Downtown San Francisco skyline with the Transamerica Pyramid. Flights from Chicago to San Francisco

Route guide

Cheap Flights from Chicago to San Francisco

Search partner fares from Chicago O'Hare to San Francisco International, with O'Hare screening hours and the BART, AirTrain and Caltrain connections at SFO.

ORD to SFO · 1,842 mi · 4h 30m est.

ORD to SFO
1,842 miles
4h 30m nonstop (estimated)
4 airlines in our fare results

Photo: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Chicago to San Francisco flight insights

Average flight time

~4h 30m (estimated)

ORD → SFO

Cheapest cached price

$225

Checking live fares…

Prices shown may not be current. Last checked: Oct 31, 2026.

Planning a trip from Chicago to San Francisco? The average flight time on this route is ~4h 30m (estimated). The lowest fare we recorded on this route recently was $225 (last checked Oct 31, 2026); today's live fare for your dates can differ.

Chicago to San Francisco covers a straight-line distance of about 1,842 miles. Based on that distance, a nonstop flight would take approximately ~4h 30m (estimated). Actual flight time varies by airline, aircraft and routing.

Chicago to San Francisco at a glance

ORD to SFO is about 1,842 miles in a straight line. The curved line is an illustration; the route your airline flies may differ.

Route Quick Facts

Quick facts for flights from Chicago to San Francisco on Eazair
Origin	Chicago (ORD)
Destination	San Francisco (SFO)
Average Flight Time	~4h 30m (estimated)
Current Lowest Fare	$225
Fares Last Checked	Oct 31, 2026
Distance	1,842 miles (ORD to SFO)
Time in San Francisco	2 hours behind Chicago
Airlines in our fare results	4

Local time in San Francisco is 2 hours behind Chicago. Chicago is on Central Time, San Francisco on Pacific Time.

Flight deals from Chicago to San Francisco

Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) and San Francisco International (SFO) are the two airports this page searches. American Airlines and United Airlines both appear on O'Hare's nonstop list for SFO, dated 1 Sep 2026. Because schedules change, look at the stops listed with every result. American, United and Delta have appeared in EazAir's fare checks for this route. Delta says its O'Hare flights use Terminal 5. Midway (MDW), Oakland (OAK) and San Jose (SJC) are all separate airports.

For screening, O'Hare lists Terminal 2's CP5 from 3:15 a.m. to 11 p.m., and its PreCheck lane from 3:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Travelers coming by train can ride the CTA Blue Line around the clock, with CTA quoting 40 to 45 minutes from downtown Chicago. Anyone dropped at Kiss 'n' Fly or returning a rental car at the Multi-Modal Facility rides the Airport Transit System to Terminals 1, 2, 3 or 5.

BART says its SFO station, on Level 3 of the International Terminal, is a short walk to United Airlines in Terminal 3. To continue by Caltrain, ride BART to Millbrae, a 4-minute ride, where BART lists a cross-platform connection. The AirTrain links every terminal with the BART station, and BART says the domestic terminals are one to three minutes away on it.

Between 11 Sep and 13 Oct 2026, EazAir logged its first 11 fare checks for ORD to SFO, each asking partners for the lowest one-way economy fare for one adult, travelling 30 days after the check. Those checks produced 9 different results, the top one at least one and a half times the bottom, and the lowest turned up on 13 Oct. United Basic Economy includes only a personal item on domestic flights. Search your own dates, and check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

Airports for Chicago to San Francisco flights

Departure · Chicago

O'Hare International (ORD)

Central Time

Other airports near Chicago: Chicago Midway International (MDW)

Arrival · San Francisco

San Francisco International (SFO)

Pacific Time

Other airports near San Francisco Bay Area: Oakland International (OAK), Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International (SJC)

About San Francisco

Areas to know in San Francisco

Mission District
North Beach
Hayes Valley

Weather in San Francisco

A Mediterranean climate, though famously cool and foggy in summer due to marine influence.

Chicago to San Francisco: airport and fare guide

Checked on 17 Oct 2026 against the airport, airline and transit pages listed under Sources. Airports and airlines change these details, so confirm them with your airline before you fly.

