O'Hare Info

[dibbitz]

Hi. I know this may have been asked at some point but here goes....I searched for info on O'Hare and came up empty...

We are flying into O'Hare from Rome, returning from a cruise. Our flight connections have been changed so that we have about a 5 hour layover before we continue on our way to Richmond...getting in just before midnight.

Would it be worth trying to find another flight that does not require so long a layover....or should we just deal with it...I am thinking between customs and possibly going from one gate or concourse to another and maybe grabbing a bite and a bathroom break.....maybe it wouldn't be so long a time after all. I have never been to O'Hare but figure it must be huge, so if anyone has any insider info or opinions, I would be happy to hear them...thanks, L

[Eng23]

Hi. I know this may have been asked at some point but here goes....I searched for info on O'Hare and came up empty...

We are flying into O'Hare from Rome, returning from a cruise. Our flight connections have been changed so that we have about a 5 hour layover before we continue on our way to Richmond...getting in just before midnight.

Would it be worth trying to find another flight that does not require so long a layover....or should we just deal with it...I am thinking between customs and possibly going from one gate or concourse to another and maybe grabbing a bite and a bathroom break.....maybe it wouldn't be so long a time after all. I have never been to O'Hare but figure it must be huge, so if anyone has any insider info or opinions, I would be happy to hear them...thanks, L

Alot depends on which airline you are flying. O'Hare is a very large airport. I also live in Virginia which means you do not have many choices for connections. I'm gonna guess you are either flying on American or United or one of their partner airlines. My guess is you are better off staying with your original itinerary because your airline will probably sock you with a change fee and charge you for any additional fare increase involved with the change. Honestly a 5 hour layover after an international flight is not that bad, as you stated with the time it takes to clear customs and after having been in the air for 8-10 hours you may want some time to walk about, get used to the time zone change, grab a bite to eat, and take a bathroom break. With all of that the time will "fly" by! Good luck! :D

[wrp96]

If you can find a flight on your original airline that gives you a 3 hour layover, I would change to that. If you originally booked it with a much shorter layover than 5 hours, then there should be no cost to change as it is due to the airline's schedule change not yours.

[alidor]

The international flights come into terminal 5 at O'Hare, totally separate from the main terminals there. You will clear customs and immigrations there, then have to take a tram to the domestic terminals where you will have to clear security again before going to the gate areas. That alone can take some time. Five hours is probably a bit much with 3 to 4 hours ideal. Can we done in two, if you get off the plane early, have carry-on bags, etc., but that could be a bit tight.

[Eng23]

If you can find a flight on your original airline that gives you a 3 hour layover, I would change to that. If you originally booked it with a much shorter layover than 5 hours, then there should be no cost to change as it is due to the airline's schedule change not yours.

More than likely when the airline changed the schedule they probably eliminated the earlier connection. With the OP flying to Richmond and Richmond being the end of a spoke from ORD there are probably very few or no options to change to an earlier flight.

[Globaliser]

We are flying into O'Hare from Rome, returning from a cruise. Our flight connections have been changed so that we have about a 5 hour layover before we continue on our way to Richmond...getting in just before midnight.

Would it be worth trying to find another flight that does not require so long a layover

Once again, so little information with which to give advice.

 

To take a random date in July, there's a UA flight at 2100-2354, which would fit the description of "just before midnight". But that's not a natural connection to use from any of the non-stops from Rome to Chicago that day; AA (the natural connecting airline) has one just slightly later at 2125-0015+1. And there's an earlier UA at 1800-2058, which would connect from the non-stops from Rome to Chicago.

 

So why don't these work for the OP? Who knows? Without knowing dates, times and airlines, we're all just guessing.

[dibbitz]

Hi. Yes, as a couple of you have said, I should have given more info..but I was comfy and quite honestly, just too lazy to go upstairs and get the particulars of our flight. However, even without that, you have given me the advice I was looking for. Yes, we are flying American from Rome, leaving at 11:30 am and arriving in Chicago at 3:10.....the original schedule was to leave Chicago at 4:25, arriving in Richmond at 7:25........now it has been changed to arriving in Chicago at 3:15, then connecting to Richmond on a AA flight leaving at 9:25, then arriving in Richmond at 15 mins after midnight. I have looked on the AA website and although there are other flights, they only arrive maybe an hour earlier. So, I was wondering if that small amount of time would be worth arguing over. Six hour layovers usually do not bother me too much as I enjoy the people watching, etc. but after such a long day, we were wondering if we should see what we could do to get home earlier.

So, what I am thinking is that the original 1 hour + time frame to make a connection from the flight from Rome to the flight to Richmond would have been near impossible......

