Chicago O'Hare
America's heartland hub, mastered
A twelve-page deep dive for the British business flyer: the dual hub of United and American, which terminal for your airline, the round-the-clock train into the city, immigration and the trusted-traveller programmes, where to sleep, and how to make O'Hare work for you, not against you.
O'Hare at a glance
Four terminals, eight runways and a hub shared by both of America's largest airlines. O'Hare is the great crossroads of the American heartland, and one of the busiest airports on earth.
Chicago O'Hare is the airport of the American Midwest and one of the busiest in the world, a vast operation that is, unusually, a major hub for both United Airlines and American Airlines at once, which gives it an enormous network across the United States and beyond. For the British traveller it is both a destination in its own right, serving a city that is a powerhouse of finance, futures trading, law and corporate America, with one of the largest convention centres on the continent, and a major connecting point for onward travel across the Midwest and the country. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and United all fly here from London. The airport has four terminals, numbered 1, 2, 3 and 5, with no Terminal 4, a quirk that is the first thing to know.
O'Hare is also in the midst of an 8.5-billion-dollar transformation, branded O'Hare 21, that will replace the old Terminal 2 with a vast new Global Terminal, add satellite concourses and expand the international Terminal 5. For now, the working airport is a busy, sprawling place, wellconnected to the city by a round-the-clock train, and notorious, it must be said, for weather delays in the fierce Chicago winter. Run by the City of Chicago, it is the heartland's gateway to the world. This guide, for the British business flyer, covers the terminals, the train, and the things a US arrival demands: immigration, the trusted-traveller programmes, the dollars and the tipping.
O'HARE
BY NUMBERS
Distance to downtown: about 17 miles; around 45 minutes by the CTA train. Terminals: 1, 2, 3 and 5 - there is no Terminal 4.
For UK carriers: British Airways at Terminal 3, Virgin Atlantic at Terminal 5, United at Terminal 1. Into the city: the CTA Blue Line train, round the clock, around $5.
Before you fly: an approved ESTA (or visa) is required for entry to the United States.
Page 2 - Introduction and key facts
Which terminal?
O'Hare's terminals are split by airline and alliance, and the international terminal handles most arrivals. For the British traveller, the departure terminal depends on your carrier.
O'Hare's layout takes a moment to grasp. Terminal 1 is United's domestic and international home, shared with its Star Alliance partners Lufthansa and ANA. Terminal 3 is American's, and the home of its oneworld partners, so British Airways, Iberia, Finnair, Japan Airlines and Aer Lingus depart from here. Terminal 5 is the international terminal, used by the other foreign carriers, by Delta, and by Virgin Atlantic, Delta's partner, which flies from London; it is also the main arrival point for international flights, where many passengers clear customs. There is no Terminal 4, and the old Terminal 2 is being rebuilt as the new Global Terminal. For the British traveller departing, then, the rule is: British Airways from Terminal 3, Virgin Atlantic from Terminal 5, United from Terminal 1.
On arrival, the picture is a little different, because international flights are processed for customs at the terminal with the immigration facility, most often Terminal 5, though United and American handle some of their own arrivals; follow the signage. The terminals are linked by the Airport Transit System, a free automated train that circles the airport around the clock, so moving between them is straightforward. Confirm your terminal on your booking, and if being dropped off, make sure your driver comes to the right one, since the terminals are spread around a large site.
The terminal map for the UK traveller
Being rebuilt as the Global Terminal No Terminal 4 exists
RULE OF THUMB
Departing: British Airways at Terminal 3, Virgin Atlantic at Terminal 5, United at Terminal 1. International arrivals clear customs at the terminal with the immigration facility, most often Terminal 5 - follow the signage.
3 - Terminals and
Into the city
O'Hare's great advantage is a round-the-clock train into the heart of Chicago for a few dollars, immune to the city's traffic.
