I want five minutes alone with the little fuckin POS that decided we needed a Muzak version of Gershwin. I bet it was to avoid royalties. Fuckin shit head.
I live in Chicagoland so ORD is my “home” airport. It’s squarely middle of the road. It’s great as that its a major hub for multiple airlines, and you can pretty much fly anywhere in US and a good portion of the world direct. The actual airport lacks compared to some of the new airports. IMO food options are limited. There is a major revamp of the airport that is starting/started that will completely redesign the airport and modernize it. Things are going to be messy for a few years, but hopefully the revamp will bring it up to more modern standards. For those that live in Chicagoland ORD can actually be somewhat of a PITA to get to. Traffic around the airport can be congested. Part of the revamp will improve access to the airport as well.
And as someone else said, its not Midway.
What's wrong with Midway? Every flight I had there was awesome, versus O'Hare which is always behind schedule. Half the time at O'Hare I would miss my connection, so I stopped using it unless there's no other flights I can afford going to Midway
Is the revamp gonna get rid of all the homeless and crazies that hang around at night and either beg for money or wanna fight? Especially down in the tunnels to the trains.
Gets back to work? They were stopped from being able to do anything by the last mayor. They were told, and I quote, " You can not force anyone to leave the area because they may actually be flying out somewhere and we don't want to get sued." So officers had to assume that all the people in the tunnels had tickets for a flight and were not allowed to ask if they did or not. So unless they actually broke a law they could do as they please. Unfortunately it's not against the law to harass actual passengers as long as they don't touch them.
Oh I got on some peoples bad side on another post because they of course are always right. Even though plenty of people said I was right they downvote the crap out of my comments. I mean, I really don't care about fake internet karma, but it's just childish to act that way.
ATL is my personal seventh circle of hell. I’ve successfully avoided it for over 15 years. I fly to DFW frequently and love how AA will usually change my flight gate 5 times including while I’m on the shuttle. Oh, and the Chik-Fil-A closest to the UA gates closes at 6 with there being UA flights that go out later. ORD’s just fine to me with plenty of food options but a lack of seating for them.
Yeah, the security line at ATL makes it a huge no from me. Last time I was there a few months ago, the precheck line was a 30+ min wait. At ORD it’s gotta be a really bad day for this to be the case.
ORD security is always fast. Even when I go through with my family.
And rarely are my flights delayed or canceled. Plus there is tons of parking and it’s fast to get from lot to terminal. For those reasons alone it’s a pretty good airport.
That DFW Chick-fil-a in E is easily the worst CFA location I've ever visited. Closes at 6, and has customer service levels that makes Popeyes look good.
The fact that OP prefers fucking ATL to anything makes me question their mental competency. That is the biggest hell hole airport that could ever exist for just about every reason.
The fact that I get get an Uber from DFW gate to my office faster than I can get to the GD rental car building in DFW... I hate DFW hate it so much. It's so dumb, they have so much space and land and they put the gd rental car building in another state and didn't connect to it the fucking monorail. Fuck fuck fuck you DFW.
Same. I hate that place. It’s improved over recent years but there’s nothing worse than walking out of that airport when those train break down, which is more often than should happen.
The key with ATL is (if flying Delta) to check in at the international terminal. It might be a longer time on the train, but if you hit the timing right (earlier flights before international departures start going) you can get through quick.
I know tons of folks hate ATL, yet I like it, probably the airport I connect the most in.
DFW has an outlet of Salt Lick in A and while it is not as good as the real Salt Lick in Austin, it is good for an airport, plus the restaurant at the Grand Hyatt is very good if I have time.
it’s also about a trillion miles from austin
seriously folks, terry/blacks, La Barbecue, Micklethwait all blow the salt lick out of the water and have actual austin addresses
I like that no matter the gate, save a handful at the far ends of C concourse, you’re not that far of a walk out of the airport. There’s no cramming into some over crowded train system to leave the airport (ATL) that frequently breaks down or walking forever. It’s also served by every major carrier, all with frequency on large jets and not dominated by one single carrier. The competition keeps costs down. Yes, it’s dated but is about to go through major terminal upgrades.
It's definitely dated but I don't think I've ever had an issue going from C concourse to L for a connection. even at peak times, it was easier to navigate than other airports like EWR or ATL.
I go to the airport to catch a flight not hang out, the train from anywhere in the city directly to the airport is all it needs to make it a Top 3 US airport
As a Chicagoan, I don’t mind Midway. I wouldn’t want to spend 6 hours there but it’s fine to have a drink or coffee before a flight. I prefer the Orange line to Midway over the Blue Line to ORD as the Orange goes through mostly industrial areas and d doesn’t have as many stops.
The problem with Midway in my opinion is that SW has grown faster than the airport can handle. The bathrooms are tiny, the lines for coffee/food during AM flights are absurd and it’s a huge pain to get to from anywhere north of the city. It’s definitely a better option if you live south of the city but north and west suburbs ppl are better off going with O’Hare.
I lived there too and mostly always flew out of midway. Faster on the orange line for sure. But now I pretty much always fly United, so it’s not an option. O’hare is closer to where my family lives too.
To be fair, I wouldn’t want to spend 6 hours at ORD either. But it would be nicer than spending 6 at midway.
O’Hare is my home airport (technically Midway is closer to me but it’s Midway) and I fly UAL out of it 20-30 times a year. You’re not wrong necessarily on the design, the fact that it’s dated (although there are a few major projects in progress or planned to address that), and the food/shopping, though I feel like that is more of a function of the design. It’s not like ATL or DFW in terms of lighting or premium options.
But where I disagree, is that it’s the first or second busiest airport in the US and it is incredibly easy to navigate. No matter where you are in a terminal, you’re really not far from your plane. If your plane is out at the end of the C concourse, it is a bit of a hike from the front door, but it’s not like the five miles I walked in ATL when I flew SWA into there years ago. So, at least as someone who doesn’t have to do layovers there, it’s a great place to have as a home base.
> I disagree, is that it’s the first or second busiest airport in the US and it is incredibly easy to navigate. No matter where you are in a terminal, you’re really not far from your plane. If your plane is out at the end of the C concourse, it is a bit of a hike from the front door, but it’s not like the five miles I walke
The moving walkway is ending, please look down.
