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At Chicago O’Hare (ORD), American Airlines operates out of Terminal 3
AA Ticket counters Open daily: 3:30am to 10:00pm
Flagship Check-in: Yes
Five Star Service: Yes
Curbside check-in: International only
Check-in times
In most locations, you must be checked in:
At least 45 minutes before scheduled departure, for flights within the United States
At least 60 minutes before scheduled departure, for flights to or from airports outside of the United States
Peculiarities:
ORD can be affected by winter storms or very heavy air traffic; ground holds even at incoming flights' departures airports, are not uncommon at these times. Knock-on effects during lengthy IROPS can manifest themselves systemwide.
NOTE: AA has 66 gates at Terminal 3, and has added five more at Concourse.Alaska, Iberia, and Japan Airlines all depart AA T-3. Alaska has moved to Terminal 2. All international arrivals are at Terminal 5, many international departures as well. AB, BA, CX, EY, QR, RJ depart T-5.
International arrivals from Canada airports without USCBP pre-clearance are sometimes listed as arriving at "IAB" - International Arrivals Building. These aircraft's passengers will not arrive at T-3 as domestic passengers; by Federal law, they must be cleared by USCBP, and that facility is at T-5.
There is no airside connection T-3 <--> T-5; one must go landside and use the free "ATS" airport train. Flyers connecting to BA departing T-5 may use the airside shuttle bus departing near gates G17 and K20. Every half hour 11 am - 9 pm. Sign with orange dot. TTB SERVICE HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED - TTB service takes travelers from the domestic terminals (1, 2, & 3) to Terminal 5 without having to exit security or be rescreened in Terminal 5 at the TSA checkpoint. [Still suspended as of 4/30/2022] Airside connection has been restored March 1, 2023 - SEE BELOW
Operating terminals and gates
Terminal 1 is used by All Nippon Airlines (Departures), Ethiopian (Departures), Lufthansa (Departures), and United.
Terminal 2 is used by Air Canada, Alaska,Delta, and previously US Airways, jetBlue, along with many United Express flights.
Terminal 3 is used byAlaska Airlines, American Airlines and for departures only by Iberia and Japan Airlines (exception: arriving international flights that have been USCBP cleared, e.g. originating in Canada or DUB, arrive at Terminal 3 as domestic flights). Other airlines flying domestically and not mentioned above are also handled in Terminal 3.
Concourse G is used mostly for American Eagle flights
Concourse H and K are used for mainline flights
Concourse K gates 12-20 are typically used for international flights
Concourse L is used mostly for American Eagle flights (as well as non-oneworld carriers)
Terminal 5 is now both an international and domestic terminal. Among the international flights, the following oneworld carriers depart and arrive here: British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Finnair, Qatar Airways, and Royal Jordanian; arriving international American Airlines, Iberia and Japan Airlines flights all arrive here as well. In fact, all arriving international passengers from places without pre-clearance will arrive at Terminal 5.
Domestic carriers now using Terminal 5 are: Delta and Delta Shuttle, Frontier, Southwest, and Sun Country.
Getting from terminal to terminal
Landside transfers are normally done by using the Airport Transit System train, which also connects to the airport car parks.The ATS is currently out of service with substitute buses operating at present. April 18, 2022: ATS service has been fully restored and is operating 24/7 daily.
Terminals are connected by frequent landside buses, and AA T3 - International T5 are connected by an airside Terminal Transit Bus (TTB). If you have a boarding pass for your connection (or a printed itinerary of flight confirmation), you can use this bus, boarding at G17 or K20 and arriving airside at T5 Gate M1. The TTB runs 7 days a week, 1100 / 11 am to 2100 / 9 pm while the ATS is shut down, but seasonally and with shorter hours when it is. At other times you must exit landside and use the landside bus.
If you arrive at O'Hare on an international flight you will arrive at Terminal 5. If you have a connecting domestic flight from T1-2-3. You must use the landside bus to T3 after you process Immigration and exit Customs. You will be required to pass through security at T3. Landside busses are frequent. May 1, 2022: Shuttle buses ended.
Airside:
walking corridors connect Terminals 1, 2 and 3 between terminals. (ATS landslide train must be used to connect to or from Terminal 5 outside of shuttle bus operating times.)
For those holding boarding passes on same day flights out of Terminal 5 (International Terminal), a shuttle bus will operate from T-3 (From Gates G17 and K20) to T-5 (Gate M13) between 11:30 am and 9:30 pm.[Still suspended as of 4/30/2022] March 1, 2023: Service restored. Connecting Traveler Information
Walking between terminals
Walking airside between terminals airside is possible (other than Terminal 5). There are no shortcuts and it can take significant time.