For the journey into Chicago, the standout option is the train. The CTA Blue Line has a station within the airport, reached from the terminals by a short walk or the Airport Transit System, and runs directly into downtown Chicago, the Loop, in around forty-five minutes for a fare of about five dollars. Crucially, it runs around the clock, every day, so it covers the very early and very late flights, and it is entirely immune to the traffic of the expressways into the city, which can be heavy. For the business traveller heading downtown or to the near North Side, it is cheap, reliable and frequent, the obvious choice unless your destination is awkward for the rail line. The Metra commuter rail also serves the airport for journeys to the suburbs.
The train is the standout for downtown, but a taxi or ride-share, covered on the next page, offers door-to-door convenience for destinations off the rail line or for the traveller who prefers a car after a long flight. O'Hare sits about seventeen miles north-west of the Loop, so the road journey is moderate when the traffic is light but can be slow at the peaks. The rule for the regular is simple: for downtown and the North Side, take the Blue Line, which runs at any hour; for an awkward destination or the western suburbs, a taxi, ride-share or, given Chicago's spread, perhaps a hire car.
Into the city at a glance
CTA Blue Line train to the Loop, downtown approx. 45 min around $5, round the clock
Taxi door-to-door downtown approx. 30 to 50 min by traffic around $45 to $55 with tip
Ride-share from designated areas approx. 30 to 50 min demand-based
Page 4 - Getting into the city
By taxi, car and ride-share
A taxi from O'Hare is simple but, given the distance, dearer and slower than the train into downtown; a hire car suits the sprawling suburbs.
For door-to-door convenience a taxi or ride-share from O'Hare is straightforward, taken from the ranks and pick-up areas at each terminal, with the fare to downtown typically forty-five to fiftyfive dollars once the customary tip is added, and the journey taking anywhere from half an hour to nearly an hour depending on the notorious traffic of the Kennedy Expressway. Ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft operate from designated areas, including a dedicated pick-up at the car-hire and parking facility reached by the Airport Transit System, at demand-based fares. For a single downtown destination, the train is usually quicker and far cheaper, so the cab earns its place mainly for awkward destinations, heavy luggage or late arrivals.
Hiring a car makes sense at O'Hare for a trip into the sprawling suburbs of greater Chicago, the office parks and corporate campuses spread across the region, or for onward travel across the Midwest, with the rental-car centre at the airport's Multi-Modal Facility, reached by the free transit train. For a trip focused on downtown Chicago, however, with its expensive parking and dense traffic, the Blue Line is the better answer. If you are being collected, the spread-out terminals mean your driver must come to the right one. The verdict, as ever, is the train for downtown, and a car for the suburbs and the wider Midwest.
The road traveller's checklist
• Taxis run about $45 to $55 to downtown with tip; the journey time swings with the expressway traffic.
• Ride-share (Uber, Lyft) runs from designated areas and the Multi-Modal Facility.
• A hire car suits the spread-out suburbs and the Midwest; the rental centre is reached by the free transit train.
• Being collected? The terminals are spread out, so make sure your driver comes to the right one.
A WORD ON TIPPING
Tipping is expected in the United States, not optional: around 15 to 20 per cent for taxis and restaurants, and a dollar or two per bag for porters. Budget for it as part of the fare.
Page 5 - Getting in by taxi, car and ride-share
Immigration and security
Entering the United States at O'Hare is a more involved business than a European arrival, and the queues can be long. A trusted-traveller programme makes the difference.
Every UK visitor needs authorisation to enter the United States before travelling: for most business and leisure trips that means an approved ESTA under the Visa Waiver Programme, applied for online well ahead and valid for two years, though some travellers require a full visa, so check your circumstances early. On arrival at O'Hare you will clear US Customs and Border Protection at the terminal handling your flight's customs, most often Terminal 5, which at the busy arrival times can mean a substantial queue, followed by a customs declaration. The single most valuable thing a frequent visitor can do is enrol in Global Entry, the trusted-traveller programme open to UK citizens, which lets you skip the main queue at an automated kiosk; it requires a UK background check and a US fee, plus an interview, so apply months ahead, but it transforms the arrival.
