O'Hare Connection Times
Jun 4th, 2012, 09:15 AM
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O'Hare Connection Times
It has been more than 4 years since I've flown and even longer through O'Hare. I'm looking to fly United and the connection time at O'Hare is 51 minutes. Is that doable or crazy?
Jun 4th, 2012, 09:30 AM
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What time of year, what time of day??? Are you connecting between domestic flights or between domestic and international?
Basically 51 minutes is cutting it close and leaves you no "wiggle room". What is your alternative if you miss the connecting flight?
Basically 51 minutes is cutting it close and leaves you no "wiggle room". What is your alternative if you miss the connecting flight?
Jun 4th, 2012, 09:39 AM
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If you are connecting domestic, with both flights in terminal one/two you are probably OK. You might have to run part way. If you are connecting from the international termina (#5) to a flight departing terminal 1 (or 2)... NO!
Jun 4th, 2012, 11:10 AM
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It is an early November flight, late afternoon and domestic. My other options are an hour and then up from there (2 hrs, 3 hrs, etc.) Unfortunately there is no happy medium. I will have to look at our other options if we were to miss the connecting flight.
Jun 4th, 2012, 12:27 PM
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I have to say I have made tighter connections than that many, many times at O'Hare. As long as your flight is on time you can do it. But it is tight, and if you are concerned about it, book the flight with two hours between.
I used to fly from SEA to DCA via ORD at least monthly, and the connection time to my next flight was 32 minutes. I made it all but once. But I knew there was another flight in an hour, so booked the close connection knowing it was a risk (even though it was a legal connection at the time).
I used to fly from SEA to DCA via ORD at least monthly, and the connection time to my next flight was 32 minutes. I made it all but once. But I knew there was another flight in an hour, so booked the close connection knowing it was a risk (even though it was a legal connection at the time).
Jun 4th, 2012, 12:38 PM
#6
I hate too short connections. My nerves can't take it. I'd always prefer to have a couple hours. Get off the plane, walk around a bit, use the restroom, have a snack or drink in the bar. 2 hours goes by like nothing.
Jun 4th, 2012, 03:35 PM
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It's tight, but 51 minutes is doable as long as your incoming flight is on time. I wouldn't worry too much as long as A) there's a later connecting flight in case I miss the one I'm scheduled for; and B) I won't be too upset if I miss that connection. In other words, if I'm heading overseas on a dream vacation, I'd probably want more time between flights.
Jun 10th, 2013, 04:28 AM
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A similar post to Buffys. May I ask for some advice please ?
My wife and I are retired and only fly once per year from the U.K. to the US.
In September we are flying to Vancouver and spending 10 days there. On October 5th which is a Saturday we have booked flights from Vancouver to Boston via Chicago,flying United Airlines. We are flying Business Class and have 4 checked in suitcases as we will then be staying a further 3 weeks in Maine.
This will be our first US Domestic flight. Our connect time at O'Hare is only 48 minutes. Is that cutting it short ?...and will United automatically route our checked in bags onto the flight to Boston without us having to look out for them ? If you think it is too short then we will have to amend our reservation ( which will cost us ) on a United flight from Vancouver to Boston via Denver where the connect time is 2 hours 25 mins. However that means we would arrive in Boston at about 1 am in the morning.
Many thanks for any help or advice that anyone can offer.
Frank and Mary-Rose Russell
My wife and I are retired and only fly once per year from the U.K. to the US.
In September we are flying to Vancouver and spending 10 days there. On October 5th which is a Saturday we have booked flights from Vancouver to Boston via Chicago,flying United Airlines. We are flying Business Class and have 4 checked in suitcases as we will then be staying a further 3 weeks in Maine.
This will be our first US Domestic flight. Our connect time at O'Hare is only 48 minutes. Is that cutting it short ?...and will United automatically route our checked in bags onto the flight to Boston without us having to look out for them ? If you think it is too short then we will have to amend our reservation ( which will cost us ) on a United flight from Vancouver to Boston via Denver where the connect time is 2 hours 25 mins. However that means we would arrive in Boston at about 1 am in the morning.
Many thanks for any help or advice that anyone can offer.
Frank and Mary-Rose Russell
Jun 10th, 2013, 05:52 AM
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The connection with 2:25 in DEN, which is UA658/386 will get you in BOS at 11:32p, not 1am. And less than an hour after the connection you're currently booked.
48 minutes is certainly tight, and what makes matter worst is that it's the last flight of the day. You miss it, and you're spending the night in Chicago. I'd switch it if the cost is acceptable.
48 minutes is certainly tight, and what makes matter worst is that it's the last flight of the day. You miss it, and you're spending the night in Chicago. I'd switch it if the cost is acceptable.
Jun 10th, 2013, 07:18 AM
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Thankyou for your advice. We are not experienced travellers so may I ask that if we do miss our flight from Chicago to Boston because we are delayed in Immigration ,are United responsible for putting us on another flight the following day without further charge....and.....will we have to collect our luggage at O'Hare and then have to re-check it in for the flight to Boston. We booked both flights with United on their website.
