Chicago to San Diego (ORD–SAN) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
No flights match your filters.
No scheduled airline flights on this route — it's flown by charter / private operators (). No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
Most recently operated nonstop flights — the month shown is when each was last scheduled. Most destinations remain reachable with a connection.
No discontinued nonstop flights on record for this route.
ORD–SAN is served by 4 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 1,720 miles in approximately 4h 30m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA United Airlines Also: AC, AZ, LX, OS, SN | 45 | 32Q, 739, A21N, B39M | 3h48-4h35 | Star Alliance | AC, AZ, LX, OS, SN | |
| AA American Airlines Also: AY, BA, CX, EI, GF, IB, QR, RJ | 42 | 321, 738, 7M8 | 4h20-4h44 | Oneworld | AY, BA, CX, EI, GF, IB, QR, RJ | |
| AS Alaska Airlines Also: AY, HA, QR | 21 | 739, 73H, 7M9 | 4h31-4h39 | Oneworld | AY, HA, QR | |
| MX Mexicana | 0 | – | – | – | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach San Diego from Chicago
| Metric | ORD→SAN | MDW→SAN | MKE→SAN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from ORD | – | 15 mi | 67 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| Weekly flights | 306 | 25 | 8 |
| Flight time | 4h 30m | 3h 57m | 4h 10m |
| Departure OTP | 72% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
ORD: CDT · SAN: PDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Chicago, it's 4:00 PM in San Diego.
CTA Blue Line runs 24/7 from downtown Loop stations to O'Hare (45 min, $5). Pace buses serve suburbs. Ride-shares cost $35–55 from downtown depending on traffic; add 30+ minutes during rush hour on the Kennedy Expressway.Economy parking lots E/F connect via ATS people mover. Terminal 5 (international) is separate from Terminals 1–3; allow extra time for inter-terminal transfers.
ORD–SAN Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Flights from ORD to SAN
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and San Diego International Airport (SAN) are connected by nonstop service from United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Mexicana. With 306 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.
ORD to SAN Flight Duration and Schedule
Nonstop flight time from ORD to SAN is about 4 hours 30 minutes gate to gate. The route covers a distance of 1,720 miles (2,768 km). There are approximately 306 weekly flights outbound and 309 return, totaling 615 flights per week in both directions.
Connecting Options and Alternatives
1-stop connecting options are also available, commonly via Eppley Airfield, Phoenix Sky Harbor and Kansas City. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Chicago (MDW), Milwaukee (MKE) and South Bend (SBN).