terminal 5 to 1 chicago ohare
 

Hello - Hope someone can help me - - I will be flying with Austrian Airlines from Vienna to Chicago Ohare - at Terminal 5 doing the carry-on one stop program - I have a connecting flight with United Terminal 1 - where do I get my boarding pass???? At Vienna Airport or at Customs - - - I also made a reservation for a back up in case I miss my United Flight - that is with US Airways - if I need to do that where do I get my boarding pass from US Airways?? Thank You

Welcome to Fodors mary. You will do better if you re-post on he Air Travel Forum (and possibly on United States as well)

When you transfer from the international terminal (5) to the domestic terminal (1 for United) you are going out of security. So if you don't find a United (or US Air) desk in 5 (because you are skipping baggage claim which is where I believe one is for example to recheck your luggage for a connecting flight)and you didn't get one in Vienna when you first checked in (ask, even if they aren't on the same ticket or a partner with United) then you can get your boarding pass at the domestic terminal the same way as if you just arrived at the airport from home -- from a machine or human -- just like any other domestic flight.

Austrian, like United, is a part of the Star Alliance. If you have a connecting flight (i.e., one ticket for both segments even though they are on two different airlines), then you check in and receive both boarding passes in Vienna. If you miss your connecting flight in Chicago, then United is obligated to put you on the next available flight out to your destination.

I'm not quite sure why you'd book a separate ticket (non-refundable? full-fare?) on USAirways since that seems totally bizarre to me and might suggest you have two separate tickets, which is unwise. If that is the case, then you should check in for your United flight online in Vienna and print out your boarding pass at home before you leave for the airport.

But if you miss your flight when you have two separate tickets on two different airlines, you may or may not be put on another (usually not), and more important, your return flight to Chicago might also be cancelled.

Thank You so much for the info on the three replies - they all makes sense. But, I made the back-up reservation with US Airways because we have a tight connection - thought if I had a back-up plan I would still be able to fly out that same day - - so, were hoping to make it thru Customs fast with the one-step program and make it to United in 2 hours - -

Thank You for that info - I will do that for sure!!