Chicago - How does it work if... (CBP question) re ORD int'l to domestic

I will be flying home from LHR to MSP. My route will be British Airways from LHR to ORD and then switching over to Delta for my ORD to MSP leg. I plan to check bags at LHR.

Since I will reenter the USA at Chicago and will personally clear customs there, does that mean I will have to take delivery of my checked bags in Chicago to clear customs and then seek out a Delta gate agent to recheck my bags for my Delta flight to Minneapolis? Or is there a process whereby my bags can stay checked to my final destination yet still be inspected at either ORD or MSP without me?

No, you'll need to reclaim your bags and then re-check them with Delta.

Your flight will arrive in terminal 5. Go through passport control, then claim your bags, then go through customs and you'll be out in the terminal. Walk with your bags over to the airtrain, and take it to terminal 3 (I think Delta is terminal 3...might be 2). Check your bags with the Delta agent, go through security and to your gate.

I dunno about Chicago specifically, but usually there's an area right after customs to re-check your bags, separate from the main check-in.

I will be flying home from LHR to MSP. My route will be British Airways from LHR to ORD and then switching over to Delta for my ORD to MSP leg. I plan to check bags at LHR.

Since I will reenter the USA at Chicago and will personally clear customs there, does that mean I will have to take delivery of my checked bags in Chicago to clear customs and then seek out a Delta gate agent to recheck my bags for my Delta flight to Minneapolis? Or is there a process whereby my bags can stay checked to my final destination yet still be inspected at either ORD or MSP without me?

No, you'll need to claim them, clear customs, and then recheck them. IIRC, in ORD, there are baggage check areas right after customs.

The way it will probably work is

Your bags will be tagged all the way through to MSP. When you arrive in Chicago, you will clear immigration, get your bags, and clear customs. Once you clear customs there should be a baggage drop area for bags going to other places. When you pick up your bags to clear customs, make sure not to remove the tags to MSP if they put them on on London.

You drop off your bags, you may have to get to your terminal, and will have to clear security again, and off you go.

For added discussion about CBP clearance and rechecking of onward bags, please follow as the thread moves to the Travel->Chicago forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

Since I will reenter the USA at Chicago and will personally clear customs there, does that mean I will have to take delivery of my checked bags in Chicago to clear customs and then seek out a Delta gate agent to recheck my bags for my Delta flight to Minneapolis? Or is there a process whereby my bags can stay checked to my final destination yet still be inspected at either ORD or MSP without me?

You'll need to clear immigration, collect your bags, and clear customs in Chicago. Immediately after all this, and before swinging doors that lead to the area where people wait for arriving pax, you go to Delta desk and check your bags with them. This desk will also issue/reissue your Delta boarding pass as needed.

Only then should you leave that area and take Airport Transit System (ATS) train to Terminal 2.