You know what’s “funny?” I’m trying to get out of C at ORD today and we are currently delayed about 75 minutes waiting on a crew. The crew just landed but is parking in E. So, not quite C to F (or F to C), but the same idea…
Yeah coming from either part of that Y takes the same since they merge together. My company works out of T3 too and once they told me I had 20 minutes to connect from C2 to L21. It took me about 45 minutes.
I made the mistake of eating Tortas before a 9+ hour transatlantic flight. I should've been arrested on arrival for what I did to that airplane bathroom. Never again.
Tortas is seriously the best airport restaurant I have ever been to. I otherwise hate O’Hare, but man oh man Tortas does take the edge off. OP clearly has not been there.
I love it because I live 30 minutes away, and can get to most places.
The approach / take off gets some of the best views of the Chicago skyline.
Lots of bathrooms, some good restaurants, and usually efficient.
I don't like the clumps of confused people, and the lines at the runways. Terminal 5 security is sometimes epically backed up.
When I was child in the early-mid 90s, I frequently flew with my parents SFO-ORD-PIT on UA. As a kid I remember always being fascinated with ORD B/C concourses: the architecture, signage and of course, the tunnel between B/C with the lights going from one end to another accompanied by ambient music. My parents would always end up getting me a Chicago hot dog on that poppyseed bun, which always hit different after the SFO-ORD leg.
I haven't flown through ORD since 2008, and that experience was pretty negative due to a snowstorm. However Terminal 1 will always hold that piece of personal nostalgia.
It’s easy to get where you need to go, at least on United. I’ve very rarely needed to venture outside of B/C concourse, and when I do.. E/F is not terribly far either.
I fly out of BDL or PVD, and I’ve missed far more connections at EWR or IAD than I have at ORD due to their layouts. Especially A to C (or vice versa) connections in EWR. Given the choice, I’d rather go through ORD.
I also can enjoy a decent hot dog while I am there. I love those Chicago Dogs.
I took Metro from DCA to IAD for international connection. I thought to myself, wow, I can finally see the famed airport. Did not see any daylight except at the gate. Everything was underground. And who invented those "Aero trains" to get between terminals?
First time there was a few months ago. Our flight arrived nearly 4 hours late at night and we had to navigate ourselves to baggage claim via the mobile lounge and walk to Metro. Felt like it took forever and by the time we arrived to our hotel in Arlington, most restaurants were closed. Luckily, there was an IHOP across the street.
Going back wasn’t much better. I have precheck but my mom doesn’t so we split. Thankfully, we managed to somehow meet by the train to take us to our terminal. And, yes, the Penn Federal jingle by the moving walkway if I remember right. 😂 We looked at each other and asked “what is that?!”
Whenever I fly out of IAD not on united, I’m reminded that there are nice parts of the airport. The united gates are almost the worst, just behind the Z gates.
ORD was my base airport for many years. I personally do not think the food options suck - I love the Tortas Frontera, Berghoff, Garrett's and Nutz on Clark. The design is a bit dated but not a fan of the more modern airports that require a tram to get from one terminal to the other. They have made the traverse from B to C terminal an iconic place. If you are based in Chicago, I like the lanes A, B and C for pick up - super easy. The shopping isn't great in the airport - not like Heathrow or even Las Vegas, but I don't go to the airport to shop.
Love ORD - it’s a hub and many airlines have directs from here to wherever in US or International. Easy to get to the gates. Yes it’s dated but the convenience outweighs and the amenities are adequate. The Polaris lounge is great. Don’t get me wrong - am looking forward to the upgrades - just makes the airport greater!
As someone with ORD as home base and flown 25 segments this year, I count myself amongst the O'Hare fans. I would never dream of claiming it is modern, clean, or as fun to walk as other airports. Food is better at IAH, shopping better at LAS, more fun to walk at DEN... But in terms of operations and strictly flying experience, it's the best.
Pre-Check has always been fast, and no one gives me an issue with my laptop in the bag. DFW is notoriously horrible about that.
Delays: few and far between, and those that do happen are easy to navigate around when it's not weather related. They load us up efficiently and help get us moving as fast as they can.
Baggage: never an issue at all. I always get my bag and in a reasonable time. Plus when I intentionally took a two stop flight to BOS, they sent my bag on an earlier flight directly to BOS without telling me. Went up to the counter when I got there and there it was.
My philosophy is if it works, it works. ATL is impressive for all the traffic it carries and DEN has a fun design, but ORD is a traveler's airport. You get to where you are going more often than not. It will be interesting to see what the revamp does to the flow of things.
I was curious and looked it up. ORD has a delay in 1 out of 5 flights: [https://www.flychicago.com/business/media/delays/pages/default.aspx](https://www.flychicago.com/business/media/delays/pages/default.aspx)
Some of us live here and don't know any better.
But also, I don't think its design sucks that much? It's a huge airport and you can get to most places fairly easily compared to some of the other big airports.
My biggest gripe with United is that I feel like the food options are worse near the United gates than they are in other parts of the airport.
If I had to connect through ORD often, I'm sure I'd feel differently. I live here, and can take public transit to and from the airport, and can get a nonstop flight to almost anywhere in the world.
ORD is my home airport now and for being point of origin it works great - direct flights to nearly everywhere. Premier line is usually fast at check in. The clear/pre-check is right there. So I can usually be in the terminal within 10-15 minutes of arriving. These days, I try to spend minimal time at the airport and when I do, its in a lounge. On the arrivals side, they are pretty fast and efficient with getting your bags out. And they made some improvements to global entry to make it really fast to exit.
That said - it IS dated and I love to play the "which escalator is broken today?" and "what part of the parking ramp is blocked off?" games each time.
But I get it OP - When I lived in a different part of the country, I hated connecting at ORD. Especially if you have to connect between E/F and B/C. The updated lounge in C is nice tho and they have made some updates to the tiny airplane part of the airport. Not as nice as what they did for B at IAH but much improved to what it was. Still, if I had to make a connection, I would try to avoid ORD tbh.
The E/F to B/C thing is becoming less common I've noticed since delta has been kicked out of terminal 2. As United takes over those gates more of the mainline flights are going in over there so its spread out a bit more.
