hurnik

So we have an upcoming flight itinerary:
ALB-ORD on 6/3/21 departing 4:56 p.m. arriving 6:30 p.m. (estimated) flight #4295
Then we overnight (at the Hilton at the airport)
ORD-DFW on 6/4/21 departing at 7:00 a.m. arriving 9:25 a.m. flight #2754
DFW - PVR on 6/4/21 departing at10:41 a.m. arriving at 1:17 p.m. flight #1215

Now, I know that technically AA only allows a 12 hour connection time in terms of having to collect checked bags, and it's YMMV with the agent at check-in (?).

Ideally I'd prefer bags to be checked and NOT have to be collected (save some time in ORD at check-in, vs. just going through security and getting to the gate).
Any ideas what the chances are on having this happen?

If not, any ideas as to ORD traffic (meaning people traffic since we'll be at the Hilton at the airport), in terms of how early to get to the ticket counter to check bags?

We're in paid F if it makes any difference.

And apologies for any dumb questions because it's been like over 2 years since I've been on a plane, let alone AA.

D3Kingg

Collect your bags when you land in ORD and recheck in the morning. Isn’t the Hilton 50ft away from the terminal ? Yes it is busy but you have priority first class Checkin counter. Maybe 20 min jam at TSA worst case scenario. Don’t over think it.

hurnik

Thanks!

We have TSA Pre-check and CLEAR, but not sure if those are open at ORD.
Will plan on getting bags and checking in again.
Thanks again!

wrp96

Very unlikely they will check the bags through, so I wouldn't plan on it. Pre is definitely open at ORD, don't know about CLEAR. I wouldn't expect long lines for priority baggage check in.

chicago747

Pre-Check in the AA's Terminal 3 is always pretty fast. I don't think I've ever waited more than 15 minutes in the TSA PreCheck line there pre-Covid. I would say my average wait is under 5 min. The only kink in the plan is if they aren't fully staffed at the time you get to the line.

Clear is open, but it only is located in Terminals 1 & 2. That said, when no checked luggage I have used the T2 Clear and then walked air-side over to the AA gates.

Collierkr

Just be sure you get to baggage check by the cutoff time for AA. Rest will be easy.

KBMIFlyer

Agree with others. AA priority check in is generally very short, and bag check is easy. You have an international destination so a little bit of passport work. TSA precheck is usually quick too. I wouldn't be surprised if you are from the hotel to your gate in under 30 minutes (but don't count on that).

travelingdrsuz

You can always try because by the time you get your bags in T5 and take the bus to T3 where AA and the Hilton are, it will be fewer than 12 hours, but it's unlikely. However, as everyone says, the Hilton is right there. I mean, like right there. I am staying there after coming in from Cairo next weekend. I also have Pre-Check--and it is open (used it recently). People complain about ORD, but apart from the international bus part still being in play, when you are only dealing with something like a check in in T3, you can arrive 45 or 50 minutes before and be waiting around. If you didn't have to check bags, you could walk up to Pre-Check 30 minutes before your flight and make it most likely (not that I would recommend it, but it's generally that simple).

shd9

Don't arrive too late for baggage check-in though... The cutoff is 45 mins, probably aim to arrive at least 1 hour before departure at the counter. There could quite some wait at the counter for the early morning departure bank

Centurion

Yes the Hilton is right there so you can smell the Jet A fuel all night long !! And book in advance in case you have a weather related IROP where the rates go above $500 a night !

Beachfun71

Of all the airports I’ve been in the last few months, Ohare is consistently the emptiest and the fastest to get through.

jayer

Not a recent data point at all, but my experience has been the computer looks at scheduled arrival and departure times and they rule. To them 12 hours is 12 hours, and they can't or would not override. Even it the plane ran so really, really, late it will actually be way less than 12 hours. So late it is almost not worth bothering with going to the hotel.

hurnik

Thank you everybody for the information, especially regarding ORD and the Hilton location.
Looking forward to smooth sailing (haha).

travelingdrsuz

Looping back to let you know that in my recent transit back through ORD, the amazing agents at the recheck desk (the one that is right there as soon as you exit customs/immigration in T5 and you are directed toward the domestic terminals) in the international terminal for transfers let me check my baggage for a layover that was about 22 hours out. I was stunned.

What happened was they sent my bag ahead of me to IAH, and it was stored overnight in the AA baggage office to await me. When I got off my plane in my final destination, I received a text "Your baggage arrived early: Pick up baggage for Record Locator XXXXXX at the baggage office."

The downside to that is that the incompetent office was run by Envoy (at IAH of all places), so it meant waiting while a bunch of people filed lost luggage claims (UGH!). But the upside is that I did not have to lug a 62 inch suitcase to the Hilton with me just to have it sit beside me all night.

I could not have been more impressed with the AA agents at ORD. They noted that if I had tried to check the bags through inside at the domestic transfer desks that would not have been allowed, but they had no trouble doing it. I don't know if they always do that? It was not especially busy that day, and they were also helping me fix another problem the Twitter team had messed up royally. But they didn't act like it was a big deal at all. YMMV, but since the desk is right there, it is certainly worth asking.