Which do you prefer? Connect via ORD or DFW?
 

I have the option of flying RDU-DFW or RDU-ORD to fly JL to NRT in April. Both have the same timings...7am...and about the same time to connect - ~3hrs. If you were to pick, which airport would you choose? We are flying J on award tickets.

DFW. Flights are more likely to be ontime. And in case of delays due to spring thunderstorms, DFW recovers quicker than ORD.

There's no material difference. Pick based on the JL equipment operating the long haul flight. Which JL route has a better hard product?

<Redacted> Spring weather is the same in both places and your AA schedule will change 5 times between now and then, anyway. Assume that whatever you book, the AA connecting flight will change both times and equipment.

The only caveat I would add is that on the eastbound, I would much rather reenter the USA and clear customs at DFW. I>D connections at ORD are very inconvenient with the remote Terminal 5. But since you specifically asked about the westbound flights, D>I is fine at either airport.

Greetings: As an infrequent but long time traveler I must admit I avoid ORD like the plague. And, knock on wood, I've never had really bad experiences at DFW. If it were me, I'd definitely fly through DFW.

And your hard data to back up those anecdotes is where?

Couldn't have said it better myself.

On an award ticket, I would pick ORD for nothing more than shorter flight times on both segments.

Spring weather isn't much different in Texas than Chicago though probably marginally worse in TX. If Spring thunderstorms hit either airport, prepare for AA's operation to be seriously f-ed up for the rest of the day. I've had plenty of really bad delays on flights to/from DFW at all times of the year just as I am sure our Chicagoland AA flyers have had plenty to/from ORD at all times of the year.

There's just no discernible material difference between the two.

And again we are talking about a flight 9 months into the future. Whatever is booked today, the schedule will not be the same then.

Book based on the best long haul experience.

cough, cough DFW as well here as much as wx has been so bad here this spring.

O'Hare sucks. Landing is one thing....taxiing 45 minutes to a gate is another.

tough choice but as an amex plat holder my vote goes to DFW for centurion lounge access

if i were feeling some caramel popcorns tho, i'd choose ORD for access to nuts on clark

DFW because ORD is just a black hole. All it takes is someone to flatulate and delays stack up. That said- where do I end up as a result of my own choices? Yep you guessed it- ORD. In the end I have no grounds to complain.

Winter weather at ORD is a trip killer. It can and does snow in April. So that whole notion of April & springtime is a joke.

Well there you go. 75.7% versus 75.1% and both are "two star recruits" lol

I guess if you want to make your booking decisions based on a less than point difference in on time performance, that's your prerogative. Personally, I think the data proved my point. Averaged over a year and all carriers, there is not even a full percentage point difference in DFW's on-time performance compared to that of ORD.

I like both airports just fine while I’m there. However, I find it much easier to get between terminals/gates at DFW because of Skylink and the layout.

I vote DFW on the superstitious belief that ORD connections on the outbound are cursed. Small sample size, but I'm 2 for 2 ATL-ORD-XXX itineraries in the past 12 months having to be rerouted through another airport at 12:30AM, 7 hours before departure. One of which coincidently was a connection to JL. I have not had any delays on the inbound.

DFW.

They have Skylink between terminals and electric carts for handicapped people within terminals. I just put out my blue placard and hitch a ride.