Also , thankyou for the correction. The flight from DEN does get in at 11.32 not 1 am. Sorry....reading glasses not working correctly !
Frank
Also , thankyou for the correction. The flight from DEN does get in at 11.32 not 1 am. Sorry....reading glasses not working correctly !
Frank
Jun 10th, 2013, 11:10 AM
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<i> if we do miss our flight from Chicago to Boston because we are delayed in Immigration...</i>
Vancouver has US immigration and customs pre-clearance, meaning you will clear both before boarding the flight to Chicago, and your connection will be like any other domestic connection. Bags should be checked through.
If your inbound flight is on time, it is doable (IMHO) but will be very, very tight. The flight to Boston will begin boarding 35-45 minutes before departure time. Also, check whether your flight from Vancouver is operated by United or by Air Canada as a code share; if the latter, it will come into terminal 2. Departure to Boston will be from terminal 1. They are connected airside, so no security, but the walk could be longer from T2 (depending on the gate used for the Boston flight). I can get from T2 to the farthest gates in terminal 1 in <15 minutes, but I walk really fast.
Vancouver has US immigration and customs pre-clearance, meaning you will clear both before boarding the flight to Chicago, and your connection will be like any other domestic connection. Bags should be checked through.
If your inbound flight is on time, it is doable (IMHO) but will be very, very tight. The flight to Boston will begin boarding 35-45 minutes before departure time. Also, check whether your flight from Vancouver is operated by United or by Air Canada as a code share; if the latter, it will come into terminal 2. Departure to Boston will be from terminal 1. They are connected airside, so no security, but the walk could be longer from T2 (depending on the gate used for the Boston flight). I can get from T2 to the farthest gates in terminal 1 in <15 minutes, but I walk really fast.
Jun 10th, 2013, 01:09 PM
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Thankyou for all the advice and help. It is much appreciated. I think we will now have a think for a couple of days over whether it might be best to change our Vancouver United flight from Chicago to Denver/Houston/San Francisco/Toronto.
All of those flights have a much longer connection time than the 12.30 flight to Chicago.
It is a pity though. As we were hoping to have 3 whole days in Boston before we then pick up a rental and drive to Moosehead Lake in Maine for 2 weeks.
Boston is a city we spent a wonderful week in many years ago in the depths of Winter and we were looking forward to visiting a few of the many places we remembered from then.
Thankyou so much again ..ms_go....and...rkkwan....for taking the time to reply and help us. You have both been very kind and helpful.
Regards
Frank
All of those flights have a much longer connection time than the 12.30 flight to Chicago.
It is a pity though. As we were hoping to have 3 whole days in Boston before we then pick up a rental and drive to Moosehead Lake in Maine for 2 weeks.
Boston is a city we spent a wonderful week in many years ago in the depths of Winter and we were looking forward to visiting a few of the many places we remembered from then.
Thankyou so much again ..ms_go....and...rkkwan....for taking the time to reply and help us. You have both been very kind and helpful.
Regards
Frank
Jun 10th, 2013, 01:18 PM
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Also...ms_go.....I have checked our e-tickets and they do say that the flight from Vancouver to Chicago is operated by United and not Air Canada. So, that should help a bit !
Sorry to be a thickie. We haven't done this much whilst working in the U.K. If we miss our flight from Chicago through any delay, are United " honour bound " ( is that the right term ?) to find us a flight to Boston the next day, free of any further charge ? Or, would it be considered our fault for not allowing enough time for the connection ? The flight was booked as a through flight from Vancouver to Boston on the United website. We didn't book two seperate flights ourselves. If you can answer this final query, we will then leave you alone ! We promise !
Sorry to be a thickie. We haven't done this much whilst working in the U.K. If we miss our flight from Chicago through any delay, are United " honour bound " ( is that the right term ?) to find us a flight to Boston the next day, free of any further charge ? Or, would it be considered our fault for not allowing enough time for the connection ? The flight was booked as a through flight from Vancouver to Boston on the United website. We didn't book two seperate flights ourselves. If you can answer this final query, we will then leave you alone ! We promise !
Jun 10th, 2013, 02:17 PM
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"Hono(u)r bound" ... Sure. I like that. 
United is obligated to put you on the next flight with space available at no extra charge. "Available" is the key word here. You'll go onto a standby list. Passengers who are on that next flight aren't going to be bumped to accommodate standbys.
You will be in business class, so you'll be among the first off the plane when you land in Chicago. That does work in your favor.
The United terminal (Terminal 1) at O'Hare is shaped like a big letter H. The boarding gates line the two parallel legs of the H. They are called Concourses B and C. If your incoming flight arrives at the same concourse as your departing flight does, then your walk isn't long at all. If it's B to C or vice-versa, then you go down an escalator -- elevator is an option too -- and there is this long moving walkway that connects the two concourses. There are these bouncing overhead neon lights above the walkway and soft, slow music playing (Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue"). It's all supposed to be very artistic, but with 48 minutes, I wouldn't spend too much time being mesmerized by it.
United is obligated to put you on the next flight with space available at no extra charge. "Available" is the key word here. You'll go onto a standby list. Passengers who are on that next flight aren't going to be bumped to accommodate standbys.
