I'll be flying out next weekend on UA from SFO-ORD-LGA. (It's off milage, and the reservation was made too late to get on ps service.)

My transfer's fairly late in the day; arrival time's 1752 and the ORD-LGA leg takes off at 1900. The departure from SFO, thanks to the time zone difference, is 1140, meaning a 0930 check-in -- which I'm worried may still be too early to see delays cropping up at ORD. Also too worried that the fact this is off milage will lead to less flexibility - I'm not an elite member of UA.

Given the recent snowstorms and events around Chicago - any tips from the road on what to do in case another storm chokes up ORD? Demand alternate routing the day of? Pack a sleeping bag in the carry on?

I'd keep an eye on the UA website. If a storm is coming through, they may post a message offering flexible travel, allowing you to depart ahead of the storm, or a day or two after. As seats will disappear quickly, best to act on that as soon as you see it.

UA has non-stops to JFK and EWR at 11.20 and 11.40, respectively. At the airport, you could ask at check-in if they'd switch you to one of these flights because you're concerned about missing your connection at ORD.

Most of the time, you're chances would be not very good unless for some reason one of your scheduled flights is oversold. In this case, however, I'd estimate your chances to be close to non-existent, as on the weekend before Christmas the daytime nonstops from SFO to the east coast are inevitably booked solid.

Best advice I can offer is that you be patient and extremely grateful that you got a saver award on that date.

Thanks for the tips. I didn't know that there were two nonstops to NYC from SFO right around that time!