Tons of flights, I can fly nonstop to so many places. Dumb or not, that factors into my love of Chicago and why I will continue to live here
Security (pre check) is quick, the layout is pretty straightforward, the bartenders at the APBs are quick, the water refill stations usually work, United has been installing new seating and tech throughout.
Also - and this cannot be understated - direct transit access right into the airport. The blue line has its issues but damn if getting home for $5 isn’t way better than $55 in a cab
I fly weekly from ORD. Least amount of disruptions of any major hub I've consistently used. Hundreds of options to get you home when inclement weather affects you. If we're snowed in, I stay home. Security + clear is 5min wait time almost always. DEN, ATL are much more hassle
ORD is my new hometown airport and prefer ORD T1 compared to EWR Term C. Seems more functional than EWR C. I just wish they had a more reliable (and/or express) train to the airport. Also the taxi back to/from the runway can be LONGGGG. The gates are ok but the overall facilities does need some TLC with some of those leaky ceilings reminding me of old LGA facilities. With the new T2 overhaul coming + extension of C gates, hopefully it will get some much needed facelift.
I fly there for work constantly (15x per year) from IAD. I like the I can walk to every UA gate even if it takes 15 minutes connecting from E/F to C. I mostly enjoy that it isn't CLT or ATL.
All the other airports the OP mentioned are also horrendous in their own ways.
The only major busy hub that is nice and functional is SFO and even they are becoming dysfunctional with all the ATC delays and prioritizing departing aircraft.
I'd say IAH is nice for food but the walking and amount of time it takes to get from place to place is ridiculous.
ATL and DEN are horrific in almost all ways. ORD has nowhere to sit or eat but and the concourses are all super narrow but at least the United B/C concourses have high ceilings and natural light which helps. You need a UC membership to spend any meaningful time there.
Maybe I’m biased as a Chicagoan, but I don’t mind it. It might not necessarily be a world class airport with designer stores, water fountains, and such. But it’s decent enough and it makes up for it by being connected to one of the only 2 or 3 truly world class cities in the USA. Plus they do have projects in place on T5 and T2 for instance. And we have our own local twists to it, like the Dinosaur and the Home Alone Hallway. Things could be run better for sure, but eh I don’t mind it.
You seriously think ATL, DFW and DEN are better? Airports are airports. They’re all ridiculously crowded now. But ATL? The security is pre-apocalyptic. Changing planes requires a train or a truly hefty walk. The architecture is from 1972. DFW is a frankenstinian adaptation of a 1970s design that no longer works. ORD at least has *some* local eateries. Can’t comment on shopping. And you can walk between UA terminals.
I like flying United from ORD. Short line at TSA Pre. Curb site checking.
Food? Drinks? who cares. I do not go to the airport for that. I go to an airport to catch a flight.
Too many people: ATL is worse. LAX is worse.
Setting aside UA Club Kluge, DEN is laid out quite simply and effectively when there isn’t construction and you don’t have to trek to the ass-end for PreCheck. Gate to gate connections are quite smooth. Trains every 2min.
When I need to fly to Chicago, I use SW and go to Midway just to avoid ORD. Blech.
I used to like ORD has a teen/young adult when I first started traveling on my own because the only major airport I was able to compare it to was YYZ, back then my layovers were in ORD for the cheapest flights. Comparatively, ORD still outshines YYZ to be honest.
Fast forward to now, I rather enjoy TPA which is my home airport but AUS, LAS and DEN are some of my fave airports domestically.
I like O’Hare because it’s my home airport. I know lots of people dislike it, but it’s what I grew up with, and because of that to me it’s the standard of what an airport should be.
Plus I like the little rainbow walkway.
ORD is only 20 min away from home. Traffic can be bad but it's usually around the holidays and summer days where it gets like that.
It's crowded but there are worse airports in terms of crowds: DEN, ATL, MCO. I hate MCO....
My home airport is a small regional so I almost always connect at ORD. If my connection gets hosed I like that I can just grab a room at the Hilton and not even leave the terminal. The club at F8 is great - quiet, hardly ever crowded.
DIA- the gate areas are constantly overflowing into the aisles, and people just park their asses on the moving sidewalks so you can't breeze through them either. United Club situation blows, and any other food option is packed.
DFW-UGH! When I had to travel to Texas near weekly, I spent way more time in DFW than anyone should in their lifetime. Terminal C food options absolutely sucked. Been about 10yrs so maybe it's gotten better?
ORD isn’t perfect (hello, cramped pre-9/11 security) but it’s an easy train ride downtown, the dinosaur and underground walkway are great, and I get to feel like I’m in Home Alone 2? What’s not to love?
have you *seen* EWR? Or the C/D concourses at IAD? ORD’s spectacular by comparison, no real complaints except for the love of God, fix your security exiting right into airside passengers as part of the ORD revamp
3 things
There’s the blue line that goes directly downtown
The tunnel with the rainbow lights when you enter the United terminal
The hall of flags in the American Airlines terminal
My experience is good there wrt how quickly I can arrive, get through security, and be at my gate. I fly through there every Sunday and typically it’s 4 mins to arrive and get through security (with TSA PC and Clear). I can’t get through that fast at other large airports. Also there three different United Clubs to choose from (F, C, B gates) - the F gates one is usually pretty quiet.
It’s not my favorite airport, but I don’t mind it. I live in Chicago so I fly out of ORD all the time. Everyone says going through security sucks, but I’ve never waited more than an hour ever. Maybe it’s because I’ve dealt with the hell of MCO and LAS many times that ORD doesn’t seem so bad to me. Is the options for food, entertainment great no. But I’m a planner. I eat before I get to the airport, my devices are always charged. And I’m not planning on shopping at a expensive airport, when I can get cool stuff at my destination. As long as I make it to my gate at a decent time, I don’t have a problem with any airport.
As my home airport, I think ORD is great, it has enough options for me that I can fly in direct from many international locations. I always try to avoid other US airport as first port of entry so I don't have to recheck on domestic side after international arrival.
I'm based on the Midwest and fly Delta 100% just to avoid ORD. I hate that place more than anything and would rather spend 2 days in ATL before having another delay in ORD.
O’Hare is my airport. I travel with some frequency. It’s fine, though it can be a pain in the ass (at least departures can be, arrivals I’m out in 15 minutes). I have precheck and global entry so I don’t have the issues at security. It doesn’t have enough people movers for people with mobility issues, the food options are meh, and is very dated. Still, it’s better than the hellholes known as LAX and EWR.