Arrival at the airport:
Within the U.S. as well as flights to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, check in:
At least 30 minutes prior to departure (if not checking bags)
At least 45 minutes prior to departure when checking bags
For flights to international destinations check in:
At least two hours prior to departure to complete all necessary international requirements
Minimum time for checking in and arriving at the gate
To better ensure an on-time departure, our goal is to close the jetbridge door 10 minutes before departure time. This allows all customers to board and stow their belongings. (AA may release your seat if you show up at your gates less than 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure.)
To retain your pre-reserved seat on a confirmed flight, make sure to follow the minimum check in and gate arrival times.*
Time to baggage delivery:
minimum 20 minutes
Security at ORD
May 2016: security queues have been quite lengthy at times, requiring up to an hour to pass through security, even at PreCheck queues. Options include:
If you have Flagship Check-In privileges, they will place you at the head of the security queue next to that check-in area.
You may choose to process security at Terminal 2 and walk airside to the AA gates (UA is only slightly better than AA). If you have CLEAR, you might want to consider clearing security here.
The mid-terminal Pre-Check line tends to be better than the one at priority security.
Note: coming out from International Terminal Arrivals immigration and customs, you are landside and may find yourself with two options: leave the building land side, or take the escalators or lifts to the ATS train platform to proceed to the other terminals or remote parking lot. To access the other terminals, you will have to process through TSA security.
What is the domestic to domestic or to international Minimum Connection Time (MCT)?
The minimum connect time at ORD, domestic to domestic or international, is 0:40 minutes. Domestic to international is easy if your international flight departs the AA terminal, but domestic to International terminal is comfortably done in 2:00 (not the official MCT, 1:15), because of the lack of connectedness between terminals. International arrival at Terminal 5 with flight departing Terminal 3, Global Entry is likely to allow 2:00 or even less, but non-U.S. or Canadian passport holders with checked baggage might use 3:00 as a better guideline.
If I am making an international to international connection, what is the process?
There is no international transit process in nearly all airports in the USA (MIA has a baggage exception for international to international). Arriving internationally, unless you have been pre-cleared, you must proceed through U. S. immigration (there are kiosks and a fast channel for Global Entry approved passengers), recover your baggage from the baggage carousel and proceed through U. S. Customs. There is a "green line" shortcut for passengers traveling only with carry-on baggage (no checked luggage) which is called "1 Stop" and there are Global Entry kiosks and there have fairly recently been dedicated Global Entry customs lines added, which ORD lacked for a very long time. Global Entry kiosks are located both in the central part of the main immigration hall area, as well as in the hall next to the 1-Stop exit.
Upon exiting Customs there is a bag drop facility; drop your checked baggage, exit to the landside arrivals area. Proceed to the the AA terminal on the ATS train, to counters or kiosks to get boarding passes for your ongoing travel, then proceed through TSA security to airside.
At Chicago O’Hare (ORD), American Airlines operates out of Terminal 3
AA Ticket counters Open daily: 3:30am to 10:00pm
Flagship Check-in: Yes
Five Star Service: Yes
Curbside check-in: International only
Check-in times
In most locations, you must be checked in:
At least 45 minutes before scheduled departure, for flights within the United States
At least 60 minutes before scheduled departure, for flights to or from airports outside of the United States
Peculiarities:
ORD can be affected by winter storms or very heavy air traffic; ground holds even at incoming flights' departures airports, are not uncommon at these times. Knock-on effects during lengthy IROPS can manifest themselves systemwide.
NOTE: AA has 66 gates at Terminal 3, and has added five more at Concourse.
International arrivals from Canada airports without USCBP pre-clearance are sometimes listed as arriving at "IAB" - International Arrivals Building. These aircraft's passengers will not arrive at T-3 as domestic passengers; by Federal law, they must be cleared by USCBP, and that facility is at T-5.
Operating terminals and gates
Terminal 1 is used by All Nippon Airlines (Departures), Ethiopian (Departures), Lufthansa (Departures), and United.
Terminal 2 is used by Air Canada, Alaska,
Terminal 3 is used by
Concourse G is used mostly for American Eagle flights
Concourse H and K are used for mainline flights
Concourse K gates 12-20 are typically used for international flights
Concourse L is used mostly for American Eagle flights (as well as non-oneworld carriers)
Terminal 5 is now both an international and domestic terminal. Among the international flights, the following oneworld carriers depart and arrive here: British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways, Finnair, Qatar Airways, and Royal Jordanian; arriving international American Airlines, Iberia and Japan Airlines flights all arrive here as well. In fact, all arriving international passengers from places without pre-clearance will arrive at Terminal 5.
Domestic carriers now using Terminal 5 are: Delta and Delta Shuttle, Frontier, Southwest, and Sun Country.
