Sacramento to Chicago (SMF–ORD) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

SMF Airport Page →
1,777 mi airlines 57/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 19 flights Verified 4s ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
AA2033
AA American
321
12:34 AM
PDT TA
6:45 AM
CDT
4h 11m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1148
UA United
7M9
2:36 AM
PDT TA
8:48 AM
CDT
4h 12m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA1675
AA American
738
2:46 AM
PDT TA
8:29 AM
CDT
3h 43m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AC5488
AC Air Canada
739
7:00 AM
PDT TA
1:13 PM
CDT
4h 13m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA2370
UA United
739
7:00 AM
PDT TA
1:13 PM
CDT
4h 13m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1278
UA United
B39M
10:41 AM
PDT TA
4:44 PM
CDT
4h 3m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA2898
AA American
738
11:48 AM
PDT TA
6:02 PM
CDT
4h 14m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA902
AA American
738
4:18 PM
PDT TA
10:31 PM
CDT
4h 13m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA2593
AA American
738
11:15 PM
PDT TA
5:09 AM+1
CDT
3h 54m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA3042
AA American
738
11:50 PM
PDT TA
5:44 AM+1
CDT
3h 54m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA2898
AA American
738
8:05 AM
CDT T3
10:48 AM
PDT
4h 43m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AC3652
AC Air Canada
739
9:00 AM
CDT T2
11:51 AM
PDT
4h 51m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA2145
UA United
739
9:00 AM
CDT T1
11:51 AM
PDT
4h 51m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA903
AA American
738
1:06 PM
CDT T3
3:17 PM
PDT
4h 11m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA424
UA United
738
3:35 PM
CDT T1
6:22 PM
PDT
4h 47m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1920
UA United
739
4:02 PM
CDT T1
6:45 PM
PDT
4h 43m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA3042
AA American
738
8:47 PM
CDT T3
11:15 PM
PDT
4h 28m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA2446
AA American
321
8:49 PM
CDT T3
11:29 PM
PDT
4h 40m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1828
UA United
7M9
9:12 PM
CDT T1
11:38 PM
PDT
4h 26m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP
2-STOP Loading...
Sacramento to Chicago
3 carriers, 57 flights/week nonstop.
3 Airlines 57 Flights/wk 1,777 mi 3h 43m nonstop +2h ahead 49 1-stop hubs

SMF–ORD is served by 3 airlines with nonstop service. American Airlines, United Airlines and Air Canada lead the route. The flight covers 1,777 miles in approximately 3h 43m. Beyond nonstop, 49 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop SMF–ORD service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
AA American Airlines 29 321, 738 3h43-4h14 82% Oneworld
UA United Airlines 21 739, 7M9, B39M 4h03-4h13 82% Star Alliance
AC Air Canada 7 739 4h13 82% Star Alliance
Aircraft on this route
321 Airbus A321 – AA
738 Boeing 737-800 – AA
739 Boeing 737-900 – AC, UA
7M9 Boeing 737 MAX 9 – UA
B39MUA
Alliance coverage
Oneworld: AA (29 flights/wk, 51%)
Star Alliance: AC + UA (28 flights/wk, 49%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, SMF to ORD direction.
Mon
9
flights
Tue
8
flights
Wed
8
flights
Thu
8
flights
Fri
7
flights
Sat
9
flights
Sun
8
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
10
Nonstop flights
57
Outbound / wk
57
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for SMF to ORD.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
49
Hubs
~5h
Fastest
~27h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
3,100
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.

On-Time Performance

What to expect at each end of your journey.
Outbound
SMF → ORD
82%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
82%
Arriving
79%
Return
ORD → SMF
56%
Frequent delays expected. Consider flexible booking.
Departing
56%
Arriving
88%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. SMF delays → ORD delays →

Other ways to reach Chicago from Sacramento

Nearby airports with service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
Metric SMF→ORD SFO→ORD SJC→ORD
Distance from SMF 86 mi 94 mi
Nonstop airlines 3 7 1
Weekly flights 57 260 15
Flight time 3h 43m 4h 8m 4h 20m
Departure OTP 82%
Airports within 200 miles of SMF with service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
+2h
Chicago is 2 hours ahead of Sacramento.
SMF: PDT · ORD: CDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Sacramento, it's 8:00 PM in Chicago.
Distance & Flight Time
1,777 mi / 2,860 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 3h 43m to 4h 14m.
Getting from ORD

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.

Chicago Climate

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.

SMF–ORD Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Sacramento to Chicago route.
Route details
Distance1,777 mi / 2,860 km
Flight time3h 43m to 4h 14m
Time difference+2 hours
Airlines (nonstop)3
Weekly flights57 out / 57 return
1-stop connections49 hubs
Origin: SMF
IATA / ICAOSMF / KSMF
TimezoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Passengers/yr13.4M
Elevation27 ft / 8 m
Destination: ORD
IATA / ICAOORD / KORD
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr80.0M
Elevation680 ft / 207 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SMF to ORD flights.
Nonstop flights from Sacramento International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport take approximately 3h 43m to 4h 14m. The route covers 1,777 miles.
3 airlines operate nonstop service: American Airlines, Air Canada and United Airlines.
There are approximately 57 nonstop flights per week from SMF to ORD. The return direction has about 57 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through SCF, LGA, MCI, EUG, LCK, CVG, BFI, TYS, SBA, MIA, SJD, DTW, BNA, SLC, CLT, ATL, EWR, MCO, ONT, PSP, SFO, IAH, DFW, BWI, DEN, GDL, LAX, KOA, PHX, LAS, PDX, OGG, BJX, GEG, SAN, IND, SEA, PVR, STL, MSP, SNA, BOI, HNL, IAD, DAL, MEX, AUS, MLM and YVR. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Chicago is 2 hours ahead of Sacramento.
Yes, return flights from ORD to SMF are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include SFO, SJC and RNO. See the Alternatives section for a full comparison.
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.

Flights from SMF to ORD

Sacramento International Airport (SMF) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) are connected by nonstop service from American Airlines, Air Canada and United Airlines. With 57 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.

SMF to ORD Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from SMF to ORD ranges from 3 hours 43 minutes to 4 hours 14 minutes. The route covers a distance of 1,777 miles (2,860 km). There are approximately 57 weekly flights outbound and 57 return, totaling 114 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

49 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 5 hours via SCF. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include San Francisco (SFO), San Jose (SJC) and Reno (RNO).