Originally Posted by
mpw81
Polaris lounge is fantastic and certainly an option. You do have to clear security at T1 to access the Polaris lounge and then take an airside bus to T5 afterward. It's not ideal but the Polaris lounges are likely to be some of the best you'll find in the US.
Exactly.
Some advice for OP and perhaps others.
For reasons that have to do with schedule or availability, I have to connect in the U.S. for certain TPAC or TATL flights, like flying to/from SFO and LAX on NZ, NH, BR etc. U.S. airports are not designed to allow for transfer pax or anything remotely close to ease of connections for international-domestic travel. Those of us who transit through airports like SIN, TPE, NRT, HKG, CPH, FRA, ZRH, etc and even YYZ, YVR and YUL, understand how awesome this is when faced with trying a connection in a place like ORD. (SFO is not as bad and LAX has the airside connector - and this is all for departures. Arrivals still require exiting after immigration)
On my recent international departure from ORD, I arrived into T2, walked the tunnel to T1 and had an awesome time in the UA Polaris. (As per my and some other posts on the UA forum, food and service are significantly better at ORD, while space is better at SFO).
You are eligible to enter with a Business Class BP from any *A airline departing ORD.
On this day, I was flying TATL and knew my flight was leaving from T5 International. Due to endless construction, the only 2 ways to get there were exit T1, go to T5 and re-eclear security (which no one in their right mind should do), or get to the gate locations in the other terminals (long walks) and take the airside bus.
I was advised that one gate option was slightly better so I went there. The staff there advised the bus is only every 30 minutes, so if you do this, makes sure you allow for the time. Also, they check your BP.
Bus arrives, we all board. Fun part was driving on what seems like roads adjacent to runways and taxiways, got some great aircraft photos and then we were dropped off at a door at T5. Like a bus gate. There were agents there to check our BPs again.
IMHO, T5 was a dump. I went to the LX lounge - which is indeed as described above, essentially a shoebox. Nowhere to sit, I took a bottle of water and went to sit in the hallway near my gate as there is no seating at the gate, just some restaurants.
This is not an airport I would ever transit again if I could avoid it, and especially in winter.
While the Polaris is worth it and significantly better than a UC, the flight I would take ex-ORD would really have to be worth all of this. I am glad I went through the experience recently and would still choose SFO or the mayhem of LAX.
YMMV and Happy Travels.