Connections in Chicago

[hsaroya]

Hi, everyone. One of our cruise mates will have exactly 58 minutes to make a connection between flights in Chicago. She arrives in Chicago on a United flight from Canada on Dec. 24th and then has to connect onto a Continental flight 58 min later which is going onto Orlando (we're spending 4 days there prior to cruise). For those of you who know Chicago airport well, can this be done? Her itinerary says both are out of terminal 1, but on some webistes we looked at, it has Continental flying out of terminal 2??? Thank you!

[6rugrats]

Impossible to answer without knowing her departure airport in Canda. Is is one with preclearance to the US?

[hsaroya]

She's flying out of Edmonto. I'm not sure if she would have to clear customs and or go through security in Chicago as it would be her first American stop? Or if she would simply go straight from arrivals to the departure gate for the Continental flight, bypassing everything.

[6rugrats]

Unless you are leaving from an airport that has preclearance for the US, you must go through immigration and customs at your first point of entry into the US. Edmonton has preclearance, so when she gets to the US, she simply has to go to her connecting gate.

 

If her first flight is on time, 58 minutes should be sufficient time at ORD to make a connection. If she doesn't make it, it could be difficult, as planes will be packed on 24 December, and she'd have to wait for a free seat to get on another flight.

[hsaroya]

Thanks so much, 6Rugrats! I'll keep my fingers crossed that the info on her itinerary is correct and that both flights are out of terminal 1.

[pms4104]

Suggest you check out the ORD terminal maps: http://www.flychicago.com/PassengerInformation/AirportMaps.aspx

 

If indeed the flight to MCO is operated by Continental (rather than United), the only gates used by Continental are B1-B4 of Terminal 1. Those are in the area, on the terminal diagram, closest to Termiinal 2.

 

It is possible her flight from YEG will arrive in the C concourse of Terminal 1, and the only way out of there is thru an underground passage that leads directly to the B concourse.

 

If her arriving flight is timely, 58 minutes should not be a problem.

[silentbob007]

I just did a United terminal switch in ORD a few weekends ago with an hour connection and it was not too bad.

[Firewmmom]

United and Continental are now one and Terminal 1 is Uniteds terminal. Its big with the B & C concourses, but would be no problem to connect to a flight. Even if your friend has to connect in Terminal 2 it is doeable

[Zach1213]

Yeah definitely keep in mind that United and Continental are now the same airline. They officially received their certificate to operate as one airline last week, though it had been a long time coming and they had basically been acting like one airline for a while now.

 

Connecting in Chicago can either be very easy or very painful, and you won't know until it actually happens. I connect in Chicago quite a bit, and I have made a connection in as little as 25 minutes (due to an inbound aircraft delay), but have also been tuck overnight...even with high frequent flier status. However, if all goes to plan, 58 minutes is plenty of time.

[hsaroya]

Thanks so much, everybody! I will pass along the info to my friend.

[srpilo]

United and Continental are now one and Terminal 1 is Uniteds terminal. Its big with the B & C concourses, but would be no problem to connect to a flight. Even if your friend has to connect in Terminal 2 it is doeable

 

I agree

 

 

Srpilo

[GE Mom]

O'Hare, when it's working well, is amazing. When it isn't -- due to weather, or holiday crowds -- it's awful. I would sure have a backup plan for delays.