Again, many thanks for the info...sorry for not providing more info the first time, but you helped out just the same.....L

[Globaliser]

Yes, we are flying American from Rome, leaving at 11:30 am and arriving in Chicago at 3:10.....the original schedule was to leave Chicago at 4:25, arriving in Richmond at 7:25........now it has been changed to arriving in Chicago at 3:15, then connecting to Richmond on a AA flight leaving at 9:25, then arriving in Richmond at 15 mins after midnight. I have looked on the AA website and although there are other flights, they only arrive maybe an hour earlier.

If what you mean is that the arrival time of the Rome -> Chicago flight has been changed from 3.10 pm to 3.15 pm, that hasn't made the difference between you getting the 4.25 pm flight to Richmond and not. That is not a legal connection; and in any case, 1:15 is just not enough for it IMHO. The shortest legal connection that I could find on a quick search was something like 1:45.

 

For the random date for which I've been looking, there isn't anything on AA that would amount to a legal connection and yet would get you to Richmond any earlier. But knowing your exact date would help to search this. I rather fear, though, that you're likely to be out of luck.

[alidor]

That is an illegal connection and I have no idea how that was booked. There is no way you would have made that. Case closed - stick with the new flights.

[Eng23]

I'm glad we were able to help you out. Hope you have a good trip! :D

[dibbitz]

Hi. yes, I agree we would have had to sprout wings to make that connection even in a smaller airport....I could tell that wasn't going to stick, but I was still hoping to get home closer to ten than midnight. But yes, I think we will just stick it out. Oh, by the way, the date is May 19,2011....a Thursday. Any thoughts about spending the night in Chicago and taking an early flight out the next day??? But I suppose that would add cost to the whole deal, wouldn't it? thanks, L

[Globaliser]

But yes, I think we will just stick it out. Oh, by the way, the date is May 19,2011....a Thursday. Any thoughts about spending the night in Chicago and taking an early flight out the next day??? But I suppose that would add cost to the whole deal, wouldn't it?

Realistically, I think that sticking it out is probably your only option for getting there that evening.

 

If you do, spend some time doing some research about the facilities available at ORD, and where you're going to spend that time. As you will be outside security anyway, it might be worth your while spending the time at the on-airport Hilton hotel rather than in a terminal.

 

There is a theoretical possibility of connecting at ORD to UA7386, which operates that day at 1812-2103. This would give you a 2:57 connection time at ORD which is pretty much perfect. However, I suspect that AA (assuming you've booked through AA) will not be willing to move you to that flight for free, and will insist on re-pricing it in accordance with the ticket rules. That is likely to end up being quite expensive - although there may be no harm in asking, so that you have another option to weigh up.

 

Spending the night in Chicago is an idea worth considering. This is primarily because pushing on to RIC the same day will be very tiring. By the time your AA flight leaves ORD, your body will be feeling like it's 3.30 am because of the time change; and it'll feel like 5.15 am when you arrive at RIC. A very long day indeed. If you overnight in Chicago, you could go to bed quite early that evening, and you're likely to be up quite early the following morning.

 

The downsides are that you would have to make sure that this would be permissible within the fare rules without any additional fare (which I think is very likely), and the cost of the hotel would come out of your own pocket. You'd have to tell AA that the schedule change was unacceptable because of the time of the onward flight from ORD to RIC. I also think this would only really make sense if you were to stay at the airport - shuttling to an off-airport hotel would add layers of complexity. But it's worth thinking about.

[alidor]

Curious - did you book this through AA or via an online site?

[dibbitz]

Boy, I am always amazed at the wealth of information the CC members provide. What a terrific resource. I can't believe all the times I traveled with out all this info....anyway, just to answer your questions..... we booked this through the RCC cruise air.....they offered what appeared to be at the time and has turned out to be a pretty good fare. I don't know if these changes would have changed our minds at the time..I suspect so... The other members of our family have fares a bit lower than ours but they are overnighting in Vienna. This is their first time in Europe so they are up for all the adventure they can get......and they are considerably younger and more energetic than my DH, so we had hoped to get home in a resonable amount of time....but maybe not. I may look into the overnight in Chicago tho..thanks for the info..if you are ever coming to VA, maybe I can help:)

[Globaliser]

Glad to have been able to help! Hope it all goes well.

[Eng23]

Boy, I am always amazed at the wealth of information the CC members provide. What a terrific resource. I can't believe all the times I traveled with out all this info....anyway, just to answer your questions..... we booked this through the RCC cruise air.....they offered what appeared to be at the time and has turned out to be a pretty good fare. I don't know if these changes would have changed our minds at the time..I suspect so... The other members of our family have fares a bit lower than ours but they are overnighting in Vienna. This is their first time in Europe so they are up for all the adventure they can get......and they are considerably younger and more energetic than my DH, so we had hoped to get home in a resonable amount of time....but maybe not. I may look into the overnight in Chicago tho..thanks for the info..if you are ever coming to VA, maybe I can help:)

 

Seeing where you are from now I was just wondering why you used Richmond instead of either Newport News/Willimsburg or Norfolk International Airport? I'm not criticising your decision just curious. If it was because of RCI Cruise Air policy I can see why it was Richmond, I think with cruise air they have arrangements to use certain airports I guess.