Getting from terminal to terminal
Landside transfers are normally done by using the Airport Transit System train, which also connects to the airport car parks.
If you arrive at O'Hare on an international flight you will arrive at Terminal 5. If you have a connecting domestic flight from T1-2-3. You must use the landside bus to T3 after you process Immigration and exit Customs. You will be required to pass through security at T3. Landside busses are frequent.
Airside:
walking corridors connect Terminals 1, 2 and 3 between terminals. (ATS landslide train must be used to connect to or from Terminal 5 outside of shuttle bus operating times.)
For those holding boarding passes on same day flights out of Terminal 5 (International Terminal), a shuttle bus will operate from T-3 (From Gates G17 and K20) to T-5 (Gate M13) between 11:30 am and 9:30 pm.
Walking between terminals
Walking airside between terminals airside is possible (other than Terminal 5). There are no shortcuts and it can take significant time.
Arrival at the airport:
Within the U.S. as well as flights to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, check in:
At least 30 minutes prior to departure (if not checking bags)
At least 45 minutes prior to departure when checking bags
For flights to international destinations check in:
At least two hours prior to departure to complete all necessary international requirements
Minimum time for checking in and arriving at the gate
To better ensure an on-time departure, our goal is to close the jetbridge door 10 minutes before departure time. This allows all customers to board and stow their belongings. (AA may release your seat if you show up at your gates less than 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure.)
To retain your pre-reserved seat on a confirmed flight, make sure to follow the minimum check in and gate arrival times.*
Time to baggage delivery:
minimum 20 minutes
Security at ORD
May 2016: security queues have been quite lengthy at times, requiring up to an hour to pass through security, even at PreCheck queues. Options include:
If you have Flagship Check-In privileges, they will place you at the head of the security queue next to that check-in area.
You may choose to process security at Terminal 2 and walk airside to the AA gates (UA is only slightly better than AA). If you have CLEAR, you might want to consider clearing security here.
The mid-terminal Pre-Check line tends to be better than the one at priority security.
Note: coming out from International Terminal Arrivals immigration and customs, you are landside and may find yourself with two options: leave the building land side, or take the escalators or lifts to the ATS train platform to proceed to the other terminals or remote parking lot. To access the other terminals, you will have to process through TSA security.
What is the domestic to domestic or to international Minimum Connection Time (MCT)?
The minimum connect time at ORD, domestic to domestic or international, is 0:40 minutes. Domestic to international is easy if your international flight departs the AA terminal, but domestic to International terminal is comfortably done in 2:00 (not the official MCT, 1:15), because of the lack of connectedness between terminals. International arrival at Terminal 5 with flight departing Terminal 3, Global Entry is likely to allow 2:00 or even less, but non-U.S. or Canadian passport holders with checked baggage might use 3:00 as a better guideline.
If I am making an international to international connection, what is the process?
There is no international transit process in nearly all airports in the USA (MIA has a baggage exception for international to international). Arriving internationally, unless you have been pre-cleared, you must proceed through U. S. immigration (there are kiosks and a fast channel for Global Entry approved passengers), recover your baggage from the baggage carousel and proceed through U. S. Customs. There is a "green line" shortcut for passengers traveling only with carry-on baggage (no checked luggage) which is called "1 Stop" and there are Global Entry kiosks and there have fairly recently been dedicated Global Entry customs lines added, which ORD lacked for a very long time. Global Entry kiosks are located both in the central part of the main immigration hall area, as well as in the hall next to the 1-Stop exit.
Upon exiting Customs there is a bag drop facility; drop your checked baggage, exit to the landside arrivals area. Proceed to the the AA terminal on the ATS train, to counters or kiosks to get boarding passes for your ongoing travel, then proceed through TSA security to airside.
AA Guide: ORD / Chicago O'Hare International Airport - MCT, Connection, etc.
#1366
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,775
At ORD now.
Landed in New York I think and we drove to Chicago. Well, our gate was occupied so we had to turn around and drive around again and then wait.
Very long walk from possibly the furthest point from immigration. Up and down, airbridges that seemed to be a mile long etc.
GE worked fine and no-one checked anything until after bag collection.
3 min wait for bags and mine was 4th off.
Normal immigration looked fairly busy.
Once I'd got my 30k steps in for the day and caught the transit to T3, plain sailing. Two minutes through the TSA-PRE Lane and a convulted walk to the Admiral's Club.
Flagship opens on the 21st.
Think it took over an hour to get to T3 from my international arrival. Probably half that if i took out the taxiing part.
Landed in New York I think and we drove to Chicago. Well, our gate was occupied so we had to turn around and drive around again and then wait.
Very long walk from possibly the furthest point from immigration. Up and down, airbridges that seemed to be a mile long etc.
GE worked fine and no-one checked anything until after bag collection.
