Award flights from San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
In the last 30 days AwardTool saw award space on 11 programs for SAN→ORD. Lowest economy: 8,500 miles + $5.60 (American Airlines AAdvantage). Lowest business class: 35,000 miles + $48.83 (Etihad Guest). Lowest first class: 18,000 miles + $5.60 (American Airlines AAdvantage).
Data as of
Award prices last changed . AwardTool checks these routes daily; seats change quickly.
San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) at a glance
- From
- San Diego International, San Diego, California, United States (SAN)
- To
- Chicago O'Hare International, Chicago, Illinois, United States (ORD)
- Programs with award space seen
- 11 of 15 programs tracked on this route
- Nonstop award space seen
- Yes, in economy, business class and first class, via American Airlines AAdvantage, Air Canada Aeroplan, Alaska Atmos Rewards, Avianca LifeMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Etihad Guest, Qantas Frequent Flyer, United MileagePlus and Virgin Australia Velocity
- Airlines seen on these awards
- American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS), JetBlue (B6), Delta Air Lines (DL), 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 Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantageLowest observed | 8,500 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | — | 330 | See dates | |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 10,000 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | 9+ | 321 | See dates | |
| Delta SkyMiles | 10,500 pts + $5.60 | 1 stop | Delta Air Lines (DL) | 9+ | 319 | See dates | |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 13,800 pts + $5.60 | 1 stopNonstop from 26,400 pts | JetBlue (B6), United Airlines (UA) | 9+ | 316 | See dates | |
| United MileagePlus | 15,000 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | JetBlue (B6), United Airlines (UA) | 9+ | 328 | See dates | |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 15,000 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | United Airlines (UA) | 9+ | 308 | See dates | |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 17,500 pts + $32.94 | Nonstop | United Airlines (UA) | 9+ | 296 | See dates | |
| Virgin Australia Velocity | 19,000 pts + $9.53 | Nonstop | United Airlines (UA) | 9+ | 291 | See dates | |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 20,700 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | 2 | 309 | See dates | |
| Etihad Guest | 21,000 pts + $39.38 | 1 stopNonstop from 23,000 pts | American Airlines (AA) | 7 | 301 | See dates | |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 26,000 pts + $5.60 | 1 stop | Delta Air Lines (DL) | 1 | 183 | See dates |
Business Class
| Program | Points + taxes | Stops | Airlines seen | Seats | Dates seen | Newest observation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avianca LifeMilesLowest observed | 30,000 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | United Airlines (UA) | 2 | 1 | See dates | |
| Etihad Guest | 35,000 pts + $48.83 | 1 stopNonstop from 40,000 pts · Mixed cabin | American Airlines (AA) | 1 | 300 | See dates | |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 43,600 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | 2 | 308 | See dates |
Not seen in business class: American Airlines AAdvantage, Air Canada Aeroplan, Alaska Atmos Rewards, JetBlue TrueBlue, Delta SkyMiles, United MileagePlus, Virgin Australia Velocity and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
First Class
| Program | Points + taxes | Stops | Airlines seen | Seats | Dates seen | Newest observation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantageLowest observed | 18,000 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | — | 330 | See dates | |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 25,000 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | American Airlines (AA), Alaska Airlines (AS) | 3 | 321 | See dates | |
| United MileagePlus | 30,000 pts + $5.60 | Nonstop | United Airlines (UA) | 1 | 328 | See dates | |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 30,000 pts + $32.98 | Nonstop | United Airlines (UA) | 1 | 2 | See dates | |
| Delta SkyMiles | 52,300 pts + $5.60 | 1 stop | Delta Air Lines (DL) | 8 | 319 | See dates | |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 87,500 pts + $11.20 | 1 stop | Delta Air Lines (DL) | 1 | 60 | See dates |
Not seen in first class: Avianca LifeMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Etihad Guest, Qantas Frequent Flyer and Virgin Australia Velocity.
Premium economy: not seen in the last 30 days.
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 | American Airlines AAdvantage | 8,500 pts + $5.60 | — | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| Business | Avianca LifeMiles | 30,000 pts + $5.60 | 2 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| First | American Airlines AAdvantage | 18,000 pts + $5.60 | — | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| First | Alaska Atmos Rewards | 25,000 pts + $25.60 | 6 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| First | Air Canada Aeroplan | 30,000 pts + $32.98 | 1 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| First | United MileagePlus | 30,000 pts + $5.60 | 2 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| First | Delta SkyMiles | 52,300 pts + $5.60 | 8 | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| First | Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 87,500 pts + $11.20 | 1 | 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 8,500 miles via American Airlines AAdvantage, which showed nonstop space on 330 dates (9 programs had nonstop space).
- Business class: nonstop from 40,000 miles via Etihad Guest, which showed nonstop space on 286 dates (3 programs had nonstop space).
