ORD T1 <> T5 transfer discussion [WAS are pre NZ27 ORD lounge options real bad?]
#33
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,055
I did discover it's possible to get from gate 30 at domestic to sitting on the plane at gate 18 at international in 22 mins without an airside transfer!
I feel sorry for all the others who missed their international flights on Friday due to shear incompetence by Air NZ. The only reason YVR and EZE made theirs was the subsequent 4hr delay to YVR and 3hr delay to EZE.
I feel sorry for all the others who missed their international flights on Friday due to shear incompetence by Air NZ. The only reason YVR and EZE made theirs was the subsequent 4hr delay to YVR and 3hr delay to EZE.
#34
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,055
A few photos from the SAS lounge. I didn't bother visiting the SWISS lounge to check that out.
I did notice Koru members now have access to this lounge. I was very surprised there were so few people in there - maybe about 15 or so from my flight which isn't even the whole BP cabin let along other Koru or Gold / Elite pax on the plane.
Salads and food were fairly basic but good for US standards. The hotpot had sausages for hot dogs with the mini buns in the plastic container.
I did notice Koru members now have access to this lounge. I was very surprised there were so few people in there - maybe about 15 or so from my flight which isn't even the whole BP cabin let along other Koru or Gold / Elite pax on the plane.
Salads and food were fairly basic but good for US standards. The hotpot had sausages for hot dogs with the mini buns in the plastic container.
#35
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: bne
Programs: Velocity Gold, AIRNZ Elite, Qantas Silver ,Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,303
I'm going to check in and drop bag at T5, go to T1 security and use Polaris Lounge, as I'll be working remote and will/can get to the airport 4-5 hours before departure. So the critical question is how early does NZ opens check-in desk? I guess if I have time I can swing by T5 soon to find out.
#37
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,055
It opens 3 hours out. I got there 2 1/2 hours before which was a little earlier than planned but traffic turned to custard when the snow started falling!
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: AKL, YUL
Programs: NZ*GE, UA*G
Posts: 319
Back at ORD this evening, SWISS lounge was so packed there were zero places to sit and hot as an oven. SAS not quite as bad, but because they keep bouncing NZ27 to different gates, tonight it's on the opposite side of the terminal from this little lounge.... far cry from LAX or IAH options still, imo.
#42
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Silver, whatever the Amex plat gets me and somehow still IHG Diamond after 3 years of no nights
Posts: 692
Getting a BP at T5 means you could take the landside shuttle back to T1. With the train system not running for "modernization" they've been running fairly consistent buses. The one benefit is that they run counter clockwise, which means the first stop after T5 is T1. Now you'd still have to clear security and walk over to the Polaris lounge at T1, but it should involve less walking than the T1 to T3 walk followed by waiting for the T3 to T5 bus ride. Either way... it's probably not an ideal situation unless you plan on arriving early enough to spend some quality time in the Polaris lounge AND you don't have luggage to check AND you can check in online/mobile and have a BP before you arrive at ORD.
#43
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: New Zealand (most of the time)
Programs: Air NZ Elite *G, Honors Gold, IHG Platinum Elite
Posts: 6,055
Having spoken to a few people there since I've visited it seems airside transfers are a bit of a lottery and with a schedule every 30 mins and around 15 mins in total to get to the bus, travel airside and then exit the bus it introduces some major risks.
Landside travel between terminals seems to be a bit of a shambles at present as well.
I obviously haven't tried this but trust people I know who fly though ORD a lot when they tell me you'd have to be crazy to do this at present.
#44
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Silver, whatever the Amex plat gets me and somehow still IHG Diamond after 3 years of no nights
Posts: 692
Completely agree. But worth clarifying that "airside transfer" at ORD only works one way... T3 to T5. There is no airside transfer FROM T5 to the other terminals because there is an assumption you would have arrived off an intl flight and have to clear customs and immigration anyway. I think it's mentioned up thread, but probably worth reiterating here to save people the headache/disappointment.
#45
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 394
I see no point in doing this because in all seriousness it might leave you 30 minutes at the very maximum in the lounge if you check in exactly 3 hours out when it opens.
Having spoken to a few people there since I've visited it seems airside transfers are a bit of a lottery and with a schedule every 30 mins and around 15 mins in total to get to the bus, travel airside and then exit the bus it introduces some major risks.
Landside travel between terminals seems to be a bit of a shambles at present as well.
I obviously haven't tried this but trust people I know who fly though ORD a lot when they tell me you'd have to be crazy to do this at present.
Having spoken to a few people there since I've visited it seems airside transfers are a bit of a lottery and with a schedule every 30 mins and around 15 mins in total to get to the bus, travel airside and then exit the bus it introduces some major risks.
Landside travel between terminals seems to be a bit of a shambles at present as well.
I obviously haven't tried this but trust people I know who fly though ORD a lot when they tell me you'd have to be crazy to do this at present.