Award flights from Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to San Francisco (SFO)
In the last 30 days AwardTool saw award space on 7 programs for ORD→SFO. Lowest economy: 12,500 points + $5.60 (Alaska Atmos Rewards). Lowest business: 38,000 miles + $5.60 (American Airlines AAdvantage). Lowest first: 25,000 points + $25.60 (Alaska Atmos Rewards).
Data as of
Award prices last changed . AwardTool checks these routes daily; seats change quickly.
ORD to SFO at a glance
- From
- Chicago O'Hare International, Chicago, United States (ORD)
- To
- San Francisco International, San Francisco, United States (SFO)
- Programs with award space seen
- 7 of 10 programs tracked on this route
- Nonstop award space seen
- Yes, in economy, business and first, via American Airlines AAdvantage, Alaska Atmos Rewards, Avianca LifeMiles, GOL Smiles, Qantas Frequent Flyer, United MileagePlus and Virgin Australia Velocity
- Airlines seen on these awards
- American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS), JetBlue (B6), United Airlines (UA)
- Departures with open awards
- Oct 2026 to Sep 2027
- Observation window
- Awards observed in the last 30 days
- Destination guide
- Award flights to San Francisco (SFO)
Compare programs by cabin
The lowest one-way award each program showed in each cabin, sorted by points.
Economy
| Program | Points + taxes | Stops | Airlines seen | Seats | Dates seen | Newest observation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Atmos RewardsLowest observed | 12,500 pts + $5.60 | 1 stopNonstop from 12,500 pts | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | 9+ | 326 | See dates | |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 12,500 pts + $5.60 | 1 stopNonstop from 15,500 pts | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | — | 302 | See dates | |
| United MileagePlus | 15,000 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | JetBlue (B6), United Airlines (UA) | 9+ | 327 | See dates | |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 15,000 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | United Airlines (UA) | 9+ | 299 | See dates | |
| Virgin Australia Velocity | 19,000 pts + $9.53 | Nonstop | United Airlines (UA) | 9+ | 260 | See dates | |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 20,700 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | 2 | 291 | See dates | |
| GOL Smiles | 34,900 pts + taxes not reported | Nonstop | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | 1 | 318 | See dates |
Premium Economy
| Program | Points + taxes | Stops | Airlines seen | Seats | Dates seen | Newest observation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOL SmilesLowest observed | 84,900 pts + taxes not reported | 1 stop | American Airlines (AA) | 1 | 2 | See dates | |
| United MileagePlus | 100,000 pts + $5.60 | 1 stop | United Airlines (UA) | 2 | 79 | See dates |
Not seen in premium economy: American Airlines AAdvantage, Alaska Atmos Rewards, Avianca LifeMiles, Qantas Frequent Flyer and Virgin Australia Velocity.
Business
| Program | Points + taxes | Stops | Airlines seen | Seats | Dates seen | Newest observation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avianca LifeMilesLowest observed | 30,000 pts + $58.00 | 1 stop | United Airlines (UA) | 1 | 1 | See dates | |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 38,000 pts + $5.60 | 1 stop | American Airlines (AA) | — | 295 | See dates | |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 43,600 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | 2 | 305 | See dates | |
| GOL Smiles | 69,200 pts + taxes not reported | 1 stopNonstop from 71,500 pts · Mixed cabin | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | 1 | 300 | See dates | |
| United MileagePlus | 70,000 pts + $5.60 | 1 stopMixed cabin | JetBlue (B6), United Airlines (UA) | 1 | 52 | See dates |
Not seen in business: Alaska Atmos Rewards and Virgin Australia Velocity.
First
| Program | Points + taxes | Stops | Airlines seen | Seats | Dates seen | Newest observation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Atmos RewardsLowest observed | 25,000 pts + $25.60 | Nonstop | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | 6 | 326 | See dates | |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 25,000 pts + $5.60 | 1 stopNonstop from 38,000 pts | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | 3 | 302 | See dates | |
| United MileagePlus | 30,000 pts + $5.60 | 1 stopNonstop from 49,500 pts | United Airlines (UA) | 1 | 327 | See dates | |
| Virgin Australia Velocity | 37,500 pts + $13.77 | 1 stop | United Airlines (UA) | 1 | 3 | See dates |
Not seen in first: Avianca LifeMiles, GOL Smiles and Qantas Frequent Flyer.
Not seen means AwardTool hasn't observed this cabin on this route in the last 30 days. It doesn't mean the airline has no seats. Dates seen counts departure dates with an open award in that cabin at any price; newest observation is the latest time AwardTool saw one of them. Seats is the count the program reported when we observed it; some programs report at most 9.
Observed award examples
| Departure | Cabin | Program | Points + taxes | Seats | Stops | Observed (UTC) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | Alaska Atmos Rewards | 12,500 pts + $25.60 | 9+ | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| Premium Economy | United MileagePlus | 100,000 pts + $5.60 | 9+ | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| Business | Avianca LifeMiles | 30,000 pts + $58.00 | 1 | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| Business | Qantas Frequent Flyer | 43,600 pts + $5.60 | 2 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| Business | GOL Smiles | 77,000 pts + taxes not reported | 1 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| First | Alaska Atmos Rewards | 25,000 pts + $25.60 | 8 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| First | American Airlines AAdvantage | 25,000 pts + $5.60 | 3 | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| First | Virgin Australia Velocity | 37,500 pts + $13.77 | 2 | 1 stop | Check this date |
Prices are one-way per traveler: the program's points or miles plus taxes and carrier fees in USD, as AwardTool observed them at the time shown. Award space changes constantly. A seat we saw may be gone, and space we haven't seen may exist. Always confirm with a live search before transferring points; most transfers can't be reversed.
