Chicago O’Hare domestic / international transfer time needed between flights?

[coco2/27]

I’ll need to make a United flight connection between my domestic to my international flight (also United) and it looks like I’ll need to go from Terminal 1 to Terminal 5, taking an airport bus and go through security again between flights!!!   My initial booking only has 75 minutes between flights, and this doesn’t sound at all feasible.  I have Global Entry, and fly this June.  
 

Any thoughts and recommendations for how much time to consider in rebooking my EZair flights?

I much appreciate any suggestions from anyone!

 

 

 

 

[Steelers36]

40 minutes ago, coco2/27 said:

I’ll need to make a United flight connection between my domestic to my international flight (also United) and it looks like I’ll need to go from Terminal 1 to Terminal 5, taking an airport bus and go through security again between flights!!!   My initial booking only has 75 minutes between flights, and this doesn’t sound at all feasible.  I have Global Entry, and fly this June.  
 

Any thoughts and recommendations for how much time to consider in rebooking my EZair flights?

I much appreciate any suggestions from anyone!

 

 

 

 

Are you sure you have to go to T5 for the International departure?  Some of those do depart from T1 concourses.  Try checking similar flight for days this coming week and see where they are going from.  Use Flight Status feature.  Also, United isn't going to sell you flights with illegal connection times.  Where people may get into trouble with this is when they are booked on two different airlines, so there is no edit control on a sufficient connection time.

 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

I can’t remember the concourse letters and numbers but I do know United and O’Hare airport well. That airport is huge and the distance that I always have to travel to make my connection is really far. I have had more than one panic attack running through that airport. 75 minutes is really pushing it and if your flight is late at all it could be a problem. Good luck.

[donaldsc]

2 hours ago, coco2/27 said:

I’ll need to make a United flight connection between my domestic to my international flight (also United) and it looks like I’ll need to go from Terminal 1 to Terminal 5, taking an airport bus and go through security again between flights!!!   My initial booking only has 75 minutes between flights, and this doesn’t sound at all feasible.  I have Global Entry, and fly this June.  
 

Any thoughts and recommendations for how much time to consider in rebooking my EZair flights?

I much appreciate any suggestions from anyone!

 

 

 

 

 

Just remember that if you really have just 75 minutes between when you land and when the next flight departs, you really have a lot less than that.  The landing time is when they open the cabin doors for people to depart the airplane.  It might take you 10 or 15 minutes to actually get out of the plane.  You then have to figure out long it will take you to get through security.  Then you have to get to your departure gate before your actual departure time.  Next what is your plan B when you miss your international flight to wherever you are going.  Finally, are you arriving at your departure city on the day your cruise departs or a day early.

 

Bottom line is that you are bonkers if you accept this transfer.  I always like to allow a couple of hours between flights if I am depending upon a flight to get me to my vacation destination.  I can always sit and read at the airport to kill time if necessary.

 

DON

[caribill]

3 hours ago, donaldsc said:

 

Then you have to get to your departure gate before your actual departure time. 

 

 

 

Actually have to get to the departure gate by the time they close the door which is often 10 or 15 minutes before scheduled departure time.

[eclue]

Having traveled thru Chicago, I would need at least a 2 hour window for connecting flights....too many variables with delays, etc. Just be safe!

[pms4104]

I would be more concerned about intl to domestic on UA ... that indeed involves a terminal change ... Terminal 5 is only location for Customs.

[compozer]

I hate traveling through Chicago.  I would never do it with less than two hours.   

[jondfk]

4M mile United flyer here, I’ve connected in Chicago perhaps 250 times.

ALL United flights, domestic and international DEPART from the main terminal.  A 75 minute connection outbound is doable, but even for me, not comfortable.  
 

If you keep this connection, a few tips.  Acquaint yourself with the airport and gate numbers in advance.  Upon arrival, first thing, check the departure screen to make sure your connecting gate hasn’t changed.  Move directly to your connecting gate, no stops for snacks or anything else.  As large as Ohare is, the layout is logical and knowing your from / to can make navigation straightforward.

 

international ARRIVALS land at terminal 5 for customs clearance, in the case, I agree 2 hour minimum to be comfortable.

Edited February 28, 2022 by jondfk

[Zach1213]

As mentioned, if your flights are actually on United, your international departure should be out of Terminal 1. International arrivals are Terminal 5. So that should alleviate some concern. 

 

Now, just make sure your flight is actually on United. If it's on a codeshare partner (of which there are many), some leave out of T1, and some out of T5. For Star Alliance, If I remember right, T1 departures are United, All Nippon, Lufthansa, TAP, and Ethiopian. T5 departures are Austrian, Copa, LOT Polish, Swiss, SAS, and Turkish. 

 

So, can you confirm your flight is actually on United? A flight number would help clarify that. 

[Zach1213]

14 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Also, United isn't going to sell you flights with illegal connection times. 

 

No, but there can be a big difference between "legal connection" and "comfortable connection" for most people. Sometimes a legal connection can be 35 minutes, but even at the most efficient of airports that's not something I am personally comfortable with, even if my frequent flier status puts me at the top of the waitlist for the next flight. 

[alidor]

United domestic to United International both operate out of terminal one at O’Hare.  Seventy five minutes should be okay but I still like 2 hours here.   If you were flying United international to United domestic, it would be a different story, but domestic to international both operate out of the same terminal, so no problem…

 

[kelkel2]

On 2/27/2022 at 10:14 PM, MsSoCalCruiser said:

I can’t remember the concourse letters and numbers but I do know United and O’Hare airport well. That airport is huge and the distance that I always have to travel to make my connection is really far. I have had more than one panic attack running through that airport. 75 minutes is really pushing it and if your flight is late at all it could be a problem. Good luck.

Not only is the airport huge, but the taxi process can taking a long time too. The last time we landed at ohare we taxied forever… and I really mean that. We must have landed so far from our gate. I think it was well over 30 minutes on the ground before we got to our gate. 

[FlyerTalker]

2 minutes ago, kelkel2 said:

Not only is the airport huge, but the taxi process can taking a long time too. The last time we landed at ohare we taxied forever… and I really mean that. We must have landed so far from our gate. I think it was well over 30 minutes on the ground before we got to our gate. 

 

Taxiing times are built into the flight schedules.  Next time you are flying, note scheduled time between arrival and departure.  Then listen for when the captain says "Our flying time will be...."  Note the difference.

[kelkel2]

11 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Taxiing times are built into the flight schedules.  Next time you are flying, note scheduled time between arrival and departure.  Then listen for when the captain says "Our flying time will be...."  Note the difference.

That makes sense. We were landing to head home, so it didn’t inconvenience us as we weren’t trying to make a connecting flight. 

[Zach1213]

On 3/4/2022 at 9:03 AM, FlyerTalker said:

 

Taxiing times are built into the flight schedules.  Next time you are flying, note scheduled time between arrival and departure.  Then listen for when the captain says "Our flying time will be...."  Note the difference.

 

I once taxied for 43 minutes at ORD due to a combo construction, weather, and traffic. We arrived only six minutes late 🙂