Chicago - Brainstorming Hyde Park - ORD around 3AM-4AM

I have a 6AM domestic flight on Friday. However, due to vagaries of schedules, no one can give me ride around 4AM that morning. The trip is too long for me to drive and leave the car at the airport. Of course I could cab it, but I am trying to brainstorm other ways -

1. I can take #55 bus to Dan Ryan and then the train, all around 3:30AM. Well, maybe not. :)

2. I can cab to downtown and then Blue Line. I suppose this would be ok.

3. Somebody can drop me at the airport a few hours earlier than I have to be there. Is there a semi-decent place to kill time at ORD that early, say from 2AM-5AM? I could certainly use some input on this.

Thanks.

Does Airport Express operate at that hour to/from Hyde Park?

Not quite, from their web site: "There is no service available that meets your travel requirements."

My normal options would be 55 bus to Red line, or cab to downtown Blue Line.

However, somebody did offer to drop me at ORD around 2AM, and I am intrigued if there is some place to pass 3 hours.

Another idea I have to investigate: I could go rent a car at ORD one day earlier. Then I could drive myself.

Is there a semi-decent place to kill time at ORD that early, say from 2AM-5AM? I could certainly use some input on this.

Thanks.

The Hilton.

In a similar scenario I've spent the night at an ORD-area hotel with shuttle service, either on points or via Priceline. It's been a couple years since I've done it, but 3/4* properties very often hit for $40 or less. Not a whole lot more than a cab the morning of ,especially from Hyde Park, and you can get there at your leisure on public transit. If you get the Hyatt (very common) you can walk from the Rosemont L station.

Thank you for all the thoughts and great suggestions. I am leaning towards either staying near ORD or renting a car.

Taxis, even to downtown, are not that much cheaper and one has the added anxiety if the guy is late (has happened to me) - it's not like one could go out and hail another one. A driver who gets confused about East/West or 56 and 65 in an address can easily set you off by 20-30 minutes: he'd tend to park and quietly wait at the wrong address for 15-20 minutes before anybody calls anyone.

I seriously considered the Hilton idea, but that would mean not getting much sleep all night - and I do need to be awake and alert next day.