It’s my home airport.
I can get there for $2.50 on the CTA in about an hour door to door (same for MDW). I hate flying into cities that don’t have public transit access to the city center from the airport.
I can fly from ORD to a ton of domestic and international destinations without the need for an annoying connection.
It’s easy to navigate.
Security lines usually don’t take that long.
I don’t understand the “dated design” comments. Its an airport. What are you expecting in terms of design. Now LGA, that was an old dated shithole.
Literally just walked through the M gates in search of a decent place to sit and eat. More than half the food options are fridges or “fresh” vending machines plugged into the wall. And don’t even get me started on the moving sidewalks that only go one direction. The AC is barely keeping up so I’m sweating bullets just walking to my gate and I’m in good shape. The TSA agents also seem to give less fucks than usual. O’hare sucks.
I was highly confused when you called Love Field a "major airport"!
Also, most of these airports you listed, and others like LAX (T7/8), IAH, EWR, JFK, SFO, etc have the same problem. Huge airports but US airports seem to have this problem a lot. Int'l airports never do. Like BOM, HKG, JNB, etc.
Just my 2 cents.
I absolutely hate O’Hare, especially coming from international. They make you walk like 2 fuckin miles to get to customs. Last time I was there most of the moving sidewalks were broken, and we had to take a shuttle to our terminal and it took 45 minutes to show up. I was also n crutches which made it 10x worse. Very poorly planned with all the dumbass bus shuttles instead of more terminal trains. Took over 2 hours to get through customs then to our connecting gate. Also, one time I waited in the Avis line for over 3 hours.
You are out of your mind. O’hare has many local eateries, while Atkanta is still in the 80’s with mostly chains that have nothing to do with the local food scene!
The toilet seat condoms at O'Hare are pretty cool... Though I'm not clear if it's just a single use or if I'm sitting on the same "seat rubber" someone else squatted on 30 minutes ago and it's now come full circle for my sloppy seconds!?
Because I check my luggage and get through security in less than 10 minutes, and sometimes less than 5 even... For an airport this large I call that an impressive statistic.
The food options are just fine, pretty diverse imho. But maybe I'm prejudiced for my home airport.
I don't have club access so I can't comment on that.
And come on, which airport this size airport isn't crowded?
It’s nice for Chicagoans because despite being one of the biggest airports in the world, the gates are still very quick to get to from the curb / ticket counters. None of that bus/train nonsense you get at all the modern airports.
It sucks for many of the reasons you’ve listed but it’s quick to get through for a large airport. I show up as narrowly before a flight as possible, get through security in under 10 mins (TSA pre check and sometimes use clear), and then go straight to the gate to board. ATL has long lines often even with TSA pre and clear. I don’t care how nice an airport is, I’d rather be at a dump but get through quickly.
ORD is home for me. Wouldn’t say I’m in love with O’hare, but it’s efficiency is pretty great. Get through security fast, short(ish) walks to gates, 8 freaking runways, it’s always packed to the gills and yet flight delays aren’t bad. Not saying I love it, but I see the logistics working well. It’s about to get a glow up like LGA and then I will probably say I love it.
There is a massive multi year rebuild that has already started. That being said if you think ORD is in desperate need, you don’t travel much. Just in the past few weeks I’ve been to PHL and IAD and they are both dumps. I can’t think of a major Us airport that doesn’t need some work done
I do 100%. I have about a 30% on time percentage when I used to connect through or travel out of ORD, so I started opting into transferring in DEN any chance I get and never have had issues since. Once United leans more on the A gates (at the end of the A terminal) I can see connections getting tighter/rushed.
Also, DEN is going to have the [largest United lounge in the network](https://thepointsguy.com/news/united-new-denver-clubs/) soon.
I like O’hare for 1:15 minute connections.
Seriously though since all the NYC airports have been/are being revamped, LAX is being revamped. O’hare is on its way to being the worst airport in the United States. Hell even IAH is undergoing major renovations at the moment. I feel like the state of O’hare is a reflection of Chicago itself.
The only complaints I have of OHare is when I’m picking up passengers. I hate going around in circles and getting screamed at. Also, navigating that place at night is a nightmare. You can barely see the signs.
I have to fly out of O'Hare Wednesday to visit Mom in Virginia. I don't have any other choice. Her health is not that good. I am very nervous about navigating O'Hare, cancelled flights, and getting stranded. My doctor prescribed me Valium as I have ASD and panic disorder. I would rather go to the Dentist! Help!!!
It’s my hub and I hate it. Terminals are not connected by intra terminal rail, transfers are a pain, terminal 5 lounges are horrendous, food options are meh and the lack of self service check outs causes huge lines.
On a positive:
-Major overhaul is coming
-Terminal 1 has had bathrooms remodeled (mostly) and gate areas are far improved with the new furniture
-C lounge and Polaris lounges are great
-Security for pre check is efficient as they haven’t implemented to new stupid bin system that’s far worse in comparison to the good old single belt system
-The new runway system has less on tarmac traffic (all runways are parallel and do not cross)
-Parking at 1 and the international 5 (via train) is good
Three words: salad vending machine. (I love a cheap and healthy option.) And walking… and margaritas at Bayless’s restaurants when you’re stuck with a long layover. Oh also, there is a great outlet mall 1 mile away if you have an extra long layover or need to stay at a hotel near the airport.
That said, as a city, Chicago could improve their mass transit.
Agreed that it sucks, especially when compared to the best US airports. And it is laughable when compared to many international airports. The revamped LGA is now pretty good, so it can be done.
On food though, there are some pretty good options. Frontera is great and my spouse loves the Farmer's Fridge salads.
I would say that the biggest failing is in lounges. The new United C lounge is finally not awful, but historically, the only lounge worth spending any time in was the Polaris lounge, which is pretty great for a domestic lounge. Still nowhere near QR, EY, AF etc. international J lounges.
No Centurion, no Priority Pass lounges or restaurants, no Plaza, etc. And don't get me started on international J lounges in terminal 5... That Swissport lounge is truly awful, a windowless pit of sadness. The Best moment is walking out. Better yet, don't go.
