CarolynAnn

Hi - I have a very long layover next week at ORD for a BA flight (booked through American) to LHR/EDI. My flight departs at 8:55 pm. I've requested late check-out at hotel but will still have a long wait before flight. So two questions:

= If I check in bags 4 hours prior to flight, does this increase the odds of lost luggage? I read that 4 hours before flight is the earliest bags can be checked. I'm a little paranoid about lost luggage, since the trip where I didn't get my checked bag until day 7 of a 14 day trip.

- After the hotel kicks me out, what can I do? Flight is leaving from Terminal 5. Should I go to the airport, go through security, kill some time, then come back out to check in at BA desk? Or is there any place to hangout BEFORE security?

Thanks for any advice.

mediator

CarolynAnn

Sorry to be confusing. Yes, I'm flying from DFW to ORD. Departing DFW 10 pm, arriving ORD 1:00 am. Got a hotel in Chicago & requested late check out. From what I found in internet, I can't check bags for the flight to London/Edinburgh until approximately 5 pm. So my concern is what to do between late check out from hotel and time to check in bags. Also whether checking bags 4 hours before flight increases the possibility of lost luggage.

mvoight

This is really a BA question as you are going to be checking them and not with AA It sounds like you are staying overnight near ORD and have an 8:55 pm departure.
I doubt BA will check your bags as early as you want them to. How far from ORD is your hotel. It is possible your hotel can keep them until you can check them.
Ideally, you are staying at the O'Hare Hilton, as they would store your luggage and it is nearby
Item #8 in this Fodor's thread talks about storage at a nearby mall. That thread is about someone who was flying to Dublin
https://www.fodors.com/community/uni.../#post13035713

MADPhil

You don't say where your hotel is but it might work to leave the bags at the hotel and have a day in Chicago. If the hotel is a long shuttle ride away that it won't be very convenient. One complication is that the inter-terminal train is not running on weekdays though I think that the shuttle busses are running a bit better now. T5 is pretty basic outside security and, even if you have a BP, getting past security will involve abandoning your luggage. If you don't need the bag and it is all one ticket then you could leave it in the system I don't know what that does to the odds of losing it but you could ask them to check on it before noarding.

Uncle Nonny

Chicago is a great town with a lot to do. Check your bags with the bell desk when you check out. See the town, then go to the airport as you normally would. Don't over think the situation.

aztimm

I agree. Leave bags at hotel, head into the city (El or Uber I'd hope would work). Return to hotel, claim bags, then check in at airport.

There's tons of information on things to do in Chicago over in the Midwest forum. I'm sure if you post there, you'll get even more helpful advice.

neo_781

Agree with the advice to see if the hotel will store your bags while you try to do something in the city or go to the mall/restaurant near the airport. As for Terminal 5 at ORD. Before security there is essentially nothing except for a McDonald's on the lower level. It is NOT a place you'd want to hang out in unless you had no choice. Post security, there are some new restaurants and of course the lounges (if you have access) but again its not really a destination you'd feel drawn to for extra time (in other words 4 hours before your flight is more than enough time in the terminal).

In summary try to get the hotel to store your bags (almost all will do it for free for a few hours0 and try do something outside/in the city (plenty of options on another part of FT).

bobnchi

What hotel will you be staying at? You didn't mention it here or on the same question posted on TripAdvisor.

BearX220

There's nothing to do pre-security at ORD Terminal 5.

Check out of the hotel in late morning, have the hotel store your bags in the bell closet, take the Blue Line into Chicago and hit the Art Institute or the Museum of Contemporary Art, or take the riverboat architecture tour. Have a late lunch. Return to the hotel around 500p or 530p and get your bags out of storage, then get the shuttle to take you over to Terminal 5, arriving around 700p.

If you're at the O'Hare Hilton the Blue Line terminus is right downstairs. If you're at one of the many hotels on the airport periphery, a shuttle will take you to the Rosemont stop (last before O'Hare).

MADPhil

Note also that you may be able to book the Hilton quite cheaply through BA Holidays.

Antarius

Are DFW-ORD and ORD-onwards separate tickets?

mvoight

Ah, that is a valid question, as baggage would be checked to LHR if on the same reservation

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

Would it be even with what is an overnight connection? ( ie the OP arrives at 1am then goes to London at 8:55pm?) as I thought that AA may not interline bags if the layover is more than 12hrs ( this would be almost 20 hrs)

To the op:
It looks like BA has a flight also from ORD to LHR at 1705 (505pm). They may be able to take your bags when this flight opens for bag drop ( 2pm?)- You may want to ask in the BA forum re the Chicago opening times

Regards

TBS

wrp96

With an over 12 hour layover, I doubt AA would check through even if on the same ticket. Typically they will only check through on 12 hour or less connections.