Chicago to San Francisco (ORD–SFO) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
Flight Schedule
165 flights
Verified 1h ago
Flight
Airline
AC
Dep
Arr
Dur
OTP
Sched
Outbound Day
Return Day
✈ Nonstop
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
✓
←
GF6456cs
GF
Great Barrier Airlines
7M8
10:42 AM
PDT
T1
5:17 PM
CDT
4h 35m
—
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
✓
←
GF4143cs
GF
Great Barrier Airlines
738
11:52 AM
PDT
T1
6:38 PM
CDT
4h 46m
—
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
✓
←
GF6457+1
GF
Great Barrier Airlines
738
12:30 PM
PDT
T2
6:46 PM
CDT
4h 16m
—
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
Aircraft
Terminals
On-Time
performance
Schedule
Unknown
No flights match your filters.
No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
✦ 1-Stop
Hide ▲
→
Separate tickets — book each leg independently. Collect and recheck bags at .
Hub OTP
No data
Combos
No data
Fastest
estimated
Schedule
Unknown
Leg 1
Leg 2
✧ 2-Stop
Hide ▲
Separate tickets — book each leg independently. Collect and recheck bags at each hub.
bottleneck
Layover
OTP
No data
Combos
No data
bottleneck
Layover
OTP
No data
Combos
No data
Leg 1
Leg 2
Leg 3
Chicago to San Francisco
3 carriers, 505 flights/week nonstop.
3 Airlines
505 Flights/wk
1,842 mi
4h 9m nonstop
-2h behind
185 1-stop hubs
ORD–SFO is served by 3 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, American Airlines and ITA Airways lead the route. The flight covers 1,842 miles in approximately 4h 9m. Beyond nonstop, 185 hubs offer 1-stop connections.
Carriers on this route
Airline Landscape
All carriers operating nonstop ORD–SFO service, compared side by side.
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA United Airlines Also: AC, CA, EK, NH, OS, OZ, SN, VA | 129 | 32Q, 739, 752, 753, 777, 788, 7M9, A21N | 4h09-5h | Star Alliance | AC, CA, EK, NH, OS, OZ, SN, VA | |
| AA American Airlines Also: AY, CZ, EI, FJ, GF, IB, QF, QR, RJ | 76 | 321, 32Q, 738, 7M8, B38M | 4h13-5h | Oneworld | AY, CZ, EI, FJ, GF, IB, QF, QR, RJ | |
| AZ ITA Airways | 4 | 32Q | 4h57 | SkyTeam | – |
Aircraft on this route
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.
Schedule
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, ORD to SFO direction.
Mon
74
flights
Tue
67
flights
Wed
69
flights
Thu
73
flights
Fri
72
flights
Sat
76
flights
Sun
74
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
80
Nonstop flights
505
Outbound / wk
521
Return / wk
Connections
Connection Landscape
Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for ORD to SFO.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
185
Hubs
~5h
Fastest
~49h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
6,271
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.
Alternatives
Other ways to reach San Francisco from Chicago
Nearby airports with service to San Francisco International Airport.
| Metric | ORD→SFO | MDW→SFO | MKE→SFO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from ORD | – | 15 mi | 67 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| Weekly flights | 505 | 16 | 1 |
| Flight time | 4h 9m | 4h 35m | 4h 14m |
| Departure OTP | 63% | – | – |
Chicago (MDW) to San Francisco flights · Milwaukee (MKE) to San Francisco flights · South Bend (SBN) to San Francisco flights
Airports within 200 miles of ORD with service to San Francisco International Airport.
Know before you go
Travel Essentials
Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
-2h
San Francisco is 2 hours
behind
Chicago.
ORD: CDT · SFO: PDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Chicago, it's 4:00 PM in San Francisco.
ORD: CDT · SFO: PDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Chicago, it's 4:00 PM in San Francisco.
Distance & Flight Time
1,842 mi / 2,964 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 4h 9m to 5h 10m.
Getting to ORD
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.
Getting from SFO
BART from SFO station (free AirTrain from any terminal to the station) to downtown San Francisco takes 30–40 minutes ($10.45 to Embarcadero). Traffic on 101 can make taxis and ride-hails much slower during peak hours; BART skips all of that. BART also reaches Oakland, Berkeley, and Millbrae for Caltrain connections.Ride-hails from SFO use a dedicated garage pickup area; follow signs. Taxis are metered; downtown SF costs $40–60. Caltrain to the Peninsula (Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose) requires taking BART to Millbrae station for the transfer. Rental cars are at a consolidated facility accessible by AirTrain.
San Francisco Climate
Coastal fog dominates the climate pattern. The thick marine layer ("Karl the Fog") rolls into SFO from the Pacific regularly in summer (June–September), causing significant low-visibility delays even on days that appear sunny inland. Morning fog burns off by afternoon most days, but persistent IFR conditions can last all day. This is the primary flight disruption risk at SFO.
Temperatures are mild year-round (10–20°C) with little seasonal variation. Winters bring rain (December–March) and occasional atmospheric river events that cause brief but intense flooding on the 101. Summers are cool. Pack a light jacket year-round. Wind off the bay affects small aircraft approach paths.