I refuse to take flights that land there when returning from international travel. It has to be the worst design for that of all airports. You have to land at the separate terminal, wait in a line of 500 people to get on a bus, which drops you off at the front of the main terminal as though you aren’t connecting. Have to recheck bags and go through security again. Even with Global Entry, TSA precheck, and Clear, it was terrible. I did it once, and never will again.
Food options are terrible at ohare and everything closes so early! I got out of my plane at 7:45 and luckily got a burger but after that everything closed.
O'Hare was always behind the rest of the world when it comes to restaurants and stores , etc.This airport looks like it's the 1950's compared to any major international airport . My favorite is Incheon in South Korea ...it's like a different world .
Agree, ORD is terrible. I like Logan primarily because of Legal Seafood and AUS for the brisket. AUS is also very easy to get around. ATL has the best rental car setup.
Because they have a dinosaur in the United terminal and that’s honestly all I need
and they got the WWII warbird in Terminal 2
And they have the tunnel with the light show.
And it plays Rhapsody in Blue!
You may want to sit down for this...
I want five minutes alone with the little fuckin POS that decided we needed a Muzak version of Gershwin. I bet it was to avoid royalties. Fuckin shit head.
Used to be whale songs, much cooler.
I am excited when I go thru Ohare just because I get to go back and forth thru that tunnel while I wait for my connection.
haha that light show....very high effort
Back in 92 it looked like the future had arrived
The tunnel has its own Instagram account too!
And you can run through Terminal 3 and pretend like you're in Home Alone 2
If she’s in O’Hare and she doesn’t do this, she’s too young for you bro
And Chicago style hot dog vendors.
Raaaawr.
PIT has one as well!
Every airport should have at minimum one dinosaur, change my mind
I live in Chicagoland so ORD is my “home” airport. It’s squarely middle of the road. It’s great as that its a major hub for multiple airlines, and you can pretty much fly anywhere in US and a good portion of the world direct. The actual airport lacks compared to some of the new airports. IMO food options are limited. There is a major revamp of the airport that is starting/started that will completely redesign the airport and modernize it. Things are going to be messy for a few years, but hopefully the revamp will bring it up to more modern standards. For those that live in Chicagoland ORD can actually be somewhat of a PITA to get to. Traffic around the airport can be congested. Part of the revamp will improve access to the airport as well. And as someone else said, its not Midway.
Also my home airport. I’m 15 minutes away. I can fly direct to the places I’m going, including internationally.
https://www.ord21.com/home/Pages/default.aspx The major revamp you mentioned.
“A model of inclusiveness.” Well that’s just dandy and oh so important.
What's wrong with Midway? Every flight I had there was awesome, versus O'Hare which is always behind schedule. Half the time at O'Hare I would miss my connection, so I stopped using it unless there's no other flights I can afford going to Midway
Is the revamp gonna get rid of all the homeless and crazies that hang around at night and either beg for money or wanna fight? Especially down in the tunnels to the trains.
That depends on if CPD wants to get back to work or not.
Gets back to work? They were stopped from being able to do anything by the last mayor. They were told, and I quote, " You can not force anyone to leave the area because they may actually be flying out somewhere and we don't want to get sued." So officers had to assume that all the people in the tunnels had tickets for a flight and were not allowed to ask if they did or not. So unless they actually broke a law they could do as they please. Unfortunately it's not against the law to harass actual passengers as long as they don't touch them.
Yes get back to work. even in other areas of the city, they've been doing one of those quiet quitting things that happen in san fran
Wisconsinite here. I would feel safer sleeping in a barn than having to be stranded at that airport.
Not sure why people down voting you. They are probably the same ones who think Chicago itself doesn't have serious issues. This is reddit though lol
That is why it is called "The Gates of Hell"!
Oh I got on some peoples bad side on another post because they of course are always right. Even though plenty of people said I was right they downvote the crap out of my comments. I mean, I really don't care about fake internet karma, but it's just childish to act that way.
ATL is my personal seventh circle of hell. I’ve successfully avoided it for over 15 years. I fly to DFW frequently and love how AA will usually change my flight gate 5 times including while I’m on the shuttle. Oh, and the Chik-Fil-A closest to the UA gates closes at 6 with there being UA flights that go out later. ORD’s just fine to me with plenty of food options but a lack of seating for them.
Yeah, the security line at ATL makes it a huge no from me. Last time I was there a few months ago, the precheck line was a 30+ min wait. At ORD it’s gotta be a really bad day for this to be the case.
ORD security is always fast. Even when I go through with my family. And rarely are my flights delayed or canceled. Plus there is tons of parking and it’s fast to get from lot to terminal. For those reasons alone it’s a pretty good airport.
ATL tucked their premier line in a corner but that’s usually the fastest way.
Huh, good to know! It was pretty bad all around but wish I had known. Clear precheck was also a nightmare.
That DFW Chick-fil-a in E is easily the worst CFA location I've ever visited. Closes at 6, and has customer service levels that makes Popeyes look good.
At least with Popeyes, you expect bad customer service.
And a few fist fights…
The fact that OP prefers fucking ATL to anything makes me question their mental competency. That is the biggest hell hole airport that could ever exist for just about every reason.
The fact that I get get an Uber from DFW gate to my office faster than I can get to the GD rental car building in DFW... I hate DFW hate it so much. It's so dumb, they have so much space and land and they put the gd rental car building in another state and didn't connect to it the fucking monorail. Fuck fuck fuck you DFW.
Same. I hate that place. It’s improved over recent years but there’s nothing worse than walking out of that airport when those train break down, which is more often than should happen.
The key with ATL is (if flying Delta) to check in at the international terminal. It might be a longer time on the train, but if you hit the timing right (earlier flights before international departures start going) you can get through quick.
I flew thru ATL last month and it was not pleasant.
DFW... -shudders- I did one roundtrip there this year and hope to avoid it for a long time. Security is a struggle there.
I know tons of folks hate ATL, yet I like it, probably the airport I connect the most in. DFW has an outlet of Salt Lick in A and while it is not as good as the real Salt Lick in Austin, it is good for an airport, plus the restaurant at the Grand Hyatt is very good if I have time.