[dibbitz]

Hi. Well.....we use Richmond because it really is closer and more convienient for us. From our house it is about 45 minutes with no issues involving bridges and tunnels. Williamsburg/Newport News is certainly most convenient but this time we were leaving from Richmond because that is where the other 6 members of our party live and where we have friends who are able to take us to the airport, drop us off and pick us up. Which brings us to one of our problems with this schedule...now we either have to impose on our frinds to pick us up at midnight, or leave our car somewhere at the airport and tell us where or take a taxi to their house to pick up the car in the middle of the night. We will be gone for 20 days..As I think I mentioned earlier, the rest of our group decided to take a flight that has them overnighting in Vienna. We thought we would be going straight home....think again, huh? :rolleyes: We try to leave out of Williamsburg whenever possible....we find that to be the nicest and most convenient and highly underrated...but they do have a more limited number of ailines flying out of there ....but it is getting better all the time. Thanks for the help...we should check Norfolk more often, I suppose. L

[Eng23]

Hi. Well.....we use Richmond because it really is closer and more convienient for us. From our house it is about 45 minutes with no issues involving bridges and tunnels. Williamsburg/Newport News is certainly most convenient but this time we were leaving from Richmond because that is where the other 6 members of our party live and where we have friends who are able to take us to the airport, drop us off and pick us up. Which brings us to one of our problems with this schedule...now we either have to impose on our frinds to pick us up at midnight, or leave our car somewhere at the airport and tell us where or take a taxi to their house to pick up the car in the middle of the night. We will be gone for 20 days..As I think I mentioned earlier, the rest of our group decided to take a flight that has them overnighting in Vienna. We thought we would be going straight home....think again, huh? :rolleyes: We try to leave out of Williamsburg whenever possible....we find that to be the nicest and most convenient and highly underrated...but they do have a more limited number of ailines flying out of there ....but it is getting better all the time. Thanks for the help...we should check Norfolk more often, I suppose. L

Okay. That makes alot of sense as far as why you used Richmond. In all honesty even if you fly out of Norfolk you will still have to make a connection at the same airports you go through from Richmond or NN/Williamsburg. Sometimes it might be cheaper out of Norfolk due to better frequencies of flights and the number of airlines out of Norfolk. I use Norfolk for the convienence since I live in Va. Beach, but if the fare were to be really low form NN/Williamsburg I'd go out of there. :D

[dibbitz]

Hi. Yes, Williamsburg/NN is a very nice airport and probably only about half an hour from us. The frequency and variety of airlines has increased quite a bit during the last couple years and then we read the other day that they now have some government approval which will lead to more growth ... It would be great if the number of airlines increased...Frontier just joined up, perhaps to compete against Southwest??? not sure ....but we found their prices quite high after the initial intorductory fares went away. And, Yes, Norfolk does have a greater variety of flights available..we know lots of people who fly out of there simply b/c they can get nonstop flights..near impossible we think out of Richmond. How are the hotels around Nofolk? L

[Eng23]

Hi. Yes, Williamsburg/NN is a very nice airport and probably only about half an hour from us. The frequency and variety of airlines has increased quite a bit during the last couple years and then we read the other day that they now have some government approval which will lead to more growth ... It would be great if the number of airlines increased...Frontier just joined up, perhaps to compete against Southwest??? not sure ....but we found their prices quite high after the initial intorductory fares went away. And, Yes, Norfolk does have a greater variety of flights available..we know lots of people who fly out of there simply b/c they can get nonstop flights..near impossible we think out of Richmond. How are the hotels around Nofolk? L

 

Hi. Well as far as hotels there's everything from an Econo Lodge to full service hotels like Hilton, Marriott, Sheraton, and many more if you include Va. Beach but Va. Beach oceanfront isn't like next to the airport. Yeah NN/Williamsburg is up and coming, sorry to hear that Frontier's fares are high but then they are only flying to Denver from NN and that's not going to compete with or hurt Southwest out of Norfolk. Although with Southwest acquiring Air Tran things might change as Air Tran is popular at NN. I don't know what will happen when that merger is complete but I don't think Southwest will fly from both NN and Norfolk, one or the other will lose out I'm sure.

[dibbitz]

Hi again, thanks for all the info. I will have to give Norfolk more of a "look" when we travel again. I had forgotten that Southwest took over AirTran. They do offer good fares..we have flown with them a couple times and they were as reliable as any other. I wish there were cruiselines leaving out of Norfolk again....it would be soooo nice to just drive to Norfolk and hop on a ship. I know we could do that in Baltimore but Norfolk would be even better.....happy travels....L