Chicago O'Hare International's nonstop list (as of 1 Sep 2026) shows San Francisco (SFO) served by American Airlines and United Airlines. Schedules change, so check the stops shown with each result.

Oakland (OAK) and San Jose (SJC) are separate airports in the same region. Check that your ticket says SFO.

Chicago Midway (MDW) is a separate airport, served by the CTA Orange Line. Check which Chicago airport each fare uses.

Leaving from Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)

The CTA Blue Line runs 24 hours to O'Hare station, which links to Terminals 1, 2 and 3 by Basement Level tunnels. For Terminal 5, ride the free Airport Transit System from Terminal 2.
Pace Routes 250 and 330 and Metra North Central Service weekday trains stop at the Multi-Modal Facility, which the Airport Transit System links to every terminal.
O'Hare lists the Terminal 5 checkpoint (CP10) as open 24 hours, with TSA PreCheck from 3:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Terminal 2's checkpoint (CP5) is listed from 3:15 a.m. to 11 p.m., with PreCheck from 3:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
In Terminal 1, CP1 is listed from 3:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and CP2, with TSA PreCheck, from 4 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. In Terminal 3, CP7A is listed from 3:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with PreCheck from 3:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
O'Hare says checkpoint hours may be affected by day-to-day airport activities, and recommends checking with your airline about operations on the date of your flight.

Arriving at San Francisco International (SFO)

Airline terminal locations are not listed here. Check your boarding pass or airline app for your terminal.

BART describes SFO as having domestic Terminals 1, 2 and 3 plus the International Terminal.
The BART station is in the International Terminal on Level 3. BART says it is a short walk from Terminals 1 and 3.
AirTrain links all terminals with the BART station. BART says the domestic terminals are one to three minutes away on AirTrain.

Getting from SFO	Where to board	Where it goes
BART	SFO station, International Terminal, Level 3. From Terminals 1, 2 and 3, walk or take the AirTrain Red Line, BART says.	BART lists two lines here, Antioch to SFIA/Millbrae and Richmond to Millbrae/SFIA. About 30 minutes to downtown San Francisco, according to BART.
AirTrain	All terminals, BART says.	Terminals 1, 2 and 3 and the BART station in the International Terminal.
Caltrain via Millbrae	Take BART from the SFO station to Millbrae, a 4-minute ride, according to BART.	Caltrain, through the cross-platform connection BART lists at Millbrae.
SamTrans buses	Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 on the Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level, and the International Terminal on Level 1 at Courtyard A or curbside next to Courtyard G, SamTrans says.	Routes 292, 397 and late-night ECR OWL stop at the terminals and serve San Mateo County and San Francisco, according to SamTrans.

What the lowest fares include

Fare	Carry-on	Checked bag	Seat	Changes
Delta Main Basic	Delta says every passenger can bring one carry-on and one personal item free.	Delta charges for checked bags on domestic flights unless you qualify for a waiver, such as Medallion status or an eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express card.	Assigned after check-in. You may be able to buy a seat ahead of time for a fee.	Refunds are not allowed after the 24-hour risk-free cancellation window. Delta says a change or cancellation may be possible for a fee, with any value left as an eCredit.
American Basic Economy	Included, plus a personal item.	Not included, except for some AAdvantage status members and eligible cardmembers.	A free seat is assigned at check-in, or you can pay to choose one.	Generally not allowed. American describes a 24-hour window and some credit options on its Basic Economy page.
United Basic Economy	Not included on domestic flights. One personal item only, unless you are a MileagePlus Premier member, travel with one, or hold a qualifying MileagePlus card.	Not included; check United's bag fee calculator.	Assigned by United before boarding.	Changes may not be allowed. Refund if cancelled within 24 hours of booking, under United's 24-hour policy; after that, partial travel credit.