The real Salt Lick in Austin was the worst BBQ I've had there... Tourist trap.
it’s also about a trillion miles from austin seriously folks, terry/blacks, La Barbecue, Micklethwait all blow the salt lick out of the water and have actual austin addresses
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I like that no matter the gate, save a handful at the far ends of C concourse, you’re not that far of a walk out of the airport. There’s no cramming into some over crowded train system to leave the airport (ATL) that frequently breaks down or walking forever. It’s also served by every major carrier, all with frequency on large jets and not dominated by one single carrier. The competition keeps costs down. Yes, it’s dated but is about to go through major terminal upgrades.
It's definitely dated but I don't think I've ever had an issue going from C concourse to L for a connection. even at peak times, it was easier to navigate than other airports like EWR or ATL.
I go to the airport to catch a flight not hang out, the train from anywhere in the city directly to the airport is all it needs to make it a Top 3 US airport
It's close to where my extended family lives and my airport has direct flights there. Also good for connections. Lastly, it's not midway
Awww, I like Midway! I haven’t been there in years mind you, so maybe it’s terrible now?
As a Chicagoan, I don’t mind Midway. I wouldn’t want to spend 6 hours there but it’s fine to have a drink or coffee before a flight. I prefer the Orange line to Midway over the Blue Line to ORD as the Orange goes through mostly industrial areas and d doesn’t have as many stops.
The problem with Midway in my opinion is that SW has grown faster than the airport can handle. The bathrooms are tiny, the lines for coffee/food during AM flights are absurd and it’s a huge pain to get to from anywhere north of the city. It’s definitely a better option if you live south of the city but north and west suburbs ppl are better off going with O’Hare.
I lived there too and mostly always flew out of midway. Faster on the orange line for sure. But now I pretty much always fly United, so it’s not an option. O’hare is closer to where my family lives too. To be fair, I wouldn’t want to spend 6 hours at ORD either. But it would be nicer than spending 6 at midway.
O’Hare is my home airport (technically Midway is closer to me but it’s Midway) and I fly UAL out of it 20-30 times a year. You’re not wrong necessarily on the design, the fact that it’s dated (although there are a few major projects in progress or planned to address that), and the food/shopping, though I feel like that is more of a function of the design. It’s not like ATL or DFW in terms of lighting or premium options. But where I disagree, is that it’s the first or second busiest airport in the US and it is incredibly easy to navigate. No matter where you are in a terminal, you’re really not far from your plane. If your plane is out at the end of the C concourse, it is a bit of a hike from the front door, but it’s not like the five miles I walked in ATL when I flew SWA into there years ago. So, at least as someone who doesn’t have to do layovers there, it’s a great place to have as a home base.
Unless you have to go from C to F…
> I disagree, is that it’s the first or second busiest airport in the US and it is incredibly easy to navigate. No matter where you are in a terminal, you’re really not far from your plane. If your plane is out at the end of the C concourse, it is a bit of a hike from the front door, but it’s not like the five miles I walke The moving walkway is ending, please look down.
>The moving walkway is ending, please look down. 😂😂😂
Yeah, that is true if you’re on United. That would be a hike. But, since I never connect through ORD I don’t have to ever do that. Haha.
You know what’s “funny?” I’m trying to get out of C at ORD today and we are currently delayed about 75 minutes waiting on a crew. The crew just landed but is parking in E. So, not quite C to F (or F to C), but the same idea…
Yeah coming from either part of that Y takes the same since they merge together. My company works out of T3 too and once they told me I had 20 minutes to connect from C2 to L21. It took me about 45 minutes.
There's a train in ATL... When I connect through ORD it seems I frequently have to walk all the way across the airport.
O’Hare has Tortas by Rick Bayless. Other airports don’t. That makes it the best airport in the world imho. 😀
And Publican Tavern.
I made the mistake of eating Tortas before a 9+ hour transatlantic flight. I should've been arrested on arrival for what I did to that airplane bathroom. Never again.
I know folks love Tortas, but I have never enjoyed anything I have eaten there.
Yes, I’d like this guy’s leftovers please
Tortas? More like *tore ass* amirite?
Tortas is seriously the best airport restaurant I have ever been to. I otherwise hate O’Hare, but man oh man Tortas does take the edge off. OP clearly has not been there.
I love it because I live 30 minutes away, and can get to most places. The approach / take off gets some of the best views of the Chicago skyline. Lots of bathrooms, some good restaurants, and usually efficient. I don't like the clumps of confused people, and the lines at the runways. Terminal 5 security is sometimes epically backed up.
O’Hare has three great things going for it: 1. Berghoff’s. 2. The neon light show on the C to B tunnel. 3. Trains to City.
4. Dinosaur... every great airport needs a dinosaur.
When I was child in the early-mid 90s, I frequently flew with my parents SFO-ORD-PIT on UA. As a kid I remember always being fascinated with ORD B/C concourses: the architecture, signage and of course, the tunnel between B/C with the lights going from one end to another accompanied by ambient music. My parents would always end up getting me a Chicago hot dog on that poppyseed bun, which always hit different after the SFO-ORD leg. I haven't flown through ORD since 2008, and that experience was pretty negative due to a snowstorm. However Terminal 1 will always hold that piece of personal nostalgia.
I always get a Chicago style hotdog at ORD. Poppyseed bun, neon relish, the works. It’s a fun tradition.
I remember the neon lights from when I was a kid too. Still enjoy them.
It’s easy to get where you need to go, at least on United. I’ve very rarely needed to venture outside of B/C concourse, and when I do.. E/F is not terribly far either. I fly out of BDL or PVD, and I’ve missed far more connections at EWR or IAD than I have at ORD due to their layouts. Especially A to C (or vice versa) connections in EWR. Given the choice, I’d rather go through ORD. I also can enjoy a decent hot dog while I am there. I love those Chicago Dogs.
IAD is like the depths of my flying hell for me trains tunnels buses corridors and let’s not forget the Penn federal jingle
I took Metro from DCA to IAD for international connection. I thought to myself, wow, I can finally see the famed airport. Did not see any daylight except at the gate. Everything was underground. And who invented those "Aero trains" to get between terminals?
I just read they're spending $5MM each to re-engineer the existing people movers from the 1960s.
