I am returning from London on British Airways 299 at 6:10 PM (Terminal 5). Will I have ample time to clear customs, transfer to Terminal 2, and re-check my bags for an outbound NWA flight (to MSP) at 8:00 PM? What does the terminal transfer involve? I am new to ORD, so any help would be much appreciated. Thanks a lot!
Today? Customs lines are hard to gauge, but shouldn't be too bad on a midweek during winter. Once out of customs, you'll exit into baggage claim. Proceed and go up two levels on the escalator to the ATS airport train (follow the monorail signs), take it to T2, go back down and re-check. The higher-numbered gates at T2 are quite a long walk from security.
I haven't done security at T2 in ages, so I don't know how efficiently it proceeds.
If you absolutely, positively need to check bags...I'd say you're cutting it very close to airline rules.
Bags need to be checked one hour before departure, so that means 7:00pm (at the latest) you need to be at T2.
Your arrival is at 6:10, and BA is pretty punctual, but they cannot overthrow the powers of ORD ATC which often results in a delay due to traffic. Add to that reclaiming your bag from a 777 in T5, doing the immigration line...yes, it can be done in 50 minutes assuming EVERYTHING goes as planned.
Does NW offer a later flight for your peace of mind?
If you absolutely, positively need to check bags...I'd say you're cutting it very close to airline rules.
Bags need to be checked one hour before departure, so that means 7:00pm (at the latest) you need to be at T2.
Your arrival is at 6:10, and BA is pretty punctual, but they cannot overthrow the powers of ORD ATC which often results in a delay due to traffic. Add to that reclaiming your bag from a 777 in T5, doing the immigration line...yes, it can be done in 50 minutes assuming EVERYTHING goes as planned.
Does NW offer a later flight for your peace of mind?
Unfortunately, I will have to check bags, since I am returning from three weeks in Europe. The 8:00 NW flight is the last of the day. Maybe I should check American or United, but I bet the flights will be more expensive. Thanks for your help.
I haven't done security at T2 in ages, so I don't know how efficiently it proceeds.
The checkpoint next to the old HP ticket coutners in T2 is extremely efficient. I generally clear it regardless of where I'm actually flying from. Takes me less time to go through there and then hoof it to T1 or T3.
Maybe you could check your bags in T5(?) Don't know about NW, but UA and AA have transfer desks at T5 for domestic connection. I usually re-check my bags there after exiting the custom at T5, then take the monorail to the domestic terminals.
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Need advice please on transferring terminals at ORD
I am flying AA Eagle into Terminal 1 at ORD, landing around 10 a.m. and out of terminal 3 on LH (which is also code shared with UA). I have four hours in between.
I have asked this question of the AA and LH forum folks, but in both cases they've deferred/bowed to your expertise . I've also tried multiple searches but apparently my search skills are slipping and I've checked stickies here and haven't seen anything.
So....will I have to go landside and back through security at ORD and if so how long should that take? What is the best way to get from T1 to T3 at ORD? Someone at the LH forum mentioned a long walk but again deferred to ya'lls wisdom.
Oh and finally, best places to eat lunch at ORD? And is RCC near the LH gate worth a one-day pass?
I think you have your terminals backward. Your AA Eagle flight will arrive at Terminal 3, and your LH flight will depart from Terminal 1.
I'm not aware of an airside option between T3 and T1. That said, with four hours in between, you'll have plenty of time to go landside in T3, ride the ATS (Airport Transport System or "People Mover") from T3 to T1, and re-clear security.
There are a total of three Red Carpet Clubs in Terminal 1: two in the B concourse, and one in the C concourse. When you clear security, you'll be in the B concourse; you have to go down an escalator, through a tunnel, and back up an escalator to make it over to the C concourse. IIRC, your Lufthansa flight will leave from the B concourse, and I only use the RCC near B7, as the other one near B19 is crap. That said, I don't think any of the RCCs are worth the $50 one-time entry fee in your case. Save your money for one of the dining establishments instead and kill a couple of hours there over lunch and a beer.
Here's a map of Terminal 1, complete with a list of restaurants:
Berghoff, the Billy Goat Tavern and Wolfgang Puck are my favorites. You'll find more discussion in the Chicago forum on FT -- you might have a better option in T3 before you go landside. If you're feeling ambitious, you can also jump on the L or into a taxi and eat somewhere near the airport. Four hours is a decent amount of time.
Oh, and as long as you are at T1 an hour before your flight, you should be fine. The ride from T3 to T1 on ATS should take no more than 10 minutes.
You can go airside from Terminal 3 through Terminal 2 and all the way over to Terminal 1. It's a good long walk but probably doesn't take any longer than exiting security in Terminal 3, waiting for the ATS train and then re-clearing security in Terminal 1. Also - the area connecting T3 & 2 has lots of restaurants and you could stop there for a break.
As MW_2000 said, you can walk it airside and I would recommend doing it that way. I have done it several times and it is fine. Also, there is nothing to gain by leaving the secure area.
BillJ
I would do the walk, rather than taking the ATS, because in order to get to the ATS, you must ascend and descend two sets of escalators, in addition to having to exit the secured area and re-clear again.
If you huff and puff it, the walk takes about 10 minutes to complete. You will notice a dramatically different atmosphere once you're in T1--At least to me, T1 is still the most beautiful airline hub terminal after all these years.
At least to me, T1 is still the most beautiful airline hub terminal after all these years.
If you ignore the coating of dust on the beams.
But, you've gotten a lot of good advice already, so you're on track.
A few things to think about:
When will you get your LH boarding passes? I've checked in online for LH, but I'm not sure they do it for international. Since you're arriving four hours before your flight, I'm not sure the gate staff will be by the gate when you arrive, and it might be worth going landside, since you can then check in at the front desk (all the way down at the end of T1) and be done with it.
You don't mention which class you're flying or if you have any status. If you are flying C or F or if you are Star Alliance Gold you will have access to the Red Carpet Club without a day pass. If not, I really don't think the day pass is worth the money, as the RCC is pretty pedestrian. If you do have access, the RCC by B19 is very small and pretty grim, the one by B7 is nicer. The one on the C councourse serves most of the intl flights, since that's where the UA flights leave from, but isn't worth the extra walk, B7 is just fine.
Will you have checked luggage, and will AA check through to LH. UA will, but I don't know about AA (but I'll bet someone else will!) You will certainly have to go landside to reclaim bags and them schlep them over to T1 if AA won't check them through. If you DO check them through, be sure to show LH your baggage stubs, as they'll want to enter that information into their system.
Other than the boarding pass/baggage thing, I agree that there is no good reason to do this transfer landside. Since you're coming in on Eagle, you'll probably land at Concourse G. When you come to the head of the concourse you'll see signs for baggage/transport and also for T1/T2. Follow the T1/T2 directions, and you'll stay airside. The walk isn't bad.
LH will almost certainly leave from the gates in the B19 range, they're all set up down there and I've never seen them leave from anywhere else.
In terms of food, there isn't anything exciting down toward B19, but the Wolfgang Puck is around B7 and there is a brand new place I've forgotten the name of down by about B3 that has interesting looking sandwiches and Pizzas.
If you want some exercise, the walk through the B/C tunnel, all the way down to one end of C, to the other end, back through the tunnel and then the same thing in B makes for a fairly interesting 20 minute walk.
ORD Terminal Transfer Question
. I've also tried multiple searches but apparently my search skills are slipping and I've checked stickies here and haven't seen anything.