- First class: nonstop from 18,000 miles via American Airlines AAdvantage, which showed nonstop space on 330 dates (4 programs had nonstop space).
Best months to fly from San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) on points
| Month | Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9,500 · AAdvantage (16 dates) | 30,000 · LifeMiles (1 date) | 18,500 · AAdvantage (16 dates) | |
| 8,500 · AAdvantage (30 dates) | 40,000 · Etihad Guest (26 dates) | 18,000 · AAdvantage (30 dates) | |
| 8,500 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | 35,000 · Etihad Guest (29 dates) | 18,000 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | |
| 8,500 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | 35,000 · Etihad Guest (27 dates) | 18,000 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | |
| 8,500 · AAdvantage (28 dates) | 35,000 · Etihad Guest (27 dates) | 18,000 · AAdvantage (28 dates) | |
| 8,500 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | 40,000 · Etihad Guest (24 dates) | 18,000 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | |
| 8,500 · AAdvantage (30 dates) | 40,000 · Etihad Guest (28 dates) | 18,000 · AAdvantage (30 dates) | |
| 8,500 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | 36,000 · Etihad Guest (29 dates) | 18,000 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | |
| 8,500 · AAdvantage (30 dates) | 36,000 · Etihad Guest (30 dates) | 18,000 · AAdvantage (30 dates) | |
| 8,500 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | 40,000 · Etihad Guest (27 dates) | 18,000 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | |
| 8,500 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | 40,000 · Etihad Guest (31 dates) | 18,000 · AAdvantage (31 dates) | |
| 8,500 · AAdvantage (10 dates) | 40,000 · Etihad Guest (7 dates) | 18,000 · AAdvantage (10 dates) |
Points that transfer to these programs
| Program | Amex | Bilt | Capital One | Chase | Citi | Wells Fargo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | — | — |
| 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 |
| Delta SkyMiles | 1:1 · Instant | — | — | — | — | — |
| Etihad Guest | — | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · ~1 day | — | 1:1 · Instant | — |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 5:4 · Instant | — | 1:0.6 · 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 | — | — |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant |
Check current transfer bonuses. Most transfers can't be reversed. No bank transfers to Virgin Australia Velocity.
Search, calendar and alerts from San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
Route calendar
Every departure date with open award seats on SAN→ORD for American Airlines AAdvantage and the other programs: a limited window on the free plan and 365 days with Pro.
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Search San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD)Questions about award flights from San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
What's the lowest San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) award price AwardTool has seen?
In economy, 8,500 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage. American Airlines AAdvantage showed economy award space on 330 departure dates (newest observation Oct 16, 2026, 03:52 UTC). In business class, 35,000 miles + $48.83 with Etihad Guest. Etihad Guest showed business-class award space on 300 departure dates (newest observation Oct 14, 2026, 08:44 UTC). Search live before transferring points.
Which loyalty programs had award space from San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD)?
11 programs in the last 30 days: American Airlines AAdvantage (economy 330 dates, first class 330 dates); Air Canada Aeroplan (economy 296 dates, first class 2 dates); Alaska Atmos Rewards (economy 321 dates, first class 321 dates); Avianca LifeMiles (economy 308 dates, business class 1 date); JetBlue TrueBlue (economy 316 dates); Delta SkyMiles (economy 319 dates, first class 319 dates); Etihad Guest (economy 301 dates, business class 300 dates); Qantas Frequent Flyer (economy 309 dates, business class 308 dates) and 3 more. Dates count departure dates with an open award.
Is there nonstop award space from San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD)?
Yes. AwardTool observed nonstop award space in economy, business class and first class, bookable via American Airlines AAdvantage, Air Canada Aeroplan, Alaska Atmos Rewards, Avianca LifeMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Etihad Guest, Qantas Frequent Flyer, United MileagePlus and Virgin Australia Velocity. The lowest nonstop award in economy was 8,500 miles with American Airlines AAdvantage.
Which credit card points can book awards from San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD)?
American Express Membership Rewards: Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (5:4), Delta SkyMiles (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Bilt Rewards: Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1), Alaska Atmos Rewards (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), Etihad Guest (1:1), United MileagePlus (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Capital One Miles: Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:0.6), Etihad Guest (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Chase Ultimate Rewards: Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1), United MileagePlus (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Citi ThankYou Points: American Airlines AAdvantage (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1), Etihad Guest (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Wells Fargo Rewards: Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Ratios come from AwardTool's transfer partner list; check current bonuses first.
Which months had the lowest award prices from San Diego (SAN) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD)?
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, 8,500 miles with AAdvantage (31 dates); in business class, the lowest award was for Dec 2026 departures, 35,000 miles with Etihad Guest (29 dates). The month table shows every lowest price, including those. Based on dates we observed, not a forecast.