Originally Posted by
southbeach82
That makes sense - in terms of process, say I take the earliest morning flight (Air Canada which seems to be in Terminal 2, I would have to claim baggage and then transfer to Terminal 3 for JAL and go to the check in counter to drop off my bags. Would I also go through TSA and everything all over again?
Baggage claim is outside the secure area. Once outside the secure area you have to be screened by TSA to enter again so those who pick up checked bags will need to be screened by TSA at ORD to re-enter the secure area.
Terminals 2 and 3 are connected inside the secure area (airside) so those who do not leave the secure area (to pick up bags) may walk between terminals and do not have to re-screen. So potentially you could split up and one of you walks with the toddler airside while the other goes landside to pick up and re-check the bags and re-screen to get back airside, although if the one person re-checking bags does not have enough baggage allowance to check all the bags by themselves then this would not work.