JimInOhio

Wow, I didn't know that other than for children traveling with their parent(s).

EJRofChicago

I know my username says I'm "ofChicago" but that's because Chicago used to be my home city so I've never actually connected at ORD, haha! SO: Have a United return itinerary from Europe this summer that was supposed to connect at EWR but was just rerouted via ORD. Is 1:50 enough time to clear immigration at T5 and get over to T1 for the onward domestic to my final destination? Have Global Entry and will have checked baggage. This is on Friday, June 30, FWIW, i.e., the Friday before 4th of July weekend.

Annoyingly, since my final destination is DCA, I overfly the East Coast and have to backtrack and the overall travel time is increased noticeably -- but since I'm from Chicago, I might ask UA to move my onward connection to a later frequency so I can take a few hours to meet some family/friends for dinner in town since UA is kind enough to send me back "home" for a bit, haha!

JimInOhio

Especially with Global Entry, 1:50 should be more than enough time.

goodeats21

I've arrived Intl into Chicago twice now in 2023 with Global Entry. Both times was a LONG walk (10-15 min), but sailed right through the actual GE point. (5 minutes tops). They are doing the new thing where you just take your picture at the kiosk and then pass the agent that checks you through. Don't have to insert passport, answer questions, etc anymore.

Your bottleneck will be the checked bag. I only travel carry-on, so no idea how ORD is fairing with luggage delivery lately.

Kath68

Could someone please talk me through the exact process for transfer from an international flight arriving into Terminal 5 to a domestic flight departing T1? I hold a British passport and have an ESTA visa waiver. I’m arriving from Paris mid-week and in the middle of the day, I will have one checked case plus hand luggage and my departing flight leaves terminal 1 with the same airline (United) 2.5 hours later.
O’Hare’s website is contradictory. One one page it suggests that I clear immigration and then customs (with or without my checked bag, I’m not entirely sure), find my bag somewhere at some point, recheck my bag, change terminals and re-enter security. On another page, it says I can clear security before I change terminals and then get a bus/tram/train/horse and cart straight into terminal 1. I have heard that my bag should be checked through from Paris to my final destination (in the US) so I don’t need to recheck it, I can just drop it at a United desk/conveyor belt/UFO and it will magically make it onto the same onward flight as me, but then also I have heard that I have to traipse everything to Terminal 1, recheck my bag, go through security and then gather the remnants of my sanity and find my gate.
i am so stressed about this, it’s my first time travelling solo internationally and I wish I’d booked my own flights via somewhere else with a bit more time to spare instead of having the tour operator book them for me. Thanks in anticipation.

JimInOhio

You don’t mention your inbound airline but I’m assuming it’s UA. If so:

1) At Paris, make sure your bag is checked to its final destination (no reason to think it wouldn’t be)
2) Clear immigration at O’Hare
3) Retrieve bags from baggage carousel
4) Exit through customs
5) Hand off bags at UA recheck desk just after customs
6) Proceed to ATS (Airport Transit System) which is up one level
7) Board ATS train to T1
8) Go through security

Hope that helps

pseudoswede

What JimInOhio describes in his post is absolutely correct. After you clear immigrations, you pick up your bags, go through customs, and then you drop it off at the Connecting Flights baggage carousel just outside customs. They will ask you what airline you're flying, then they will direct you to which line to stand in to drop off your bag. Then you can take the train (ATS) to Terminal 1, clear security, then go to your UA flight.

This is also technically correct. After you drop off your bags, you could clear security in T5, then take the Terminal Transfer Bus from Gate M13 to T1; however, security lines at T5 has the potential to be insanely long. I would also recommend taking the ATS to T1 to clear security.

That is correct. However, in the absolutely highly unlikely (basically next-to-impossible) event that they only check your bags through to ORD, do know there is actually a UA desk just past the Connecting Flights baggage carousel. It's mainly for people with lost luggage and missed connections, but they can issue a bag tag to your final destination from there. Then they either take your bag or direct you to drop it off at the Connecting Flight carousel.

Kath68

Thank you!

ticu

Hi all,

Is it risky to make this connection in ORD?
Do I need to clear security in ORD for the flight to Canada?
Thanks in advance

Air Canada • Fri, May 12
Air Canada 3349 operated by United
Departure
11:57 PM - Las Vegas11:57 PM from Las Vegas
Harry Reid Intl. (LAS)
3h 25m flight
Arrival
5:22 AM - Chicago 5:22 AM to Chicago
O'Hare Intl. (ORD)

Layover: 1h 51m in Chicago

Air Canada 4986 operated by SKYWEST/UNITED EXPRESS
Departure
7:13 AM - Chicago7:13 AM from Chicago
O'Hare Intl. (ORD)
1h 42m flight
Arrival
9:55 AM - Toronto9:55 AM to Toronto
Pearson Intl. (YYZ)

FriendlySkies

You should have plenty of time for that connection. Is it on the same ticket and do you have checked bags? The AC flight should depart from T2 which is a short walk from T1 where UA’s flight will fly into.

ticu

I only have carry-on. My concern would be security clearing. I have though a chance to get TSA PreCheck as I hold a Nexus card.

FriendlySkies

You won’t have to go through security as T1-T3 is connected behind security. It’ll be a 7-10 minute walk depending on your pace.

ticu

Thank you.

MTC1976

We are infrequent travelers, and this is the first time we'll be at ORD. We'll be going from the Polaris lounge to Terminal 5 for the LO10 ORD-KRK which departs 1720. We want to arrive in T5 with enough time to do a bit of shopping before we proceed to our gate.

If I understand correctly, there are two ways to get from Terminal 1 to Terminal 5. Which do you recommend? What time should we leave the Polaris lounge? We're able-bodied and capable of walking long distances, but we're not super fast walkers.

Thank you kindly.

goodeats21

I would opt for the Terminal Transfer Bus (TTB). That way you will not have to exit airside and re-clear security at Terminal 5. You will board the bus near gate B1. (Will need to go from C to B via the underground tunnel of lights).

Reports are the transfer takes about 15 minutes. May be a bit longer if you have an extended wait for a bus to arrive. I would allow 30 minutes for the process to be very risk averse.
What time that means for you to depart depends a lot on how much time you need shopping and/or if you want to board at the beginning of the window.

ORD T1, T2, T3 to T5 busing being looked at for connecting pax
https://www.flychicago.com/ohare/Ser...Pages/tbt.aspx