Mazey

I am a US citizen who will be arriving in Chicago to change planes and head on to NY. I only have a one hour layover in Chicago and am assuming there is a good chance I will miss my connecting flight after clearing security and customs. If I do miss my connecting flight and am able to get on the next flight, will my luggage be ahead of me already in NY?

Keith

You will be taking your luggage through customs and rechecking it, so most likely it will also not make the plane to NY.

Keith

sandi

One hours just isn't enough time to clear Customs from your international flight and recheck yourself and your bags to a domestic flight.

As Keith mentioned, once you clear Customs you gather your bag (if it's even there, or wait for it) and then recheck it right nearby the carousel.

However, if by the time you are ready to hand the luggage over, you see you won't make your ongoing flight, you'll have to arrange another flight for yourself and for your bag.

AAFrequentFlyer

This is the procedure:

1 - going through immigration
2 - collecting any checked luggage
3 - proceed through customs
4 - if you are connecting go to the transfer deks located right past customs. If you are running late for your flight, they will look for the next one available issue a new boarding pass and also change the luggage tag accordingly right there as well as collect the luggage from you there.
5 - Don't forget that at O'Hare you will come in to terminal 5 on an international flights (unless you're coming from most Caribbean, Canadian or Mexican airports, where the US customs and immigration is done at the departure airport before you board the plane, in which case you will come into the regular domestic terminal). If that's the case you'll will have plenty of time assuming your flight is on time. If you do come into the Int. terminal, remember that you will have to take a train to the domestic terminal and go through security once again.

If you give us some details on the airlines and where you're coming from, we could actually give you better advice, but generally what I posted above is the way it happens.

Mazey

Thank you all! AA-this is the case (coming from Canada). I found out via the Canadian airport's website that I will in fact clear US customs while still in Canada.

Thanks again for your help!

AAFrequentFlyer

Then you should be fine assuming the plane is on time. You will clear US immigration and customs before you board the plane and your arrival in ORD will be in the domestic terminal. Assuming you're continuing on the same airline, all you will have to do is walk over to the new gate. 1 hour is plenty of time.

Have a great trip!