City Map Compare/ Distance / Chicago to San Francisco

Distance from Chicago to San Francisco

2,985 km (1,855 miles) — straight-line distance as the crow flies

2,985 km

Kilometers

1,855 miles

Miles

~4h 1m

Est. Flight

2h

Time Difference

Chicago

USA
Area: 606 km²
Population: 2.7M
Timezone: UTC-6
Elevation: 176m

San Francisco

USA
Area: 121 km²
Population: 0.87M
Timezone: UTC-8
Elevation: 16m

The distance between Chicago and San Francisco is roughly equivalent to 7 hours of driving, though the straight-line distance as the crow flies is significantly shorter than any road route.

Chicago is known for Deep-dish pizza and Willis Tower, while San Francisco is famous for Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island.

In terms of city area, Chicago is 5.0x larger than San Francisco. You can compare their sizes visually on our side-by-side map comparison.

Compare Chicago and San Francisco side by side

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Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Chicago from San Francisco?

The straight-line (as the crow flies) distance from Chicago to San Francisco is 2,985 km (1,855 miles).

How long is the flight from Chicago to San Francisco?

A direct flight would take approximately 4h 1m, based on an average commercial jet speed of 850 km/h.

Is Chicago bigger than San Francisco?

Chicago is larger at 606 km², compared to 121 km².

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