You will be in business class, so you'll be among the first off the plane when you land in Chicago. That does work in your favor.
The United terminal (Terminal 1) at O'Hare is shaped like a big letter H. The boarding gates line the two parallel legs of the H. They are called Concourses B and C. If your incoming flight arrives at the same concourse as your departing flight does, then your walk isn't long at all. If it's B to C or vice-versa, then you go down an escalator -- elevator is an option too -- and there is this long moving walkway that connects the two concourses. There are these bouncing overhead neon lights above the walkway and soft, slow music playing (Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue"). It's all supposed to be very artistic, but with 48 minutes, I wouldn't spend too much time being mesmerized by it.
Jun 10th, 2013, 02:34 PM
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Thanks Jeff for the info regarding the layout of O'Hare. I think my missus and I better get our running shoes on when we arrive from Vancouver. If we miss the connection, then we won't be too miffed as it will mean we can enjoy a night in Chicago.
Sorry, I couldn't think of a better term to come up with other than " honour bound "
At least I spelt "honour" correctly ! ( smiley face, if I knew how )
Sorry, I couldn't think of a better term to come up with other than " honour bound "
At least I spelt "honour" correctly ! ( smiley face, if I knew how )
Jun 10th, 2013, 03:37 PM
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You won't claim bags at ORD.
The Denver connection means an hour earlier to airport and an hour later arrival at BOS. It's a long travel day regardless, so what's the big issue with a slightly longer connection?
Yes, UA will put you in the next available flight to Boston, but at best you arrive almost noon the next day, and chances are you'll be flying coach. And unless the first flight was delayed due to mechanical or other indisputable-UA caused issue, you'll be paying for your own hotel in Chicago.
The Denver connection means an hour earlier to airport and an hour later arrival at BOS. It's a long travel day regardless, so what's the big issue with a slightly longer connection?
Yes, UA will put you in the next available flight to Boston, but at best you arrive almost noon the next day, and chances are you'll be flying coach. And unless the first flight was delayed due to mechanical or other indisputable-UA caused issue, you'll be paying for your own hotel in Chicago.
Jun 10th, 2013, 11:16 PM
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Hi rkkwan
The Vancouver-Chicago-Boston flight suited us a bit better as it departs Vancouver at 12.30. The Vancouver-Denver-Boston departs at 11.30.
We are hiring a R/V for the 10 days whilst in British Columbia. ( may I add, the first time we have ever tried this ! ) The plan is to return the R/V early on the Saturday morning and then get to Vancouver Airport somehow.
The problem that might occur is that the Canadream R/V Depot is a long way out from Vancouver, doesn't open till 8.30 am and from what we have heard on various websites, the handover can take a long time....and then we still have to find our own way to the airport.
The plan was to then book a " day room " at the Vancouver Airport hotel for an hour or so for a quick shower and breakfast, pick our other suitcases up that we left with the Fairmont on our first night when we flew in to Vancouver and then go and catch the plane. So we thought that a 12.30 departure rather than a 11.30 would give us a bit more wriggle room.
Whatever route we take, we both realise that this is going to be a pretty long day....especially for a pair of " Oldies "
Frank
The Vancouver-Chicago-Boston flight suited us a bit better as it departs Vancouver at 12.30. The Vancouver-Denver-Boston departs at 11.30.
We are hiring a R/V for the 10 days whilst in British Columbia. ( may I add, the first time we have ever tried this ! ) The plan is to return the R/V early on the Saturday morning and then get to Vancouver Airport somehow.
The problem that might occur is that the Canadream R/V Depot is a long way out from Vancouver, doesn't open till 8.30 am and from what we have heard on various websites, the handover can take a long time....and then we still have to find our own way to the airport.
The plan was to then book a " day room " at the Vancouver Airport hotel for an hour or so for a quick shower and breakfast, pick our other suitcases up that we left with the Fairmont on our first night when we flew in to Vancouver and then go and catch the plane. So we thought that a 12.30 departure rather than a 11.30 would give us a bit more wriggle room.
Whatever route we take, we both realise that this is going to be a pretty long day....especially for a pair of " Oldies "
Frank
Jun 11th, 2013, 01:52 AM
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You are flying to the US and need to clear US Immigration and Customs at YVR. Even for the 1230 flight, you don't have time to "enjoy" your day room at the Fairmont. Instead, go to airport ASAP, grab the bags and head immediately to checkin and clear the US stuff. Then if you have time left, grab some snacks at the Air Canada Lounge which you are entitled to use.
Having said that, I seriously think you should return your RV on Friday.
Anyways, your problem is hardly just the 48-min connection at O'Hare. If you want your trip to be less stressful, you should really rethink your whole plan.
Having said that, I seriously think you should return your RV on Friday.
Anyways, your problem is hardly just the 48-min connection at O'Hare. If you want your trip to be less stressful, you should really rethink your whole plan.
Jun 11th, 2013, 03:34 AM
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Thankyou for all advice. I think we need to re-think our schedule. It looks now as though we were being a little naive in our timings. I presume if we now change our flights with United they will charge us for it.
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