Distance between Chicago, IL (MDW) and San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Flight distance from Chicago to San Francisco (Chicago Midway International Airport – San Francisco International Airport) is 1855 miles / 2985 kilometers / 1612 nautical miles. Estimated flight time is 4 hours 0 minutes.
Driving distance from Chicago (MDW) to San Francisco (SFO) is 2139 miles / 3442 kilometers and travel time by car is about 34 hours 55 minutes.
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Chicago - San Francisco
Map of flight path and driving directions from Chicago to San Francisco.
Shortest flight path between Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
How far is San Francisco from Chicago?
There are several ways to calculate distances between Chicago and San Francisco. Here are two common methods:
Vincenty's formula (applied above)- 1854.540 miles
- 2984.593 kilometers
- 1611.551 nautical miles
Vincenty's formula calculates the distance between latitude/longitude points on the earth’s surface, using an ellipsoidal model of the earth.
Haversine formula- 1850.116 miles
- 2977.473 kilometers
- 1607.707 nautical miles
The haversine formula calculates the distance between latitude/longitude points assuming a spherical earth (great-circle distance – the shortest distance between two points).
Airport information
| A | Chicago Midway International Airport |
|---|---|
| City: | Chicago, IL |
| Country: | United States  |
| IATA Code: | MDW |
| ICAO Code: | KMDW |
| Coordinates: | 41°47′9″N, 87°45′8″W |
| B | San Francisco International Airport |
|---|---|
| City: | San Francisco, CA |
| Country: | United States |
| IATA Code: | SFO |
| ICAO Code: | KSFO |
| Coordinates: | 37°37′8″N, 122°22′30″W |
Time difference and current local times
The time difference between Chicago and San Francisco is 2 hours. San Francisco is 2 hours behind Chicago.
Time Difference
Chicago, IL
San Francisco, CA
Carbon dioxide emissions
Estimated CO2 emissions per passenger is 204 kg (451 pounds).
Frequent Flyer Miles Calculator
Chicago (MDW) → San Francisco (SFO).
In total
Round trip?