ORD - Can I access T5 with a UA domestic boarding pass?
Oct 11, 2018, 12:48 pm
#1
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ORD - Can I access T5 with a UA domestic boarding pass?
Hi Everyone - trying to find out more info on this, I have about 3 hours to kill while going through ORD. Can I go to the International terminal with a United domestic boarding pass? I know in LAX you can, which is nice for the lounges and shopping.
Thanks,
- Tom
Thanks,
- Tom
Oct 11, 2018, 1:13 pm
#2
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Oct 11, 2018, 1:18 pm
#3
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And that's assuming it's on one of the days the train is running. Currently it is down part of the time for maintenance (I can't remember if it's weekends or weekdays when it is running), and when it is down you have to take a landside bus to/from T5.
Oct 11, 2018, 1:37 pm
#5
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Agreed. T5 is not worth the trek over.
Also, no TSA Pre, so you may get stuck behind a long line to go through security. There is a separate line for premium cabin pax but you'd still go through security scan with the general public.
Also, no TSA Pre, so you may get stuck behind a long line to go through security. There is a separate line for premium cabin pax but you'd still go through security scan with the general public.
Oct 11, 2018, 1:49 pm
#6
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Oct 11, 2018, 2:00 pm
#7
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Yes, you can.
Oct 11, 2018, 2:22 pm
#9
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Add another to the list that thinks it is not worth the hassle to go over to T5. There is plenty to do in terminals 1, 2, and 3, and you can get to all of them airside (it's around a 3 mile walk if walk to the end of each terminal/concourse). T5 at ORD is nothing like TBT at LAX.
Oct 11, 2018, 3:09 pm
#10
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Having done this, I can confirm it can be done.
There's one potential exception to the comments above, and that's if you're arriving on an international flight into ORD. In that case, you're going to be at T5 anyway (landside), and you're going to have to catch the train anyway, so the only real impact is one additional trip through security.
Whilst there is an airside bus from TO T5, there is no airside bus back FROM T5 (logic being that if you're connecting from T5 then you're an international arrival so you're already landside). To catch the airside bus you need to show a boarding pass or other proof that you have a flight out of T5.
There's one potential exception to the comments above, and that's if you're arriving on an international flight into ORD. In that case, you're going to be at T5 anyway (landside), and you're going to have to catch the train anyway, so the only real impact is one additional trip through security.
Whilst there is an airside bus from TO T5, there is no airside bus back FROM T5 (logic being that if you're connecting from T5 then you're an international arrival so you're already landside). To catch the airside bus you need to show a boarding pass or other proof that you have a flight out of T5.
Oct 12, 2018, 7:13 am
#11
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Correction to this, all lanes are considered TSA Pre now. TSO's will handle it on an individual basis per lane.
Oct 12, 2018, 7:37 am
#12
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TSA Pre lite =/= TSA Pre
Oct 12, 2018, 7:48 am
#13
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Aka TSA Pre lite. You would still get stuck with everyone else - at times the wait would be 30 minutes or more during the evening rush, for example. The only difference is going through security scan, but then again some TSA agents would ask you to take off your shoes anyway.
TSA Pre lite =/= TSA Pre
TSA Pre lite =/= TSA Pre
I only flew 3 times out of Terminal 5: the lines for security were always extremely long and extremely disorganized. So, no, I would never go there just for tourism.
Oct 12, 2018, 7:51 am
#14
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An FYI (I was looking for this answer recently and did not easily find it):
It works in the reverse as well. You can access T1 with a T5 BP. Great for visiting Polaris Lounge before *A T5 flights if you've got the time.
It works in the reverse as well. You can access T1 with a T5 BP. Great for visiting Polaris Lounge before *A T5 flights if you've got the time.
Oct 12, 2018, 7:56 am
#15
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So that's a perfect scenario of when this would be applicable and I would argue very worthwhile. Especially if it's an airline that participates in precheck. You get a full precheck line, the polaris lounge (or any regular lounge for non longhaul J/*G), and you have the opportunity to take the shuttle bus over.