ORD to SFO: Distance and Flight Time
The distance from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 2,964 km (1,842 mi). A typical nonstop flight covers it in about 4h 10m, heading west. The distance is the same in either direction (SFO to ORD).
How far is it from Chicago to San Francisco?
The great-circle distance between Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 2,964 km (1,842 mi, 1,600 nautical miles). That is the straight-line distance; a real flight is a little longer because of air-traffic routing.
How long is the flight from ORD to SFO?
A nonstop flight typically takes about 4h 10m. This is an estimate from the distance; actual block times depend on the aircraft, winds and the exact routing. SFO is roughly west of ORD.
How is the ORD to SFO route written in code?
The pair is written ORD-SFO in IATA codes and KORD-KSFO in ICAO codes, the form used on a flight plan. Chicago O'Hare International Airport is ORD (KORD), San Francisco International Airport is SFO (KSFO).
| ORD | SFO | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport | Chicago O'Hare International Airport | San Francisco International Airport |
| ICAO code | KORD | KSFO |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Elevation | 680 ft | 13 ft |
| Rank by connections | #2 | #46 |
Both ICAO codes start with K, the prefix ICAO assigns to the contiguous United States, so this is a route inside one ICAO region. How ICAO prefixes are laid out.
SFO sits 667 ft (203 m) lower than ORD, which is a real difference in air density on takeoff.
Airlines flying ORD to SFO
4 airlines appear on this route in the open route dataset, 4 of them still listed as active. Each row gives the IATA code, the ICAO code and the radio callsign, which is what an air traffic controller hears:
| IATA | Airline | ICAO | Callsign | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA | American Airlines | AAL | American | Active |
| UA | United Airlines | UAL | United | Active |
| US | US Airways | USA | U S Air | Active |
| VX | Virgin America | VRD | Redwood | Active |
A further 1 carrier sell this pair as a codeshare without operating it: AS.
Route and carrier data comes from the OpenFlights open dataset, regenerated here on . It is a historical snapshot of scheduled connections, not a live schedule, and it includes codeshare listings, so some carriers shown may no longer operate the route or exist. How we build this · Data and sources.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Chicago from San Francisco?
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) are 2,964 km (1,842 mi, 1,600 nautical miles) apart in a straight line.
How long is the flight from ORD to SFO?
A typical nonstop flight between ORD and SFO takes about 4h 10m. Actual times vary with aircraft type, winds and routing.
What direction is SFO from ORD?
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) lies roughly west of Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD).
Which airlines fly ORD to SFO?
4 airlines appear on the ORD-SFO route in the open dataset, including American Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways.
Related routes
Other routes from Chicago (ORD):
Other routes from San Francisco (SFO):
ORD airport code · SFO airport code · Busiest airports worldwide