Departure security is a separate matter, run by the Transportation Security Administration, and at a dual hub as busy as O'Hare the checkpoints can be crowded, so allow time. For the UK traveller flying home it is a standard screening, but for anyone connecting onto a US domestic flight, TSA PreCheck, included with Global Entry, gives a faster security lane, and CLEAR, a paid identity-verification service, moves you to the front of the queue. As one of the country's great connecting hubs, O'Hare sees these programmes well used. The practical advice is the same as at any US gateway: sort your ESTA before you fly, allow real time for immigration, and if you cross the Atlantic regularly, get Global Entry.
Clearing the airport, both ways
• Apply for your ESTA online well before travel (or a visa if your trip requires one); it is mandatory for entry.
• You clear US immigration at the customs terminal, most often Terminal 5; queues can be long at the peaks.
• For frequent visitors, Global Entry is transformative - apply months ahead, as interviews book up.
• Connecting onto a US domestic flight? TSA PreCheck (included with Global Entry) speeds departure security; CLEAR is a paid alternative.
• Reclaim and re-check your bags on arrival even if connecting onward; US connections are not seamless (see page 10).
Page 6 - Immigration, security and trusted-traveller programmes
The lounges worth the walk
As a dual hub, O'Hare has two strong lounge networks, with United's flagship Polaris Lounge and American's Flagship spaces the highlights for the long-haul traveller.
O'Hare's dual-hub status gives it two strong lounge networks. At Terminal 1, United operates a United Polaris Lounge for its long-haul business-cabin passengers, among the best business lounges in the United States, along with its network of United Club lounges. At Terminal 3, American runs its premium Flagship Lounge for long-haul and premium passengers, and a network of Admirals Clubs, the natural spaces for British Airways passengers, who share the oneworld facilities here, with BA also providing lounge access for its premium-cabin and status passengers at Terminal 3. Terminal 5, the international terminal, has its own lounges including a Chase Sapphire Lounge and various airline spaces for the carriers based there, useful for Virgin Atlantic passengers.
The practical advice is the usual: know what your ticket, status or card opens, and crucially which terminal it sits in, before you build your timings around it, because the terminals are separate and connected only by the transit train. A British Airways Club World ticket or oneworld status opens the Flagship or Admirals Club lounges at Terminal 3; a United Polaris business ticket the Polaris Lounge at Terminal 1; a Virgin Atlantic Upper Class ticket a lounge at Terminal 5. For the wait before a transatlantic departure, a good lounge turns dead time into working or resting time, and at O'Hare, for those with access, the choice is strong.
Dining and shopping
O'Hare has a good local food offer for its size, with Chicago names across the terminals, though the choice is split between the separate buildings.
Dining at O'Hare is solid for an airport of its scale, with a strong local character: alongside the national chains you will find outposts of well-known Chicago names, deep-dish pizza, hot dogs done the Chicago way, and a range of better sit-down options that have improved with investment, so a proper meal before the flight home is easily had. The choice is spread across the four terminals, and because they are separate buildings connected by the transit train rather than airside, you eat in your own terminal rather than crossing to another. The international Terminal 5 and the hub Terminals 1 and 3 are all reasonably supplied, so wherever the British traveller is flying from there is something proper to be had, and if you have lounge access, the lounge is often the more comfortable choice.
Shopping follows the American airport pattern, with the practical well covered, the technology, the pharmacy and the bookshop, alongside duty-free and a good line in Chicago and Illinois branded gifts. For the working traveller the value is the familiar safety net, the charger, the adaptor or the US plug you forgot, replaceable airside. The discipline at a spread-out, multiterminal airport like O'Hare is to do your eating and buying in your own terminal, since the others are reached only by the transit train, and to keep an eye on boarding, because the concourses in the big hub terminals can involve a long walk to a far gate.
