What time in the AM does O'Hare airport security start?
 

We're flying to Rhode Island Saturday morning at 7:35am. 3 hours before that is 4:35am. Is O'Hare even open then? I mean when does TSA wake up and open its lanes? If it's any help we're flying United.

I'm planning on calling the airline, but expect to be connected to a call center across some ocean. So anyone who has any idea here -- please chime right in.

I have found many gates do not open before 5AM.

I flew out of O'Hare on a 6am flight this morning (T1, United). Check-in opened at about 4 and security shortly after (although it was only one lane for a bit). I was through security by 4:20.

O'Hare is either the 1 or 2 busiest airport in the US depending on the month.

There is no such thing as "closed". Security may be quicker to pass through at the wee hours but they are always there and willing to search your bags, person, whatever it takes.

If you aren't checking bags, you don't need to be there at 4:30, since it's the airline lines that are the real problem, not security.

I know everybody is all out of sorts with these new baggage rules but do you really think it is necessary to get to O'Hare at 4:30 in the morning for a 7:30 domestic flight?

Thanks -- I knew there would be some road warriors out there who would have the scoop. We have to go through the airline line anyway as we don't have seat assignments. I know O'Hare does control access before 5 or 5:30am -- or at least that's what the signs have always said. We don't normally fly United so the info from ms_go was very helpful. Merci!

Sorry, my response was to the gates and not the airport.

Not necessary to arrive 3 hrs. before a Sat. morning flight, especially if you're not checking bags. Two hours is plenty. Security is not open 24 hrs. but will open at least 2 hrs. prior to United's first flight of the day.

We're checking and we also need seat assignments so we'll be there at 4:30am.

Any further reports from United's Terminal 1 at O'Hare?

I think 3 hours is probably a lot more than you will need. Are they still even suggesting three hours? I bet if you got there at 5:30, you'd be fine.

I'm sure it is, but I might sigh too deeply and get behaviorally profiled. I wonder if sleeping in line draws their attention ??

Hi sfowler -

If you are waiting for seat assignments, have you considered checking in online today? I suppose there's still a chance you would need to wait to get them at the gate, but you very well may be able to get them today. There is a bag drop desk at the far end of t1 (towards t2) for people who already have boarding passes. It was not open at 4am on Monday, so I just used the regular check-in line to drop my luggage (I'd checked in online and had my boarding pass).

Merci ms_go!
I ponied up the extra $$ for economy plus as the only seats left in the sardine section were in the toilet. Printed out the boarding pass and have the map showing where the baggage checkin kiosk is.

Have a great time, sfowler and let us know about RI, before you are off again. Good travels!

Bon voyage, sfowler...

From my experience this week, there was a big difference between flying Monday and flying yesterday. I've come to expect the worst leaving LaGuardia in the late afternoons, so I was really dreading it with the new security requirements. Imagine my surprise yesterday when it took less than 10 minutes total to check in, change my res to an earlier flight and clear security - and my flight got into Chicago right on time. Amazing!

Merci!
And JJ5 -- I will -- elsewhere ;)

I'm on the same flight but on Monday morning. I will print boarding pass at home and try to curb check luggage.

But any advice on an O'Hare arrival time for Monday (with all those consultants and road warriors storming the gates...)?

I'll try to post my experience once I get to RI, but a Saturday am is not Monday.... Wear hockey goalie pads ;)

I flew out of O'Hare, Terminal 1, United on this past Monday in the a.m. I arrived at 8:00 to catch a 10:45 flight. I checked right in at the curbside checkin which took me no longer than 10 minutes. Was through security in less than 20 and ended up with gobs of time on my hands.

I don't know if I was just lucky or what. I was really nervous because I knew O'hare was supposed to be one of, if not the busiest airport in the country.

I really couldn't believe how quickly I got through.

I've only flown out of O'Hare a few times, but despite the horror stories I've never had a problem. I was always able to check in and get through security within about a 1/2 hour total, even for an international flight. Same at Midway. The problem is I then have a couple of hours to fill because I get there so early. I'm always tempted to get to the airport no more than two hours before my flight, or even a bit less at Midway would probably be sufficent. But then I'm concerned that will be the day when I encounter the 2 hour wait at security I always hear about.

Hello from RI!
Checking the bags was easy once we found the right line. Security took a bit longer. We arrived at the airport around 5am and were at the gate at 6am, most of that is some pretty long security lines. Unfortunately our flight was almost 3 hrs late taking off, so any info you want about life at gate C22 I'm your person.

Ouch, that was exactly what happened to me last time I went east, but at least I had a good book.

Ditto to sfowler. I arrived at O'Hare at 5:30 this morning and was at the gate by 6:09. American was trying hard to keep things moving.

Key observations include:

The burden seems to have shifted to the people who xray the checked bags. They must have had 200 waiting to be screened. How they keep track and get them to the planes on time is beyond me.

It was quick at security b/c there was nothing to screen BUT the big thing was how quiet it was past security b/c no one was pulling a loud, squeaky roll aboard.

Very interesting!

I had a 6:30 a.m. flight out of ORD yesterday. I arrived at 5:20 (w/ a boarding pass, no luggage) and was through security in 10 minutes, even though the line looked very long.

I've flown domestically 7 times since the London arrests and have figured out that you simply do not need 2 hours for the security line. But I agree with others that the actual ticketing lines are outrageous.