BThumme

Saw on OMAAT that there is now a full time bus between T3 and T5 (or rather T3 to T5?) at O'hare now as of today. Previously you had to be flying British or Qatar, but the shuttles only ran around the flight times.

Good news if you're connecting, or even if you are a *A partner connecting to T5.

I wondered how this might work for those of us not flying out of T5. Two things for me:

1) Opportunity for lounge access - that would be huge. I often transit O'hare, and sometimes have 3+ hour layovers. If I could go to T5 for lounge access and spotting planes, that would be awesome.

2) Does the shuttle run T5 to T3? I'm guessing not, since T5 is Intl arrivals (and the handful LCC flights). But the shuttles have to return to T3. Can anyone at O'hare today find out? I suppose if I'm flying at night, I could always hop over to T5 on the bus, then take the train back and go through normal security at T3. Not ideal, but for those of us with long layovers and no UA/AA lounge access, might be an option.

EDIT: looks like you have to have a confirmed ticket for a T5 carrier. Still good news for those AA pax connecting to T5.

JDiver

Thanks for the update.

"...8:30AM until 8PM, so that doesn’t quite cover all departures, though does cover most. Furthermore, it’s only supposed to operate in spring, summer, and fall, but not in the slower winter months..."

Link

There's no way a T5-T3 bus will operate, given

1) anyone airside at T-5 has to process entrance formalities, and

2) the landside on-airport rail transit offers by far the least transit time and greater headway.

captaink

Unless something has massively changed at ORD recently, all *arriving* international PAX are immediately processed through CBP, then released Landside. Airside is just like any other US airport, since the US doesn't have immigration checks on exit.

I agree that there won't be much demand for such a transfer, but the bus is already making the trip.

linglingfool

Existing thread on this in the Midwest (née Chicago) forum:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/midwe...cting-pax.html

I asked our resident insider ords about the T5-T3 possibility, but there are no plans to allow it. Requiring a boarding pass for a T5 departure negates that possibility anyway.

jmj9905

Thanks for this information. I am flying dca/ord on aa connecting to cx in t5.

chuck1

Is this bus still in operation and only for AA T3 to BA T5 connecting customers?
What happens if you are on separate records arriving on AA and departing on BA and don't check in online? Will they deny you the ability to use the bus and make you go outside and use the bus?

How about a local ORD customer who prefers the Flagship Lounge at ORD? If you do check in online with BA, will the TSA let you use clear security in the AA Terminal for lounge access?
Could you then take the transfer bus over to T5?

Thanks!

nachosdelux

shd9

Not sure about mobile BP, but back in the days ATS was still running, I checked in with bags with CX in T5 and took the train to T3. They even let me use Precheck.

SkyTeam777

is this operating during the pandemic? do they require printed boarding pass or is an itinerary showing inbound BP and outbound flight segment enough? Transiting AA to QR

ISTFlyer

Unfortunately no, the shuttle is not running.
You must go landside, use the landside transfer bus for that transfer and reclear security at Terminal 5.