dropping off 2 people at ORD, 1 AA and 1 UA, same dept time, where do I park?
 

I have never driven to ORD before.

I will be dropping off 2 close relatives. 1 is flying UA and 1 is flying AA. Both flights are departing withing 5 minutes of each other at 11:00AM.

Where should I park in order to be able to efficiently drop off both of them? (including accompanying them to their respective check-in counters and security checkpoints)

Thanks!

There's no good answer to this. UA is T1 and AA is T3. You could park half way between or close to 1 of them. There's a train that runs between terminals of course.

If it were me (and it wouldn't be :)) doing this, I'd probably park by whichever terminal I'm going to first, in the short term parking. Take one to check in, then you and the other relative hop on the train and go to the other terminal. Then you take the train back to your car, or take a walk if you're not in a hurry.

Make sure you allow extra time if both flights are the same time, even though the train ride is only a couple minutes.

thanks! I have no idea how I got myself into this jar of pickles.. :(

Drive along the upper roadway (departure level) and drop off the UA relative at T1. Keep driving and drop off the AA relative at T3. Tell them to find a seat and wait.

Circle around and park in the main garage near T1. Go into T1 and find your relative and walk them through the check-in process.

Then go out the doors and walk to T3 on the sidewalk along the driveway. Meet the second relative and help them with check-in.

Hopefully, they both have cell phones. Wait around until they call you and tell you they are on the plane or at least through security.

I do not recommend taking the train (ATS) between T1 and T3, it's just not worth it. By the time you take an escalator up, walk across the roadway, take and escalator down, wait for the train, ride the train, take an escalator up, walk back across the roadway, and take an escalator down, you could have walked back and forth between the terminals at least twice.


The ATS is only useful if you are going to and from T5 or to and from Remote Parking.

T1 to T3 is a long walk. Depending on how fast you walk, the age of the relatives, and how much luggage they have, it MAY be faster to walk. But it could also be slower or more difficult. I think of my mother, where it would take twice as long to walk than to take the ATS. The entrance/exit is right in front of the check-in counters, so taking the escalator up to train is not out of the way at all.

Only the OP can determine which suits him best.

Another option between T1 and T3 is the moving walkways in the basement under the parking garage. In the terminals follow signs for "Trains to City" as the CTA station is along the path from T1 to T3.

OP, is there another relative you can conscript to help you with this? If so, drop T1 flyer and helper at T1 curbside. Then drive around to T3, drop T3 flyer, tell them to grab a seat and wait for you. Drive around and park by T3, go into T3 and help T3 flyer, then you and helper meet up at the car or underneath the garage or something.

This has my head spinning. Assuming they're reasonable mobile, what I would do is:

Plan plenty of time.

Park in the T5 (INTL) short term parking (easy access to the train) and get everyone on the airport train. Have everyone exit at T3 and have the T1 folk wait in the station (I think there are benches??, can't believe I can't remember!)

Take the T3 folk through AA checkin and to security.

Return to the station and proceed with the second group to T1 and repeat.

Back on the train to T5 and you're done.

At this point, can you grab another friend or family member to split the headache?