Based on the airlines' own pages, checked on 17 Oct 2026. Fees are left out because they change often. Check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

How EazAir measured fares on this route

EazAir's first 11 fare checks from Chicago to San Francisco ran from 11 Sep to 13 Oct 2026. For the return direction, San Francisco to Chicago, EazAir's first check was on 5 Oct 2026. Each check asked partner travel sites for the lowest one-way economy fare for one adult, departing 30 days after the check. Results can include connecting flights. The highest result was at least one and a half times the lowest. The 11 checks returned 9 different results. The lowest result came on 13 Oct. That is a small sample, so it shows that prices move, not when they are lowest. Search your own dates for current prices.

Sources

Delta: Delta's new O'Hare home (11 Oct 2022, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
O'Hare: Public transit (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
CTA: Airports (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
O'Hare: ATS service update (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
O'Hare: TSA checkpoints (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
O'Hare: Domestic nonstop destinations (as of 1 Sep 2026, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
BART: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) station (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
BART: Getting to SFO (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
BART: Millbrae station (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SamTrans: Airport service (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Delta Main Basic (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Fares and discounts (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Carry-on baggage (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Bags (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
American Airlines: Basic Economy (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
United: Basic Economy FAQ (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
EazAir fare checks for ORD to SFO, 11 Sep 2026 to 13 Oct 2026; SFO to ORD, 5 Oct 2026 to 5 Oct 2026

Frequently asked questions

Does this page search O'Hare or Midway?

O'Hare (ORD). Chicago Midway (MDW) is a separate airport served by the CTA Orange Line, so check which Chicago airport each fare uses.

When is the Terminal 2 checkpoint open at O'Hare?

O'Hare lists the Terminal 2 checkpoint, CP5, from 3:15 a.m. to 11 p.m., with TSA PreCheck from 3:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. It says hours may be affected by day-to-day airport activities.

How far is United's terminal from the BART station at SFO?

BART says its SFO station, on Level 3 of the International Terminal, is a short walk to United Airlines in Terminal 3.

Can I get to Caltrain from SFO?

Yes. Take BART from SFO to Millbrae, a 4-minute ride according to BART, and change there using the cross-platform connection to Caltrain.

Do the lowest fares from Chicago to San Francisco include a carry-on?

American Basic Economy and Delta Main Basic include a carry-on plus a personal item. United Basic Economy allows only a personal item on domestic flights, unless you qualify through MileagePlus.

How far is Chicago from San Francisco?

ORD and SFO are about 1842 miles apart in a straight line. Flight times vary by airline, direction and routing, so check the scheduled time shown with each result.

Airline bag fees

Baggage allowances differ significantly between fare classes (Basic/Light vs. Standard/Flex) and can change over time. Always verify the exact allowance for your specific fare with the airline before you fly.

Checked bag fees from each airline's own website
Airline	Carry-on, basic economy	1st checked bag	2nd checked bag	Source
American Airlines	Included	$45	$55	aa.com, Sep 24, 2026
United Airlines	Not included	$40	$50	united.com, Sep 24, 2026
Delta Air Lines	Included	$45	$55	delta.com, Sep 24, 2026
Southwest Airlines	Included	$45	$55	southwest.com, Oct 27, 2026
JetBlue	Included	$45	$59	jetblue.com, Sep 24, 2026
Alaska Airlines	Included	$45	$55	alaskaair.com, Sep 24, 2026
Frontier Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	flyfrontier.com, Sep 24, 2026
Sun Country Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	suncountry.com, Sep 24, 2026

Domestic US fees per bag, each way, when paid online in advance. "Varies" means the airline prices bags by route and date.

Travel tips

Arrive early for domestic flights

TSA generally recommends arriving at least 2 hours before a domestic departure, more at larger hub airports during peak travel periods.

Pack a mixed carry-on

Keep a change of clothes, chargers, and any essentials in your carry-on rather than only your checked bag, in case of a delay or a bag that doesn't arrive with you.

Ease jet lag on longer routes

On longer cross-country flights, adjusting your sleep schedule a day or two before departure and staying hydrated in flight can reduce jet lag on arrival.

Screenshot your confirmation

Save a screenshot or PDF of your booking confirmation and boarding pass before you travel, in case you lose signal or battery at the airport.

Check in online when it opens

Most airlines open online check-in 24 hours before departure. Checking in early can help with seat selection and, on some airlines, boarding group assignment.