How long through customs at ORD?
Feb 28, 2006, 8:47 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2005
Location: MD-80
Programs: AA GLD, Marriott SIL, Hyatt GLD
Posts: 182
Originally Posted by tattikat2
Any idea why it is 1h10m's early?
I'm asking because I'll be meeting family arriving on that exact same flight later in the year. But being as I live in SF I'll be flying to ORD myself to meet them and if the plane was over an hour early.. will, there goes my "balloon drop " welcome out the window!
If it's concistently early I may need to arrive earlier than I'd thought.
I'm asking because I'll be meeting family arriving on that exact same flight later in the year. But being as I live in SF I'll be flying to ORD myself to meet them and if the plane was over an hour early.. will, there goes my "balloon drop " welcome out the window!
If it's concistently early I may need to arrive earlier than I'd thought.
Hard to tell what will happen later in the year, although it would seem that if winds are favorable from LHR, they'd be unfavorable from SFO...double trouble.
Good luck.
Feb 28, 2006, 2:09 pm
#17
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,976
Originally Posted by milepig
Time will vary greatly.
The walk from your gate will be about 10 minutes if you land at the far end of T5.
The wait for immigration will be 10-15 minutes (maybe more) if you are US citizen. Probably longer if not. Try to choose your line by the looks of the people in it, not by the length. Choose the line with lots of couples who were clearly on vacation, etc., and it will most likely move fast. A bunch of business people is also good. I'm usually flying business, and I tend to arrive at immigration with mostly seasoned travellers so the line tends to move quickly at that point.
The wait for baggage can take forever. One reason I don't check bags for INTL travel.
The line for customs always moves very quickly. Even when we were sent for secondary instpection (cat food, don't ask) it was no more than 5 extra minutes.
When you're through customs you're out the doors and done.
Best case:
plane door to immigration - 5 minutes
immigration - 10 minutes
baggage - 0
customs - 0
TOTAL 15 minutes
Worst case:
plane door to immigration - 10 minutes
immigration - 20 minutes (US) 30 minutes (non-US)
baggage - 30 minutes (the longer you stay in immigration the less time you'll wait for your bags, so these two things tend to even out in the end. I've always gotten through immigration before my bags were out, making the effective immigration wait zero)
customs - 5 minutes
TOTAL 65 minutes (US) 75 minutes (non-US)
I don't think the process has ever taken me more than 40 minutes with baggage. And, I have indeed done it in 15 or less.
If changing to a domestic flight, to this you will need to add the time rechecking bags - 10 minutes? (I've never done it). Walking to the little train - 10 minutes. Taking the train to T1 or T2 - 10 minutes (max waiting time for train midday 4-5 minutes, the trip 5 minutes).
You then need to get from the train to the gate - 5 to 20 minutes or more. Assuming you already have your BP (either from the original checkin or when you rechecked your bags) you will need to walk from the train to security - 5 minutes, wait for security - 5 minutes to 20 minutes, and walk to your gate - 5 minutes to 20 minutes depending on gate location.
The walk from your gate will be about 10 minutes if you land at the far end of T5.
The wait for immigration will be 10-15 minutes (maybe more) if you are US citizen. Probably longer if not. Try to choose your line by the looks of the people in it, not by the length. Choose the line with lots of couples who were clearly on vacation, etc., and it will most likely move fast. A bunch of business people is also good. I'm usually flying business, and I tend to arrive at immigration with mostly seasoned travellers so the line tends to move quickly at that point.
The wait for baggage can take forever. One reason I don't check bags for INTL travel.
The line for customs always moves very quickly. Even when we were sent for secondary instpection (cat food, don't ask) it was no more than 5 extra minutes.
When you're through customs you're out the doors and done.
Best case:
plane door to immigration - 5 minutes
immigration - 10 minutes
baggage - 0
customs - 0
TOTAL 15 minutes
Worst case:
plane door to immigration - 10 minutes
immigration - 20 minutes (US) 30 minutes (non-US)
baggage - 30 minutes (the longer you stay in immigration the less time you'll wait for your bags, so these two things tend to even out in the end. I've always gotten through immigration before my bags were out, making the effective immigration wait zero)
customs - 5 minutes
TOTAL 65 minutes (US) 75 minutes (non-US)
I don't think the process has ever taken me more than 40 minutes with baggage. And, I have indeed done it in 15 or less.
If changing to a domestic flight, to this you will need to add the time rechecking bags - 10 minutes? (I've never done it). Walking to the little train - 10 minutes. Taking the train to T1 or T2 - 10 minutes (max waiting time for train midday 4-5 minutes, the trip 5 minutes).
You then need to get from the train to the gate - 5 to 20 minutes or more. Assuming you already have your BP (either from the original checkin or when you rechecked your bags) you will need to walk from the train to security - 5 minutes, wait for security - 5 minutes to 20 minutes, and walk to your gate - 5 minutes to 20 minutes depending on gate location.
Feb 28, 2006, 4:41 pm
#18
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: BHD/DUB
Programs: BA Gold, TK*G, EI Elite
Posts: 7,622
Originally Posted by merlin
Somewhat OT, but has anyone had luck in going to the other side of Immigration if the first one looks very busy? I came in from HKG a couple weeks ago, and the agent directing people at the bottom of the escalator wouldn't let me go to the other screening area even though it was open.
From plane to RCC Concourse 'C' is usually about 30 minutes coming off UA959. I consider 60 minutes a good time off the other two, it can easily take 90.
Feb 28, 2006, 5:25 pm
#19
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: LA
Programs: United GS/3MM Delta Platinum ,AA platinum,Marriott platinum,Hilton Diamond VIP,Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 181
Originally Posted by ElmhurstNick
I was on the curb waiting for my shuttle bus in less than 20 minutes from landing, but I didn't have checked luggage and I was in business class.