Facts
ORD–SFO Quick Facts
Key statistics for the Chicago to San Francisco route.
Route details
Distance1,842 mi / 2,964 km
Flight time4h 9m to 5h 10m
Time difference-2 hours
Airlines (nonstop)3
Weekly flights505 out / 521 return
1-stop connections185 hubs
Origin: ORD
Full nameChicago O'Hare International Airport
IATA / ICAOORD / KORD
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr80.0M
Elevation680 ft / 207 m
Destination: SFO
Full nameSan Francisco International Airport
IATA / ICAOSFO / KSFO
TimezoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Passengers/yr52.3M
Elevation13 ft / 4 m
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ORD to SFO flights.
Nonstop flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to San Francisco International Airport take approximately 4h 9m to 5h 10m. The route covers 1,842 miles.
3 airlines operate nonstop service: American Airlines, ITA Airways and United Airlines. Plus 17 codeshare partners.
There are approximately 505 nonstop flights per week from ORD to SFO. The return direction has about 521 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through ICT, SLN, RIL, GRR, APA, TEX, MSN, LNK, PVU, SBN, ATW, MAF, RAP, UDD, FSD, BFI, YUM, VNY, SCF, MKE, SBD, YIP, LAF, COS, GJT, MTJ, SAF, SUS, NEW, HDN, SJC, MBS, STS, LAN, GTF, HOU, SUN, EGE, PAE, BUR, LUK, MEM, AFW, TUL, TYS, AGS, TEB, OPF, MMU, JAX, PNS, BED, ABE, RIC, CHS, GNV, PSM, SUA, APF, MHH, LGA, FXE, PIE, HPN, MSO, BGR, PBI, FCA, RSW, ZIH, NAS, BZE, GCM, PVR, FAI, SJD, EUG, CUN, SJU, SXM, SBA, ASE, KOA, OKC, GDL, YUL, XNA, KEF, PIT, FAT, MCI, ATL, BZN, LTN, DAL, SMF, CMH, STL, PSP, LAX, DEN, TUS, SLC, DCA, OMA, CLE, MRY, LAS, MSP, DTW, PHX, DFW, IND, SEA, IAH, PHL, AUS, HAM, SAN, ABQ, BWI, SAT, ZAZ, ONT, RNO, CVG, GEG, BNA, DUB, SNA, CPH, TPA, PDX, YYC, RDU, SDF, STR, JFK, MSY, BOI, LIS, MCO, YYZ, YVR, MEX, IAD, MIA, EWR, CLT, MDW, BOS, FLL, LIR, LHR, BCN, MAD, NRT, YEG, MTY, JAC, MUC, AMS, FRA, ZRH, GUM, FCO, ANC, XMN, HNL, PTY, IST, PVG, PEK, SJO, OGG, CDG, ICN, TPE, HND, DEL, HKG, DOH, DXB, KIX and CAN. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
San Francisco is 2 hours behind Chicago.
Yes, return flights from SFO to ORD are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
See the On-Time Performance section for the latest delay data at both airports. This shows departure and arrival reliability to help you plan.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.
United flights from O'Hare arrive at SFO's Terminal 3, which connects to the International Terminal via an indoor walkway. American arrives at Terminal 2. Alaska lands at Terminal 2. SFO is undergoing renovation through 2028, so gate assignments may shift; verify on departure day.
Yes. San Francisco is one of the foggiest major airports in the US. Karl the Fog. As locals call it. Can drop visibility below ILS minimums on summer mornings, triggering ground delay programs that push Chicago departures back by 60 to 90 minutes. The fog typically burns off by 10:00 or 11:00. Early-morning arrivals at SFO carry the highest fog delay risk.
United operates Polaris business class on select widebody departures from O'Hare to SFO, including some Boeing 767 and 777 rotations. American runs Flagship Business on a subset of their schedule. The availability of flat-bed seats varies by departure time and aircraft assignment; the 08:00 to 10:00 departure window from ORD tends to have the most premium capacity.
Chicago O'Hare to San Francisco: West Coast Trunk Corridor
ORD–SFO is one of the highest-revenue transcontinental routes in North America, driven by dense business travel between Chicago's financial sector and Silicon Valley's tech industry. United, American, Alaska, and Southwest collectively run over 100 weekly departures. Block time is 4 hours 30 minutes westbound and 4 hours 10 minutes eastbound. United anchors the route from its O'Hare hub with multiple daily departures including widebody equipment on peak morning banks, while Alaska provides competitive capacity from its strong West Coast position.
Premium Traffic and Operational Context
The high proportion of corporate travelers on ORD–SFO sustains premium cabin load factors well above the US domestic average. First class fills regularly on United's morning departures, and upgrade availability is tight for elite members without complimentary upgrades. SFO's BART connection to downtown San Francisco takes 30 minutes and costs $10 from the airport train station, which sits inside the International Terminal. O'Hare winter weather and SFO summer fog are the two primary delay drivers; the worst combinations occur when a Chicago winter storm overlaps with a scheduled morning SFO arrival window.