Flying from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Chicago: what you need to know
Expect to be travelling for 4 hours 43 minutes. That's the average duration of a direct flight from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago.
Chicago is 2 hours ahead of San Francisco, where San Francisco International Airport is located. Chicago operates on the UTC-5 timezone.
The busiest route is from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to O'Hare International Airport (ORD). Choose from 137 weekly services between these two airports. If you want to get on your way as soon as possible, the earliest flight from SFO to ORD is the 00:12 United service. If you'd rather travel later, the final departure is at 23:59 with United.
Leave enough time to catch your flight from SFO to Chicago. A good rule of thumb is to arrive at least two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.
Getting away during a peak month like August? Busy periods (like summer, Thanksgiving, Christmas and spring break) can easily add another hour at security. Be extra cautious and arrive up to four hours ahead of an international flight and two hours before a domestic departure.
You can catch a direct flight from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago that lands at O'Hare International Airport (ORD).
These are some of the top airlines offering direct flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago:
Once you've booked your flight tickets from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago, get your travel documents ready. A visa or passport isn't necessary since you're travelling within United States. As long as you have some other valid proof of identity, such as a driver's licence or an ID card, you're ready to go.
Travelling from central San Francisco to SFO takes approximately 47 minutes by public transport. If you drive, ride-share or take a cab, you'll cover the 21 kilometres in 20 minutes or so, depending on traffic.
After a relaxed start to your trip? Stay near SFO. Whether you're taking an early flight from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago or want to avoid feeling rushed, these hotels are the answer:
How to find the cheapest flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Chicago
ج.م. 3,499 is the best price for a one-way ticket from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago. A return flight starts from ج.م. 6,850. These prices may change depending on availability.
Get cheap tickets from SFO to Chicago by booking 9 months ahead. According to our research, that's the sweet spot for picking up a bargain.
Plan your trip for May. That's the cheapest month for tickets from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago. If you're flexible with your dates, use the 'Whole month' tool to find the cheapest price across every month.
Set up a Price Alert for cheap flight tickets from SFO to Chicago. You don't need to check back in every day to find out if prices have dropped. We'll let you know when the price changes.
Tailor your flights with filters. Pick your arrival and departure times, airlines and total journey duration. You can also sort your results by 'Cheapest,' 'Fastest' or 'Best' flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago.
Airports in Chicago
O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is around 40 kilometres from central Chicago. With your own car rental or if you take a cab, the drive is around 35 minutes.
Getting to the centre on public transport takes about 54 minutes.
The last thing you want is a long journey to your hotel if you're landing late on a flight from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago. Stay at one of these accommodation options near ORD instead:
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
After your flight from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago has landed, you can make your way to the city centre in around 21 minutes by car. Central Chicago is approximately 19 kilometres from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW).
You can expect the trip to take roughly 46 minutes on public transport.
There are some great places to call home for the night near MDW. Tuck yourself in and get cosy after your flight from SFO to Chicago at one of these perfectly located options:
Best time to go to Chicago
August is the busiest month to catch a flight from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago while February is the quietest. To work out the ideal time to go to Chicago, consider the pace you prefer to travel at.
Before you book a flight from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago, think about the kind of weather you enjoy. July is the warmest month in Chicago, with the temperature ranging from 15ºC to 29ºC.
Look for cheap flights from SFO to Chicago in January if you'd rather travel during cooler conditions. Temperatures are at their lowest around then, ranging between -12ºC and 3ºC on average.
More about Chicago
Once you've booked your flight from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago, think about where you'd like to stay in this city. Make one of these options your base for exploring Chicago:
Millennium Park and Art Institute of Chicago are just a couple of the big attractions to add to your Chicago to-do list. Continue your sightseeing adventures at LandShark Beer Garden at Navy Pier.
Complete your Chicago trip with a car rental
We use the same magic that helped you find your cheap flight from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago to track down deals on car rentals. Search for your ride in seconds and easily compare your options. Plus we give you all the info you need to know about car rentals in Chicago, from the most popular car type to the average daily price.
