O'Hare
 

Has anyone flown out of O'Hare in Chicago recently? I was wondering how bad the lines at check-in and everything are. I have heard on the news about things being pretty crazy. I have to go there this week to change planes and I'm wondering what to expect (I've never been there before). Thank you.

If you're just changing planes domestically, and on the same airline, then you most likely don't have to go through security and definitely not check-in counters.

How about people connecting to an international flight? (I'm thinking of doing YVR-ORD-LHR or YVR-SFO-LHR this winter.)

UA and AA's own international flights leave from the same respective terminals as their domestics, so not different than connecting to anywhere else in the US.

Coming back, you go through immigration/customs, then change terminals, and go through security.

Basically the same deal in SFO.

Get the flight with the best time and connection. ORD/SFO really isn't an important factor, in my opinion.

Transfering to an international flight is no problem. Returning from an international flight I would want at least 2 hours. 2.5 would be better.

Keith

Everything the above posters say is correct. I fly through O'Hare on AA about every other week. Flight delays are part of life at this airport and the past year I've had the worst luck with probably 75% of my flights being delayed. It sounds as if steps are being taken to alleviate this situation. Have a great trip....ORD is an interesting place!

<b>WillTravel</b>,

In your case you will be transferring from an interntional flight to international flight, but it doesn't make that much difference. You will clear US immigration and customs at YVR, so allow youself enough time at YVR, and after that I agree with <b>rkkwan</b>, ORD or SFO? either one. I just came back from London yesterday through ORD and it took me 15 minutes from the time I left the plane at the international terminal 5 to be at the gate for my connecting flight to TPA at domestic terminal 3. I'm not saying that this is a norm or that this should be planned, but as you could see ORD could be just as smooth as any other airport when everything works.

You could read my short report about that here:

<b>http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessages.jsp?fid=126&amp;tid=34524413</b>

Thanks for the report, AAFF. I have one option through ORD that has an 85-minute connection. I am a bit afraid of that, considering that when I flew out of Heathrow last month, my AC flight was delayed for almost 3 hours.