Chicago O'Hare Airport (ORD)

The terminals at Chicago O'Hare Airport

O'Hare has four passenger terminals, and you can connect through all of them: Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3 and Terminal 5.

Terminals 1 to 3 are connected to each other, so a passenger on a domestic flight can reach the others without going through the security checkpoints again. Terminal 5 is reached with the Airport Transit System, the free 24-hour train.

For a connection, the Terminal Transfer Bus runs between Terminals 1, 3 and 5. It is for connecting passengers only, so you need a same-day boarding pass for the flight you are catching.

Getting to and from Chicago O'Hare Airport

The Blue Line of the Chicago Transit Authority is the easiest way into the city. Its station is inside the airport, on the lower level of the parking garage, and it runs 24 hours with more trains during the weekday rush hours.

Metra and Pace bus routes also serve the airport, and taxis, limousines and ride-hail cars pick up and drop off outside the terminals. The airport shuttle and regional buses cover the suburbs and the towns around Chicago.

What happens when you arrive at O'Hare

On an international arrival you clear the customs and border control checkpoint and claim your checked bags before you enter the United States, even if you are catching a connecting flight. If you are connecting, you recheck your bags before going through security again.

Every connecting passenger goes through the security screening, and if your connecting flight is in Terminals 1, 2 or 3 you can take the free Airport Transit System.

Chicago O'Hare Airport with children

The Family Lounge is in Terminal 2, just beyond security, with a space for children to play, seats with charging points and a place to leave the stroller.

Keep the passports and the children's documents in your carry-on bag, not in checked luggage, so you have them at the border control. The Blue Line and the Airport Transit System make the longer walks easier with a stroller.

Plan your stop at Chicago O'Hare Airport

Check with the airline and the airport's own site before you travel: the terminals, the airlines and the arrival procedures change, and there is construction work at O'Hare. And check with the embassy or consulate about the documents your family needs for the entry rules of every country on your route.

Sources

• Official page of the Chicago Department of Aviation on the connections at O'Hare: four connectable terminals (1, 2, 3 and 5), terminals 1 to 3 joined without going through security again, the free 24-hour Airport Transit System between them, the Terminal Transfer Bus for connecting passengers, and the customs and passport control on an international arrival. — flychicago.com (checked 21 October 2026)
• Official page of the same department on the public transport: the Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line, with 24-hour service and a station on the lower level of the parking garage, and the Metra and Pace bus routes. — flychicago.com (checked 21 October 2026)
• Official page of the same department on the Family Lounge at O'Hare: a space for children to play in Terminal 2, just beyond security, with seating, charging points and a place to leave strollers. — flychicago.com (checked 21 October 2026)