San Francisco to Chicago (SFO–ORD) — 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.
SFO–ORD is served by 3 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, American Airlines and EVA Air lead the route. The flight covers 1,842 miles in approximately 4h 34m. 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, EK, LH, NZ, OS, OZ, SN, VA | 129 | 32Q, 753, 772, 777, A21N | 3h29-11h46 | Star Alliance | AC, AZ, EK, LH, NZ, OS, OZ, SN, VA | |
| AA American Airlines Also: AY, BA, EI, FJ, GF, IB, QF, QR, RJ | 43 | 321, 738 | 3h30-4h55 | Oneworld | AY, BA, EI, FJ, GF, IB, QF, QR, RJ | |
| BR EVA Air | 0 | – | – | Star Alliance | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach Chicago from San Francisco
| Metric | SFO→ORD | OAK→ORD | SJC→ORD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from SFO | – | 11 mi | 30 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Weekly flights | 494 | – | 14 |
| Flight time | 4h 34m | 3h 48m | 4h 24m |
| Departure OTP | 35% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
SFO: PDT · ORD: CDT
When it's 6:00 PM in San Francisco, it's 8:00 PM in Chicago.
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) runs from downtown San Francisco (Embarcadero, Powell St.) to the SFO station and then a free AirTrain shuttle to all terminals (30–40 min from Embarcadero, $10.45). BART also connects Oakland and Berkeley; useful for East Bay travelers. Trains run from ~4am to midnight.Taxis from downtown San Francisco cost $40–60. Ride-hails (Uber, Lyft) pick up in the designated area in the garage and are often $30–50 depending on surge pricing. SamTrans buses serve Peninsula cities. Highway 101 and I-280 are heavily congested during commute hours; BART is faster than driving at those times.
CTA Blue Line runs 24/7 from O'Hare to downtown Chicago (45 min, $5). Taxis use a flat-rate zone system; downtown is around $40–45 plus tip. Ride-shares are typically $30–50.The Airport Transit System (ATS) connects all terminals and parking. Metra commuter rail does not serve O'Hare directly; transfer downtown via Blue Line.
Continental climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and humid (25–32°C) with afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are cold (−10 to −2°C) with heavy snowfall that regularly delays flights December through March.
Spring and fall are mild but unpredictable. Pack layers. Lake Michigan moderates temperatures near the lakefront, but O'Hare sits inland and runs colder.
SFO–ORD Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
San Francisco to Chicago O'Hare: West Coast–Midwest Trunk
SFO–ORD is a four-hour transcontinental corridor connecting two of the largest hub airports in the US network. United and American operate the majority of capacity, with both carriers running multiple daily rotations including premium widebody service on peak business banks. Alaska, Spirit, and Frontier add lower-fare competition. The route sustains demand from the tech sector connecting Bay Area offices to Chicago's financial and logistics industries, as well as a significant connecting passenger base using SFO or ORD as gateways to the Pacific or transatlantic networks.
Delay Environment and Hub Dynamics
Both airports rank among the most delay-prone in the US. SFO's marine fog affects morning banks; O'Hare's exposure to Great Lakes winter systems affects the November–March period. Eastbound flights cross several en-route convective zones in summer that can require reroutings. Despite these factors, the dense frequency. Upward of 30 daily departures across carriers. Means rebooking options are plentiful when delays occur. Both airports connect to downtown Chicago (Blue Line, 45 minutes) and San Francisco (BART, 30 minutes) via rapid transit.