Nonstop award space
- Economy: nonstop from 12,500 points via Alaska Atmos Rewards, which showed nonstop space on 271 dates (7 programs had nonstop space).
- Business: nonstop from 43,600 points via Qantas Frequent Flyer, which showed nonstop space on 287 dates (2 programs had nonstop space).
- First: nonstop from 25,000 points via Alaska Atmos Rewards, which showed nonstop space on 290 dates (3 programs had nonstop space).
Best months to fly ORD to SFO on points
| Month | Economy | Premium Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,500 · Atmos (16 dates) | 100,000 · MileagePlus (6 dates) | 30,000 · LifeMiles (1 date) | 25,000 · Atmos (16 dates) | |
| 12,500 · AAdvantage (30 dates) | 100,000 · MileagePlus (10 dates) | 38,000 · AAdvantage (29 dates) | 25,000 · AAdvantage (30 dates) | |
| 12,500 · Atmos (31 dates) | 100,000 · MileagePlus (8 dates) | 38,000 · AAdvantage (30 dates) | 25,000 · Atmos (31 dates) | |
| 12,500 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | 84,900 · Smiles (1 date) | 38,000 · AAdvantage (27 dates) | 25,000 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | |
| 12,500 · Atmos (28 dates) | 100,000 · MileagePlus (9 dates) | 38,000 · AAdvantage (27 dates) | 25,000 · Atmos (28 dates) | |
| 12,500 · Atmos (31 dates) | 100,000 · MileagePlus (7 dates) | 43,600 · Qantas (30 dates) | 25,000 · Atmos (31 dates) | |
| 12,500 · Atmos (30 dates) | 100,000 · MileagePlus (7 dates) | 43,600 · Qantas (29 dates) | 25,000 · Atmos (30 dates) | |
| 12,500 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | 100,000 · MileagePlus (4 dates) | 38,000 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | 25,000 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | |
| 12,500 · Atmos (30 dates) | — | 38,000 · AAdvantage (25 dates) | 25,000 · Atmos (30 dates) | |
| 12,500 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | — | 43,600 · Qantas (29 dates) | 25,000 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | |
| 12,500 · Atmos (31 dates) | 100,000 · MileagePlus (8 dates) | 38,000 · AAdvantage (30 dates) | 25,000 · Atmos (31 dates) | |
| 12,500 · Atmos (6 dates) | 100,000 · MileagePlus (4 dates) | 40,500 · AAdvantage (5 dates) | 25,000 · Atmos (6 dates) |
Points that transfer to these programs
| Program | Amex | Bilt | Capital One | Chase | Citi | Wells Fargo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | — | 1:1 · ~1 day | — | — | — | — |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | — | — | — | — | 1:1 · Instant | — |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | — | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 1:1 · Instant | — | 1:1 · ~1-2 days | — | 1:1 · Instant | — |
| United MileagePlus | — | 1:1 · Instant | — | 1:1 · Instant | — | — |
Check current transfer bonuses. Most transfers can't be reversed. No bank transfers to GOL Smiles and Virgin Australia Velocity.
Search, calendar and alerts for ORD to SFO
Route calendar
Every departure date with open award seats on ORD→SFO for American Airlines AAdvantage and the other programs: a limited window on the free plan and 365 days with Pro.
Open the route calendarLive search
Search one date across programs to see current flights, seats and taxes before you transfer points.
Search ORD to SFOQuestions about ORD to SFO award flights
What's the lowest Chicago O’Hare to San Francisco award price AwardTool has seen?
In economy, 12,500 points + $5.60 with Alaska Atmos Rewards. Alaska Atmos Rewards showed economy award space on 326 departure dates (newest observation Oct 14, 2026, 23:37 UTC). In business, 38,000 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage. American Airlines AAdvantage showed business award space on 295 departure dates (newest observation Oct 16, 2026, 07:43 UTC). Search live before transferring points.
Which loyalty programs had award space on ORD→SFO?
7 programs in the last 30 days: American Airlines AAdvantage (economy 302 dates, business 295 dates, first 302 dates); Alaska Atmos Rewards (economy 326 dates, first 326 dates); Avianca LifeMiles (economy 299 dates, business 1 date); GOL Smiles (economy 318 dates, premium economy 2 dates, business 300 dates); Qantas Frequent Flyer (economy 291 dates, business 305 dates); United MileagePlus (economy 327 dates, premium economy 79 dates, business 52 dates, first 327 dates); Virgin Australia Velocity (economy 260 dates, first 3 dates). Dates count departure dates with an open award.
Is there nonstop award space from ORD to SFO?
Yes. AwardTool observed nonstop award space in economy, business and first, bookable via American Airlines AAdvantage, Alaska Atmos Rewards, Avianca LifeMiles, GOL Smiles, Qantas Frequent Flyer, United MileagePlus and Virgin Australia Velocity. The lowest nonstop award in economy was 12,500 points with Alaska Atmos Rewards.
Which credit card points transfer to these programs?
American Express Membership Rewards: Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1). Bilt Rewards: Alaska Atmos Rewards (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), United MileagePlus (1:1). Capital One Miles: Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1). Chase Ultimate Rewards: United MileagePlus (1:1). Citi ThankYou Points: American Airlines AAdvantage (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1). Wells Fargo Rewards: Avianca LifeMiles (1:1). Ratios come from AwardTool's transfer partner list; check current bonuses first.
Which months had the lowest ORD→SFO award prices?
Counting only month prices from programs with award space on 2 or more dates that month, and leaving out unusually low outliers: in economy, the lowest award was for Dec 2026 departures, 12,500 points with Atmos (31 dates); in business, the lowest award was for May 2027 departures, 38,000 miles with AAdvantage (31 dates). The month table shows every lowest price, including those. Based on dates we observed, not a forecast.