Eating and buying, the essentials
• Seek out the Chicago names - deep-dish pizza and the rest; the dining has a real local flavour.
• Eat and shop in your own terminal; the others are reached only by the transit train.
• Pick up any forgotten US plug adaptor or charger airside before you fly.
• Watch the boarding screens; the hub concourses can involve a long walk to a far gate.
Page 8 - Dining and shopping
Where to stay
O'Hare has a hotel within the airport itself, and the round-the-clock train makes downtown Chicago a practical base too.
O'Hare has a genuinely convenient on-airport hotel: the Hilton Chicago O'Hare sits within the airport at the centre of the terminal core, connected to Terminals 1, 2 and 3 by an underground walkway, so you can reach it from those terminals without going outside, a full-service hotel ideal for an early flight, a late arrival or a tight connection requiring an overnight. Beyond it, a large cluster of chain hotels sits around the airport and along the nearby expressway corridors, reached by shuttle, serving for a cheaper night near the terminals, and northern suburban business districts such as Rosemont, with its own convention facilities, are close by. For an early transatlantic departure, the on-airport Hilton is hard to beat for sheer convenience.
For a trip centred on the city, however, the round-the-clock Blue Line makes a downtown Chicago hotel a thoroughly practical base, putting you near the Loop, the Magnificent Mile, the financial district and the McCormick Place convention centre, with the train out to the airport cheap and frequent at any hour. The decision comes down to the shape of the trip: the on-airport Hilton for an early flight or a connection, a suburban hotel for business in the northern districts, and downtown Chicago, reached by the Blue Line, for a city-focused stay. As always, book with both the trip and the morning's flight in mind.
A hotel shortlist
Option
Hilton Chicago O'Hare
Suburban chain hotels
Downtown Chicago hotels
Location
Within the airport, underground walkway
On site and connected; best for an early flight or connection
Around the airport, by shuttle Cheaper nights; near the northern business districts
About 45 min by the Blue Line For a city-focused trip, rail-connected at any hour
THE ROUND-THE-CLOCK TRAIN HELPS
Because the CTA Blue Line runs 24 hours, a downtown Chicago hotel is a practical base even for an awkward flight time, with the train out to O'Hare cheap and frequent at any hour. Page 9 - Where to stay
Connecting onward
As a dual hub, O'Hare handles enormous connecting traffic, but a connection onto a US domestic flight still means clearing immigration and re-checking bags first.
O'Hare is one of the great connecting airports of the United States, a hub for both United and American, so for the UK traveller flying onward it is worth understanding the process. The United States makes every arriving international passenger clear the border before going on: there is no airside transit, so on arrival you must clear immigration, collect your checked bags, pass through customs, and then hand the bags back in and go through security again before your onward domestic flight, even on a single ticket. Because O'Hare's customs facilities and the various airline terminals are separate buildings, you may also need to take the transit train from your arrival terminal to your departure terminal after re-clearing, which adds time. A connection at O'Hare needs a generous buffer, well beyond a European transfer, and more again in winter when delays are common.
The practical guidance follows. When booking a transatlantic trip with an onward US flight, allow a long connection at O'Hare, never a tight one, and factor in the transit-train move between terminals after immigration and customs, as well as the real possibility of weather disruption in the colder months. A trusted-traveller programme speeds both stages, Global Entry at immigration and the included TSA PreCheck at the re-screening, and hand luggage only, where the trip allows, removes the baggage reclaim and re-check entirely. Know that a US connection is not seamless, build a generous buffer, and clear each stage methodically before you relax.
Connecting well
• There is no airside transit in the US: clear immigration, reclaim bags, clear customs, recheck and re-screen.
• You may need the transit train between your arrival and departure terminals after reclearing.