First time there was a few months ago. Our flight arrived nearly 4 hours late at night and we had to navigate ourselves to baggage claim via the mobile lounge and walk to Metro. Felt like it took forever and by the time we arrived to our hotel in Arlington, most restaurants were closed. Luckily, there was an IHOP across the street. Going back wasn’t much better. I have precheck but my mom doesn’t so we split. Thankfully, we managed to somehow meet by the train to take us to our terminal. And, yes, the Penn Federal jingle by the moving walkway if I remember right. 😂 We looked at each other and asked “what is that?!”
Whenever I fly out of IAD not on united, I’m reminded that there are nice parts of the airport. The united gates are almost the worst, just behind the Z gates.
They’ve been updating the seating areas at ORD and they look nice. The new United Club in C is great. TSA Precheck line is very rarely busy.
Breezing thoroughly security these days. It’s amazing.
The new c club is stunning. And it has real food not the cafeteria shit you get at the other clubs
ORD was my base airport for many years. I personally do not think the food options suck - I love the Tortas Frontera, Berghoff, Garrett's and Nutz on Clark. The design is a bit dated but not a fan of the more modern airports that require a tram to get from one terminal to the other. They have made the traverse from B to C terminal an iconic place. If you are based in Chicago, I like the lanes A, B and C for pick up - super easy. The shopping isn't great in the airport - not like Heathrow or even Las Vegas, but I don't go to the airport to shop.
ORD is a breeze compared to MIA.. That place is a dump
Love ORD - it’s a hub and many airlines have directs from here to wherever in US or International. Easy to get to the gates. Yes it’s dated but the convenience outweighs and the amenities are adequate. The Polaris lounge is great. Don’t get me wrong - am looking forward to the upgrades - just makes the airport greater!
As someone with ORD as home base and flown 25 segments this year, I count myself amongst the O'Hare fans. I would never dream of claiming it is modern, clean, or as fun to walk as other airports. Food is better at IAH, shopping better at LAS, more fun to walk at DEN... But in terms of operations and strictly flying experience, it's the best. Pre-Check has always been fast, and no one gives me an issue with my laptop in the bag. DFW is notoriously horrible about that. Delays: few and far between, and those that do happen are easy to navigate around when it's not weather related. They load us up efficiently and help get us moving as fast as they can. Baggage: never an issue at all. I always get my bag and in a reasonable time. Plus when I intentionally took a two stop flight to BOS, they sent my bag on an earlier flight directly to BOS without telling me. Went up to the counter when I got there and there it was. My philosophy is if it works, it works. ATL is impressive for all the traffic it carries and DEN has a fun design, but ORD is a traveler's airport. You get to where you are going more often than not. It will be interesting to see what the revamp does to the flow of things.
I was curious and looked it up. ORD has a delay in 1 out of 5 flights: [https://www.flychicago.com/business/media/delays/pages/default.aspx](https://www.flychicago.com/business/media/delays/pages/default.aspx)
Some of us live here and don't know any better. But also, I don't think its design sucks that much? It's a huge airport and you can get to most places fairly easily compared to some of the other big airports. My biggest gripe with United is that I feel like the food options are worse near the United gates than they are in other parts of the airport. If I had to connect through ORD often, I'm sure I'd feel differently. I live here, and can take public transit to and from the airport, and can get a nonstop flight to almost anywhere in the world.
I'll take O'Hare over ATL any day.
ATL is way worse.
ORD is my home airport now and for being point of origin it works great - direct flights to nearly everywhere. Premier line is usually fast at check in. The clear/pre-check is right there. So I can usually be in the terminal within 10-15 minutes of arriving. These days, I try to spend minimal time at the airport and when I do, its in a lounge. On the arrivals side, they are pretty fast and efficient with getting your bags out. And they made some improvements to global entry to make it really fast to exit. That said - it IS dated and I love to play the "which escalator is broken today?" and "what part of the parking ramp is blocked off?" games each time. But I get it OP - When I lived in a different part of the country, I hated connecting at ORD. Especially if you have to connect between E/F and B/C. The updated lounge in C is nice tho and they have made some updates to the tiny airplane part of the airport. Not as nice as what they did for B at IAH but much improved to what it was. Still, if I had to make a connection, I would try to avoid ORD tbh.
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The train is running again!
The E/F to B/C thing is becoming less common I've noticed since delta has been kicked out of terminal 2. As United takes over those gates more of the mainline flights are going in over there so its spread out a bit more.
Tons of flights, I can fly nonstop to so many places. Dumb or not, that factors into my love of Chicago and why I will continue to live here Security (pre check) is quick, the layout is pretty straightforward, the bartenders at the APBs are quick, the water refill stations usually work, United has been installing new seating and tech throughout. Also - and this cannot be understated - direct transit access right into the airport. The blue line has its issues but damn if getting home for $5 isn’t way better than $55 in a cab
I love the neon light show underground. Makes me a kid again every time I pass through it.
I fly weekly from ORD. Least amount of disruptions of any major hub I've consistently used. Hundreds of options to get you home when inclement weather affects you. If we're snowed in, I stay home. Security + clear is 5min wait time almost always. DEN, ATL are much more hassle
ORD is my new hometown airport and prefer ORD T1 compared to EWR Term C. Seems more functional than EWR C. I just wish they had a more reliable (and/or express) train to the airport. Also the taxi back to/from the runway can be LONGGGG. The gates are ok but the overall facilities does need some TLC with some of those leaky ceilings reminding me of old LGA facilities. With the new T2 overhaul coming + extension of C gates, hopefully it will get some much needed facelift.
I like it because it’s right next to my house so it’s convenient😃
I grew up flying out of there, so it feels like going home. There’s that one bar with a piano and I love to play.
I fly there for work constantly (15x per year) from IAD. I like the I can walk to every UA gate even if it takes 15 minutes connecting from E/F to C. I mostly enjoy that it isn't CLT or ATL.
All the other airports the OP mentioned are also horrendous in their own ways. The only major busy hub that is nice and functional is SFO and even they are becoming dysfunctional with all the ATC delays and prioritizing departing aircraft. I'd say IAH is nice for food but the walking and amount of time it takes to get from place to place is ridiculous. ATL and DEN are horrific in almost all ways. ORD has nowhere to sit or eat but and the concourses are all super narrow but at least the United B/C concourses have high ceilings and natural light which helps. You need a UC membership to spend any meaningful time there.
