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Chicago O'Hare International Airport

Chicago, United States · North America

Solid major hub with good food and transport options but suffers from congestion, gate sprawl, and variable delays.

Airportist Score

7.2/ 10

Passengers

83M (pre-2020 peak; recent ~70M+)

Security

15 min

12 photos

A wide aerial view shows Chicago O'Hare's sprawling runways, terminals, and ramp areas from an approaching passenger jet. — Photo: 4300streetcar
CC BY 4.0 Source

The curved glass-and-steel facades of O'Hare Terminals 2 and 3 rise above the roadway and landscaping on a clear day. — Photo: Warren LeMay
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source

Travelers queue at airline check-in counters beneath a high ceiling in the Terminal 2 entrance hall. — Photo: Warren LeMay
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source

The bright, open entrance hall of Terminal 5 features tall windows, check-in kiosks, and passengers pulling luggage. — Photo: Warren LeMay
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source

A long, glass-walled concourse in Terminal 5 stretches past gate seating areas and flight information displays. — Photo: Warren LeMay
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source

Passengers wait in a well-lit gate hold room at Terminal B gates B11 and B12 with a parked jet visible through the windows. — Photo: Thank You (25 Millions ) views from Fresno, USA
CC BY 2.0 Source

Inside a modern Airport Transit System car, blue seats and handrails line a clean cabin with doors at each end. — Photo: Lexington42
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source

The CTA Blue Line O'Hare station platform sits beneath signage marking the downtown Chicago connection. — Photo: bclinesmith from Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA
CC BY-SA 2.0 Source

A neon-lit underground pedestrian tunnel with moving walkways connects sections of Terminal 1. — Photo: Leandro Neumann Ciuffo
CC BY 2.0 Source

A polished entrance sign marks the United Polaris Lounge near gate C18 in Terminal 1. — Photo: Crishazzard
CC BY-SA 4.0 Source

Rows of leafy plants grow in a vertical aeroponic garden display inside Terminal 3. — Photo: Mx. Granger
CC0 Source

A towering Brachiosaurus dinosaur skeleton replica stands in a busy concourse beside a United Airlines service counter. — Photo: User:Vmenkov
CC BY-SA 3.0 Source

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

Arrive 2 hours domestic / 3 hours international

Security peaks 7-9am and 3-6pm; use app wait times.

TSA PreCheck and CLEAR available in T1, T2, T5.

Terminal

Confirm terminal before booking rideshare

T1/T2/T3 domestic; T5 international only—ATS connects free.

United flyers stick to T1/T2; American to T3.

Food

Grab Giordano's or Lou Malnati's pre-security if time allows

Airside options solid in T1 and T3 but crowded at peaks.

T5 has more international variety but pricier.

Status

Check United or American app for gate changes

ORD has frequent gate shifts; ATS ride is quick between terminals.

Polaris and Flagship access requires long-haul business/first.

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for ORD.

Updated Jul 18, 2026

4 terminals: T1 (United domestic), T2 (United/American), T3 (American), T5 (international)
United and American are the dominant carriers with extensive domestic networks
Free 24/7 Airport Transit System (ATS) connects all terminals and parking
CTA Blue Line runs 24/7 from T2/3 to downtown Chicago ($5 one-way from airport)
T5 handles most international arrivals with dedicated customs
Multiple United Clubs and American Admirals Clubs plus Priority Pass option in T5

6 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort7.0

Navigation6.8

Food7.5

Transport7.8

Disruption resilience7.0

Key Stats

Annual passengers

83M (pre-2020 peak; recent ~70M+)

Terminals

4 active terminals

On-time departures

75%

Avg security

15 min

Best For

United and American domestic connectionsCTA Blue Line valueLounge variety for premium flyers24/7 operations

Watch Out For

Peak-hour security and curb congestionFrequent gate changes across terminalsT5 international arrival waitsLimited Priority Pass quality

Nearby airports

Other airports within about 150 km.

12 photos

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

Arrive 2 hours domestic / 3 hours international

Security peaks 7-9am and 3-6pm; use app wait times.

TSA PreCheck and CLEAR available in T1, T2, T5.

Terminal

Confirm terminal before booking rideshare

T1/T2/T3 domestic; T5 international only—ATS connects free.

United flyers stick to T1/T2; American to T3.

Food

Grab Giordano's or Lou Malnati's pre-security if time allows

Airside options solid in T1 and T3 but crowded at peaks.

T5 has more international variety but pricier.

Status

Check United or American app for gate changes

ORD has frequent gate shifts; ATS ride is quick between terminals.

Polaris and Flagship access requires long-haul business/first.

Live airport status

Current operations

Guide quick facts

Pulled from the editorial markdown guide for ORD.

Updated Jul 18, 2026

4 terminals: T1 (United domestic), T2 (United/American), T3 (American), T5 (international)
United and American are the dominant carriers with extensive domestic networks
Free 24/7 Airport Transit System (ATS) connects all terminals and parking
CTA Blue Line runs 24/7 from T2/3 to downtown Chicago ($5 one-way from airport)
T5 handles most international arrivals with dedicated customs
Multiple United Clubs and American Admirals Clubs plus Priority Pass option in T5

6 official sources

Airportist Score Breakdown

Comfort7.0

Navigation6.8

Food7.5

Transport7.8

Disruption resilience7.0

Key Stats

Annual passengers

83M (pre-2020 peak; recent ~70M+)

Terminals

4 active terminals

On-time departures

75%

Avg security

15 min

Best For

United and American domestic connectionsCTA Blue Line valueLounge variety for premium flyers24/7 operations

Watch Out For

Peak-hour security and curb congestionFrequent gate changes across terminalsT5 international arrival waitsLimited Priority Pass quality