Chicago airport connection

[Kady]

We are flying United and connecting at O'Hare on our way back from Orlando to Winnipeg. We have one hour to make our connecting flight and from what I understand we will have to travel between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. I also understand that we will have to go through security again. We're 2 adults and 3 kids (one who has some disabilities and may slow us down in the mad dash).

My question is, is this doable? Our flight from Chicago to Winnipeg is the last flight of the day so if we miss it we will be spending the night in Chicago. Should I just book a hotel room now ? If we do miss our connecting flight due to delays etc. will United put us on the next available flight the following morning or is it up to us to figure this out? Are we screwed??? We have no issues extending our trip by one day but it would be nice to know that we will at least get home eventually!!

Our connection on the way to Orlando is two hours so I think we'll be okay there.

I've been having a minor freakout but realize that whatever happens, happens.

The last time I missed a connecting flight I was much younger (pre-kids) and had to spend the night in the Minneapolis airport. A lovely family from Winnipeg adopted me. But we were put on the next flight in the morning. This was Northwest and in '92. Times have changed I'm sure.

Anyway thanks for any help or suggestions!!

Catherine

 

[NotUrsula]

Well, that certainly wil be tight, but O'Hare is legendary for delays, too, so if you get in on time there is a fairly decent chance that your flight to Winnipeg might be delayed, so you could get lucky and get some slack. Still, you are correct to be concerned.

Are you sure that you have to go through security a second time? There is an airside walkway between Terminals 1 & 2, but your int'l status might require some extra screening -- I haven't been in that position at ORD withoug going through Terminal 5, so I can't tell you for sure. (If you take the transit system you definitely have to re-clear security, but you could probably save time by avoiding it it that is possible.)

Are you flying United both legs? If so, have you considered asking to be transported via courtesy tram? With a disabled person in your party, you might qualify. In any case if it is a UAL/UAL connection (or a Star Alliance connection) I would definitely call United and speak to a CR. They might be willing to reschedule you at no charge if they consider that connection to be too tight. Good luck!

 

[Jestocost]

I used to make a 30 minute connection on AA at ORD every week--going from a regional jet in concourse G to a mainline jet on H or K--and never missed one.

In three out of four recent attempts to make 30 minute ORD connections on United, however, very slight delays and/or having my arrival gate far away from my departure gate caused me to miss the connection. And I move through airports really fast. I booked all of those trips at the same time and couldn't change them once I discovered just how impossible the connection is, but I'll never book those flights again.

If you do have to do anything with baggage and/or clear security again to make your connection (and I can't think of any reason other than customs checks for baggage or having to transfer checked luggage from one airline to another that would require you to leave the secure area), then you almost certainly would not be able to make a 60-minute connection. If you don't move fast through the airport there's a pretty good chance you could miss it anyway even if you are on time coming in. Keep in mind that United generally closes the doors 10 minutes before departure, so you really only have 50 minutes to connect; not the full hour.

 

[backyardponder]

You do not have to go through security again. Follow the signs for Terminal 2. Make sure you don't head down the escalators to baggage claim, if you do, then you will have to go through security.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

We are flying United and connecting at O'Hare on our way back from Orlando to Winnipeg. We have one hour to make our connecting flight and from what I understand we will have to travel between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. I also understand that we will have to go through security again.

As others have replied, you do not need to go through security again. Take a look at the following map of the United concourses at Chicago-O'Hare:

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,,1113,00.html

Your bags should be checked from Orlando to Winnipeg, so don't go to baggage claim at Chicago-O'Hare.

If you need to go from concourse C to concourse E or F, catch a shuttle bus near gate C9.

If you need to go from concourse B to concourse E or F, just remain on the secure side and walk to your gate. There are moving sidewalks to help you along.

A one-hour connection is normally perfectly fine. In fact, flight schedules into Chicago-O'Hare tend to have a 15-minute "fudge factor" built in, so if your flight leaves Orlando on time and there's no unusual weather along your flight path or in Chicago, you're likely to arrive in Chicago 15 minutes before your scheduled arrival.

There's always a risk with any connection, but United will do their best to get you to your destination.

I would not bother booking a room in Chicago. If you're not in a position to cancel in time, you'll end up paying for a hotel night you don't need. In the unlikely case that you need a room in Chicago after all, just book it when you need it. (Yes, there's a risk in taking this approach if the entire airport is in chaos due to weather-related cancellations, but if that's the case, you probably won't land in Chicago.)

If your flight departure appears to be substantially delayed in Orlando, have a United gate agent or customer service agent IN ORLANDO rebook you onto a different connection. For example, United could could rebook you through Denver or another connecting city.

With many flights operating at 100% capacity, it's not always possible to put you on the next flight. But, as ticketed connecting passengers, you will have a priority over standby passengers.

 

[Kady]

Thank you all for the information. You have made me feel much better.

I don't know why I thought we had to go through security again when switching terminals. Knowing that we can move from terminal 1 to terminal 2 without doing that (and knowing that ahead of time) is great. I can take the two fast kids and get to the gate as quick as possible and DH can bring up the rear with ds. His disability is such that he most certainly can walk, but he has low muscle tone/coordination issues and is painfully slow. We don't have to go through customs until Winnipeg so that also makes things easier.

If there are weather related delays (or delays for any reason for that matter) then there is nothing to be done about that. I am assuming that United will put us on the next flight to Winnipeg that has room. The Hilton at the airport there looks nice!

I will never book connecting flights so close together again. Normally we drive down to Minneapolis and fly direct from there. Live and learn I guess!
It will be an adventure.

Thanks again!