Miles Ahead

You won't be stuck in customs. Customs at ORD is very fast. The only time I have seen it bad was when a PIA 747 landed and the line was full of families with steamer trunks. Even then CBP separated the line into people with and without steamer trunks and I was through in less than five minutes.

What might take a longer time is immigration. Nonetheless, my worst total time was an hour - that's from walking off the plane to walking on the ATS. (My best, without bags, was six minutes)

And if that does cause you to miss your flight, UA will rebook you on something. Exactly what depends on the ticket construction and seat availability. They may well try to get you to BKK skipping Tokyo, and they also may well send you in the other direction.

swiftaw

Are you a US citizen? If so, download the Mobile Passport App and use the dedicated lane. Last time through ORD it was faster than GE.

ords

This, and I even have GE. Came in the other night on BR and was through and out the door in 15 minutes with bags.

I'll mention this too, LH usually is gated on M16 so there will be additional walking time from the gate to the customs hall.

Often1

If there are IRROPS - "stuck in customs" is not IRROPS - and that causes a delay, UA may be more willing to help than in ordinary circumstances because the arrival is from the EU and EC 261/2004 applies.

If it's a "stuck in customs" delay, it really falls to either UA or NH to handle the reroute because neither has caused the delay.

Kacee

No chance. UA's bias will be to rebook on its own metal, somewhat reluctantly to *A partners, with preference to their JV partners . . . in this case NH. They may try to tell you that even a UA metal rebooking requires award space, though they will eventually open revenue space if you push them.

Often1

As you are in F, have any reroute handled at the Polaris Lounge or even a UC. UA can force award space on its own metal, but it takes a supervisor calling RM/IM and that takes time which agents elsewhere may not have.

UA can't force award space on other *A, but it can ask. That too is a process best handled from a lounge, both because it requires someone to spend time and because you can then sit somewhere.

Rerouting onto non-*A is extraordinarily unlikely as there are UA alternatives, simply possibly lousy ones.

Gobus

I have had personal experience of being stuck at immigration and missing my domestic flight. Can't remember the airline. I was told it wasn't the airline's fault but that they would rebook me on the next flight. There was no other flight that day, so they said they'd book me on a flight next day but that I was SOL regarding hotel. The best they did for me was to give me a distressed traveler voucher for a slightly discounted hotel at my own cost.

This was in Y. Not sure if they are nicer to F/J.

cfischer

per *A rules you get a hotel paid on intercontinental irop when SAG or in J/F. Send the bill to UA ...

kirkwoodj

Often seen on UA-UA connections, not sure about if another airline involved

Global321

Same ticket? Doubtful. I have not seen it. (I have gotten it UA to UA, but it slowed me down.)
Different tickets? I have never seen it.

If you are a US Citizen with GE, the escort would slow you down, at least until you get to US security.

Not that it matters, curious as to your routing.