Question about connecting in BRU to fly back to ORD
 

Hi All -
Looking for advice on how connecting to a flight in BRU to ORD would be. The initial flight would be on Brussels Airlines to catch UA 973 BRU-ORD. How far is the gate for the international departing flights since I assume I would have to go through immigration (and security?) between the flights? The layover is 1:30. I have only been to Brussels Airport once and that was an intra-Europe flight in and out so not familiar with the international setup at that airport.

Thanks for any input.

If you arriving on an intra-Europe flight you will arrive in the "domestic" terminal, and you will have to walk to the other terminal. I have never done so myself, so I don't know what procedure you would have to go through. I guess you will have to go through security again, but maybe no immigration check.

Correct, arriving on an intra-Europe flight and leaving Europe so I am guessing will have to go through EU immigration. The connection is valid according to United (it is on their website as an option). Just don't know what to expect line wise in security/immigration and how far of a walk it will be. And of course the Brussels Airport site is not displaying anything but a special Volcano News page so can't pull up an airport map.

Since you won't have bags to check and can go right through it is likely doable. At BRU you'll come out of the domestic pier into the main terminal lobby area...the entrance to the international pier has all the EU immigration desks right there and is generally pretty efficient (except for the early morning departures where they seem to only have 1 or 2 booths manned despite a number of flights departing for the US)...real issue is the delay to go back through security screening. Is 1+30 doable? Yes, but you'll need to move quickly and hope you don't hit a back up at security.

Good luck!

Departing from BRU a few days ago - passport control was fairly quick, only a couple of people in front of me. That was the line for EU citizens but the ones for 'all passports' were not much worse - maybe about 10 people or so.
Security looked really bad, with the line going all the way through the terminal, but it was moving really fast - I ended up waiting around 20 minutes. There is a fast lane, but United is not on the list of airlines approved to use it. *G does not help either.

How about the reverse: inbound from ORD, connecting to Schengen Zone. I have 2h25 between flights but am nervous because the flights are on separate itineraries.

(Sorry to hijack.)

You should be fine. Once you get of the plane you'll go through EU passport control. And then straight to the luggage belt. Luggage does come out pretty fast. After that go one level back up to the departure area to check in for your other flight. After that it's a long walk to the Schengen Zone Terminal where you will only go through security.
If your BRU flight arrives on time 2.25 should be more than enough.
If you are flying with partners in a same alliance try checking your luggage to your final destination even on two separates PNR.

Thanks; it would be UA to SN so no problem checking bags through. Is there no transfer desk airside but after immigration?