seat so the young mom could be with her young boys. I’m never giving this airline my money again.

It was a short flight so no food or entertainment….

Frontier had yet another flight cancellation. Have never made a complete round trip with this airline without at least one leg getting cancelled. Miserable flights - dirty, uncomfortable planes that apparently always have issues since I've had multiple delays and cancellations with them.

Flight was delayed 3 times, would have been nice to have received text message instead of email notifications. Frontier app wasn’t even updated accordingly, no gate number disclosed. No agent at front desk of gate to inform of delay. Very confused and left if the dark

The flight itself was ok and the pilot was very communicative. However, our flight was delayed for almost 3 hours, the gate was changed 3 times and there was no communication as we were waiting. The flight staff was overall a little crabby...I understand as they probably had a long day but we all did.

They changed the timing , first delayed by 4 hours then went back to 40 mins late, we had to run back to airport to not miss our flight. This is ridiculous

No frills for sure. No gate announcements about flight delay, not even water to drink on the flight.

After waiting several minutes to be acknowledged by 3 employees on their phones, was told we had missed our flight because the doors were closed at that literal moment. Had they given any actual service or help while we were standing there we would have been on with time to spare. More than 10 people were turned away in this fashion claiming there was no way they could let us on the plane, even though it was still sitting connected to the terminal. After the desk agents let us know they didn't care about the situation we were forced to pay more than twice the price of our original tickets as no credits were given for the price of the "missed" flight. And the icing on the cake was after being treated poorly, fleeced for another few hundred dollars for new tickets? We waited on the next plane for 25 minutes passed the "doors closed" time, letting almost an extra dozen passengers on board. You're company has lazy, disinterested employees and your lack of any real help will ensure this was the first and last time we fly Frontier. Awful.

I loked walking out on the tarmac to board and no first class. I didn't like that they have no snacks or onboard wifi to bide your time.

It was a redeye flight, so every passenger just wanted to sleep, but through the entire flight, the flight crew made announcements over the loudspeaker at maximum volume every few minutes making sleep impossible. For example: it’s 2am, and the crew decides to give an extremely detailed announcement about snacks and beverages for sale. And 3am is the perfect time to wake up everyone with a lengthy announcement about how to get a coffee refill and how to take advantage of new offer from frontier for a credit card.

Everything you need to know for your flight from San Francisco to Chicago

Other airlines flying from San Francisco to Chicago

Flights from the other most popular airlines that fly from San Francisco to Chicago according to KAYAK users. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability are not guaranteed.

Compare transportation modes for San Francisco to Chicago

Average priceAverage duration
Flights$5814h 16m
Trains$4480h 00m

Not what you’re looking for? Find thousands of other hotels, flights, car rentals and package deals with KAYAK.