• Allow a long connection at O'Hare, and more in winter when weather delays are common.
• Global Entry speeds immigration and includes TSA PreCheck for the re-screening.
• Hand luggage only, where possible, removes the reclaim and re-check step. Page 10 - Connecting onward
O'Hare, mastered
Everything above distilled into the habits that make the great heartland hub manageable, in every season.
O'Hare rewards the traveller who learns its split layout and plans for its weather. As at any US airport the groundwork is the same, sort the ESTA, know your terminal, and budget for the dollars and the tipping, but O'Hare adds two particular lessons: its terminals are separate buildings linked by a transit train, so allow time to move between them, and its Chicago winters bring delays, so build in extra slack in the colder months. Lean on a trusted-traveller programme, take the round-the-clock Blue Line into the city, and the sprawling dual hub of the Midwest becomes orderly and navigable. Master these points and O'Hare serves the British business traveller well.
Twelve habits of the seasoned O'Hare flyer
• Apply for your ESTA (or visa) well before you fly; it is mandatory for entry.
• Know your terminal: British Airways at 3, Virgin Atlantic at 5, United at 1 - and there is no Terminal 4.
• International arrivals clear customs at the customs terminal, most often Terminal 5 - follow the signage.
• If you cross the Atlantic often, get Global Entry - it transforms the immigration queue.
• Use the free Airport Transit System to move between the separate terminals.
• For the city, take the CTA Blue Line - around $5, 45 minutes, and it runs around the clock.
• A cab downtown is $45 to $55 with tip, but slower and dearer than the train.
• Budget for tipping - 15 to 20 per cent - as part of every fare and bill.
• Know which terminal your lounge is in - United Polaris at 1, American Flagship and BA at 3.
• For an early flight or a connection, the on-airport Hilton is connected by underground walkway.
• Connecting onward? Allow a long buffer, a transit-train move, and extra time in winter.
• In the colder months, build in slack for Chicago's weather delays.
Page 11 - The frequent flyer's playbook
WHAT COMES NEXT
The bigger picture
O'Hare's 8.5-billion-dollar rebuild will replace its oldest terminal with a vast new Global Terminal and reshape the airport for a generation.
The defining story at O'Hare is its great transformation, the programme known as O'Hare 21. At its heart is the demolition of the old Terminal 2 and its replacement by a striking new O'Hare Global Terminal, designed to bring international and domestic flights together under one roof and to give the airport the modern, unified front door it has long lacked, supported by new satellite concourses, an expanded international Terminal 5 and improved roads and transit. Costing some 8.5 billion dollars, it is one of the largest airport projects in the country, intended to secure O'Hare's place as a pre-eminent global hub for decades to come, and to ease the disjointed, terminal-hopping experience that has long characterised the airport. United and American, the dual hub carriers, continue to invest in their operations here alongside the city's programme.
For the traveller, the benefits lie a few years ahead as the Global Terminal and the new concourses are built and opened, with the construction to be navigated in the meantime. The fundamentals of a US arrival remain as this guide describes them, and O'Hare's scale and its winters will always demand planning. But the direction is clear: O'Hare intends to remain one of the world's great connecting hubs and the heartland's gateway to the world. For the British business traveller, it is already an indispensable Midwest gateway, being rebuilt to match its ambitions.
For UK carriers BA at Terminal 3, Virgin Atlantic at Terminal 5, United at Terminal 1
Before you fly
Into the city
By taxi
The frequent-flyer edge
Standout lounge
The big picture
An approved ESTA (or visa) is mandatory for entry
CTA Blue Line train, round the clock, around $5, 45 min
About $45 to $55 with tip; slower than the train
Global Entry - skips the immigration queue, includes TSA PreCheck
United Polaris (T1); American Flagship and BA (T3)
O'Hare 21 - an 8.5-billion-dollar rebuild and a new Global Terminal
Page 12 - The bigger picture and quick reference