The nonstop is quickest: Southwest MDW → SFO (4h 40m), on time almost half the time. Delta via Atlanta (7h 45m) is more reliable, 60%, but takes 3h 05m longer.
Nonstops (seasonal or thin)
Nonstop details →| Southwest | MDW | SFO | 4h 40m | 49% | 1.2% | 485 | Flying now |
Best connections, one ticket
Ranked by chance you reach San Francisco on time. Total trip = scheduled departure to arrival, layover included (San Francisco is 2 h behind Chicago). Layovers up to 4 hours. Pick a connection for the details.
| DeltaDetails → | MDW 09:54 → MSP 11:35DL 5469 · flown by Endeavor | 3h 32m Minneapolis | MSP 15:07 → SFO 17:14DL 756 | 9h 19m | 98% | 73% |
| DeltaDetails → | MDW 12:50 → ATL 15:49DL 2417 | 2h 19m Atlanta | ATL 18:08 → SFO 20:05DL 517 | 9h 17m | 97% | 65% |
| DeltaDetails → | MDW 17:10 → ATL 20:22DL 1728 | 2h 18m Atlanta | ATL 22:40 → SFO 00:40 +1DL 656 | 9h 30m | 93% | 62% |
| DeltaDetails → | MDW 11:05 → ATL 14:01DL 1063 | 1h 34m Atlanta | ATL 15:35 → SFO 17:31DL 823 | 8h 32m | 95% | 60% |
| DeltaDetails → | MDW 06:00 → ATL 08:55DL 1285 | 50m Atlanta | ATL 09:45 → SFO 11:45DL 672 | 7h 45m | 87% | 60% |
| DeltaDetails → | MDW 13:49 → MSP 15:33DL 4820 · flown by Endeavor | 3h 17m Minneapolis | MSP 18:50 → SFO 21:00DL 2809 | 9h 11m | 94% | 59% |
| SouthwestDetails → | MDW 18:35 → PHX 20:15WN 2862 | 2h 35m Phoenix | PHX 22:50 → SFO 00:55 +1WN 1098 | 8h 20m | 96% | 52% |
| DeltaDetails → | MDW 13:26 → DTW 15:44DL 4688 · flown by Endeavor | 3h 11m Detroit | DTW 18:55 → SFO 20:59DL 509 | 9h 33m | 94% | 51% |
| Tight connection: often missed | ||||||
| SouthwestDetails → | MDW 10:05 → BUR 12:25WN 2741 | 47m Burbank | BUR 13:12 → SFO 14:35WN 2165 | 6h 27m | 75% | 39% |
| DeltaDetails → | MDW 19:06 → MSP 20:51DL 4713 · flown by Endeavor | 51m Minneapolis | MSP 21:42 → SFO 23:50DL 2089 | 6h 43m | 54% | 33% |
| SouthwestDetails → | MDW 16:55 → LAS 18:45WN 2797 | 1h 20m Las Vegas | LAS 20:05 → SFO 21:35WN 4397 | 6h 40m | 72% | 12% |
Same layover, different day-part
How often the first flight arrives too late to connect (45 min minimum), for one-ticket layovers of 45–80 minutes.
Delays build through the day, so an afternoon first leg eats the layover. A short connection is fine early in the morning and a gamble later on.
Mixing airlines
| Southwest WN 4864 MDW 11:50 → GEG Alaska AS 3070 GEG 16:21 → SFO Connection details → |
2h 46m | 8h 55m | 96% | 83% |
| Southwest WN 4648 MDW 10:08 → SAN United UA 2117 SAN 16:09 → SFO Connection details → |
3h 54m | 9h 41m | 100% | 76% |
| Southwest WN 2809 MDW 10:05 → PDX Alaska AS 236 PDX 14:49 → SFO Connection details → |
2h 24m | 8h 35m | 100% | 73% |
Rank all connections, any airlines →
Regional partners count as the airline that sells them: SkyWest flying Delta Connection is one Delta ticket.
About this data: US DOT on-time records, Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, all US airlines; regional flights count under the airline that sells them. Schedules (which flights and connections exist, and their times) are as of Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026; seasonal flights outside that window aren’t ranked. Rebuilt monthly. JSON