Hi,

I hope those of us who fly regularly out of ORD can help our frequent flying non-Chicagoans and point people toward the faster security checkpoints in each terminal.

I fly out of Terminal 3, which primarily serves American, and also serves Alaska, Iberia, Delta & Spirit.

There are four security checkpoints. (Other T3 fliers: Is this accurate? The map shows five, but I've only ever used four.) Facing check-in counters:
* The far left security checkpoint primarily serves the L concourse. I pass through this checkpoint so infrequently that I can't tell you how many x-rays there are.
* The second (third?) checkpoint from the left is reserved for elite/first class passengers. It's located between the L & K/H concourses. From memory, this checkpoint has two or three x-ray machines.
* The second checkpoint from the right is the "main" checkpoint. It's the biggest but also the busiest checkpoint. It's located adjacent to the K/H concourse. There is an elite bypass lane. I pass through this checkpoint so infrequently that I can't tell you how many x-rays there are.
* The checkpoint on the far right primarily serves the G concourse. From memory, this checkpoint has two x-ray machines.

You can access all concourses (and even other terminals) from any security checkpoint.

I personally avoid the main checkpoint at all costs. Under normal circumstances, I head to the far right checkpoint, where lines rarely exceed 5 minutes. If I see more than a dozen people in line (I'm impatient), I'll head to the elite checkpoint between the L and K/H concourses. I find that it's rare to wait more than a couple minutes at this checkpoint.

I haven't flown AA for more than a month. Can anyone update with the location of AIT/NoS machines? Can anyone update with the number of x-rays at each checkpoint? What about the checkpoints at other terminals?

ORD 5:40am

two backscatter at K checkpoint

Two lines at priority access point, 1 bs and one wtmd, self selected in my 5 mins in line.

Regular line bs appears roped off at k

Three backscatter at H checkpoint, 2 in use

In T1, my experience is that the priority checkpoint on the left (between 1K and GS checkin) is most efficient - much more so than the one down by LH.

They are often operating the full body xray wizmos down there, but they typically (IME) are only able to staff one of them, so, after getting your ID checked you should just bear right and merge in to the front of the lanes being fed by the normal traveler queue.

Delta is now at T2.

I'm typically arriving at T3 around 615am on Monday mornings. In the past couple months the Priority Access line has been ridiculously long. Occasionally two, but usually one screening line; and the infinitely wise TSA finds their best bet to use the body scanners on the frequent flyers instead of the occasional flyers. [Reminds me of the 9/11 terrorists who only wanted to be trained on take-offs at flight school; do they think terrorists will first want Platinum status before...well, you get my point: the TSA just doesn't get it.] The body scanning process with only one line (or sometimes two lines queueing the same body scanner) seems to make the PA checkpoint full to nearly the end of the tens-a-belt maze creating a 25-30 minute process. Prior to early November, I was through the PA checkpoint in 5-10 minutes. I doubt it's a coincidence that the TSA started heavily with the body scanners in November.

This past Monday, I was rescheduled to an afternoon flight, which seemed to coincide timing with a lot of international departures (big flights, more people, more people likely to have PA). The PA line was 15-20 deep beyond the belt maze and took a solid 30 minutes to clear.

The non-PA line nearest H/K are usually completely full through the maze on a Monday morning, half full on a Thursday/Friday afternoon. That line queues out to 3 different scanning lines.

Before making Gold, I almost always used the far right (Checkpoint 6, IIRC). Monday mornings the line is usually full through the maze and 10-12 people deep from there. It would typically take 20 minutes. I only once recalling the TSA operating both scanner lines at CP6 on a Sunday afternoon. The line seems to be the same on most Friday afternoons when I exit airport world through those revolving doors nearby.

I used the checkpoint by the L concourse once on a Saturday morning back in May 2010. There was only one scanning lane used and the line was 15-20 deep. I recall the process feeling slow because most of those ahead of me were senior citizens who appeared unfamiliar with the rules and procedures (didn't remove belts, shoes on first pass, had more than 3oz of liquids, etc.).