3 min wait for bags and mine was 4th off.
Normal immigration looked fairly busy.
Once I'd got my 30k steps in for the day and caught the transit to T3, plain sailing. Two minutes through the TSA-PRE Lane and a convulted walk to the Admiral's Club.
Flagship opens on the 21st.
Think it took over an hour to get to T3 from my international arrival. Probably half that if i took out the taxiing part.
Last edited by xenole; Apr 15, 2022 at 2:59 pm
#1367
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: UA MM, AA PPro
Posts: 1,480
Landing on the far north runway 9R/27L can easily result in a 15+ min trip to the gate. The far south runway 10R/28L is only marginally better. It's a large airport. Those two are typically in use during peak times. Off-peak when there aren't many departures, you can land on 10C and be at the high H/K or the M gates in no time.
#1368
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: Delta PM, CSR
Posts: 17
I'll be a data point for MCT this Thursday. Flying in from Austin via American Eagle, out via AA metal to DCA. Hoping I get lucky on times and also gate locations - seated aisle in row 11 so I've got a shot! Looks like there's a last flight 1hr later, so as long as it's not full I'm not totally sunk if I miss the connection.
#1369
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: ORD/LHR
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K, 1MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,302
Landing on the far north runway 9R/27L can easily result in a 15+ min trip to the gate. The far south runway 10R/28L is only marginally better. It's a large airport. Those two are typically in use during peak times. Off-peak when there aren't many departures, you can land on 10C and be at the high H/K or the M gates in no time.
#1370
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA EXP >3 Million miles,HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 2,890
Skycap Curbside Checkin at ORD - Hours
Looking for information on the hours of curbside checkin. Last night we were dropping off at ORD about 7pm. All of the skycap checkin counters at United were open at that time, but none at American/T3. My parents are on a flight next week and would like to take advantage of the curbside check in, so asking those who are might be in the know. It was interesting because the United terminal was quiet, and American was much busier inside which would indicate more flights going out, but nothing happening curbside.
#1372
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Minnesota
Programs: AA EXP; United 1K, Delta, IHG Plat Amb, PE, Marriott/Hilton Gold
Posts: 750
#1374
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: ORD MDW
Programs: AA, UA, DL , IHG Plat, Bonvoy Gold - 2009 FT Fantasy Football Champion
Posts: 6,855
I usually fly out of terminal 1, have not been in terminal 3 for some time.
Where is the TSA Pre-Check CP7A / CP8? Is there a best entrance to use for easier access?
Thanks!
Where is the TSA Pre-Check CP7A / CP8? Is there a best entrance to use for easier access?
Thanks!
#1375
Join Date: May 2004
Programs: AA EXP, UA MM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 101
T-5 Recheck bags different carrier
I apologize if this has been covered, I did try a search..... I am arriving into T-5 on JAL from Tokyo. My connection is on a UA domestic
flight. I have 3 hours so plenty of time. I read there is a AA and UA bag transfer desk after customs. Will the UA transfer desk let me check the bags or do I have to schlep the bags
to the domestic UA terminal? Thank you!
flight. I have 3 hours so plenty of time. I read there is a AA and UA bag transfer desk after customs. Will the UA transfer desk let me check the bags or do I have to schlep the bags
to the domestic UA terminal? Thank you!
#1376
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,483
I apologize if this has been covered, I did try a search..... I am arriving into T-5 on JAL from Tokyo. My connection is on a UA domestic
flight. I have 3 hours so plenty of time. I read there is a AA and UA bag transfer desk after customs. Will the UA transfer desk let me check the bags or do I have to schlep the bags
to the domestic UA terminal? Thank you!
flight. I have 3 hours so plenty of time. I read there is a AA and UA bag transfer desk after customs. Will the UA transfer desk let me check the bags or do I have to schlep the bags
to the domestic UA terminal? Thank you!
#1377
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: MSN
Programs: AA, BAEC Gold
Posts: 3,933
#1379
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
What's the current state of Priority AAccess security? CP8 is no longer AA elites only, so trying to figure out if there is another option for my GLD traveling companions. (Walking from T2 is not an option, given limited mobility.) I have some recollection of there being a T7 fast lane for those connecting internationally, but not sure if that was also an elite line, or if it's even still open.
#1380
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: OH
Programs: AAdvantage, SkyMiles
Posts: 39
As a data point, had a LHR->ORD->CMH connection yesterday set for 2 hours. We were an hour late leaving heathrow and delayed upon landing due to lack of gate. All in all, we made the connection (no global entry, but pre check for going beck through security) in a little under an hour. Don’t recommend but it’s possible with hustle and a little luck. Terminal 5 to T3/L24.
one of our checked bags made it, the other did not.
one of our checked bags made it, the other did not.