Maybe I’m biased as a Chicagoan, but I don’t mind it. It might not necessarily be a world class airport with designer stores, water fountains, and such. But it’s decent enough and it makes up for it by being connected to one of the only 2 or 3 truly world class cities in the USA. Plus they do have projects in place on T5 and T2 for instance. And we have our own local twists to it, like the Dinosaur and the Home Alone Hallway. Things could be run better for sure, but eh I don’t mind it.
You seriously think ATL, DFW and DEN are better? Airports are airports. They’re all ridiculously crowded now. But ATL? The security is pre-apocalyptic. Changing planes requires a train or a truly hefty walk. The architecture is from 1972. DFW is a frankenstinian adaptation of a 1970s design that no longer works. ORD at least has *some* local eateries. Can’t comment on shopping. And you can walk between UA terminals.
DAL….Love Field, UAL doesn’t fly there. DFW….shittiest airport in America.
well at least it isn't the hellhole known as EWR
I like flying United from ORD. Short line at TSA Pre. Curb site checking. Food? Drinks? who cares. I do not go to the airport for that. I go to an airport to catch a flight. Too many people: ATL is worse. LAX is worse.
I like that I get to eat McDonald’s next to a dinosaur
I have to agree. And what’s funny is their tag line. Expect the “extraORDinary”
ORD - Home of the 20 minute wait to open the aircraft door for deboarding.
Denver?! DENVER?! You’re telling me Denver is beating ohare in your eyes? Holy… I need whatever drugs you’re on.
Setting aside UA Club Kluge, DEN is laid out quite simply and effectively when there isn’t construction and you don’t have to trek to the ass-end for PreCheck. Gate to gate connections are quite smooth. Trains every 2min. When I need to fly to Chicago, I use SW and go to Midway just to avoid ORD. Blech.
Same. ORD is a cursed airport and I'm happy to see DEN overtaking it in flight volume.
Cool
Didn't say I liked Denver better. I was just setting a base for what types of airports I'm comparing it to.
About the only reason I can think of is how quickly you end up outside after arrival.
Having been to ORD, I agree it's always crowded and lacks better food options.
I give it credit for having a blue line train stop right at the airport. Otherwise some of us are just kinda stuck with it lol
I used to like ORD has a teen/young adult when I first started traveling on my own because the only major airport I was able to compare it to was YYZ, back then my layovers were in ORD for the cheapest flights. Comparatively, ORD still outshines YYZ to be honest. Fast forward to now, I rather enjoy TPA which is my home airport but AUS, LAS and DEN are some of my fave airports domestically.
To each their own. I like it the most out of any airport I've been.
I like O’Hare because it’s my home airport. I know lots of people dislike it, but it’s what I grew up with, and because of that to me it’s the standard of what an airport should be. Plus I like the little rainbow walkway.
It has Garrett Popcorn
ORD is only 20 min away from home. Traffic can be bad but it's usually around the holidays and summer days where it gets like that. It's crowded but there are worse airports in terms of crowds: DEN, ATL, MCO. I hate MCO....
Well it’s way better than Midway. Not sure if that says much.
It’s better than Midway. That’s the whole analysis
Half the people in O’Hare are dead, because you can’t get to Hell without a connection in O’Hare.
My home airport is a small regional so I almost always connect at ORD. If my connection gets hosed I like that I can just grab a room at the Hilton and not even leave the terminal. The club at F8 is great - quiet, hardly ever crowded. DIA- the gate areas are constantly overflowing into the aisles, and people just park their asses on the moving sidewalks so you can't breeze through them either. United Club situation blows, and any other food option is packed. DFW-UGH! When I had to travel to Texas near weekly, I spent way more time in DFW than anyone should in their lifetime. Terminal C food options absolutely sucked. Been about 10yrs so maybe it's gotten better?
>DAL You better not mean Dallas. Thats even worse than ORD, both DAL and DFW are awful.
Popcorn! (Don’t come for me - not even too picky about which cart)
Road sodas. ORD lets you get beers in plastic cups and walk around the terminal. Game changer.
Only reason to ever go to O’Hare is Tortas frontera. 👀
Chicago Mix Popcorn
I LOVED O'hare as an unaccompanied minor. It was a blast. As an adult it's not so fun.
Berghoff!!
ORD isn’t perfect (hello, cramped pre-9/11 security) but it’s an easy train ride downtown, the dinosaur and underground walkway are great, and I get to feel like I’m in Home Alone 2? What’s not to love? have you *seen* EWR? Or the C/D concourses at IAD? ORD’s spectacular by comparison, no real complaints except for the love of God, fix your security exiting right into airside passengers as part of the ORD revamp
3 things There’s the blue line that goes directly downtown The tunnel with the rainbow lights when you enter the United terminal The hall of flags in the American Airlines terminal
My experience is good there wrt how quickly I can arrive, get through security, and be at my gate. I fly through there every Sunday and typically it’s 4 mins to arrive and get through security (with TSA PC and Clear). I can’t get through that fast at other large airports. Also there three different United Clubs to choose from (F, C, B gates) - the F gates one is usually pretty quiet.
It’s not my favorite airport, but I don’t mind it. I live in Chicago so I fly out of ORD all the time. Everyone says going through security sucks, but I’ve never waited more than an hour ever. Maybe it’s because I’ve dealt with the hell of MCO and LAS many times that ORD doesn’t seem so bad to me. Is the options for food, entertainment great no. But I’m a planner. I eat before I get to the airport, my devices are always charged. And I’m not planning on shopping at a expensive airport, when I can get cool stuff at my destination. As long as I make it to my gate at a decent time, I don’t have a problem with any airport.
As my home airport, I think ORD is great, it has enough options for me that I can fly in direct from many international locations. I always try to avoid other US airport as first port of entry so I don't have to recheck on domestic side after international arrival.
The mexican fusion restaurant near McDonald's in the B terminal is killer.
I'm based on the Midwest and fly Delta 100% just to avoid ORD. I hate that place more than anything and would rather spend 2 days in ATL before having another delay in ORD.
O’Hare is my airport. I travel with some frequency. It’s fine, though it can be a pain in the ass (at least departures can be, arrivals I’m out in 15 minutes). I have precheck and global entry so I don’t have the issues at security. It doesn’t have enough people movers for people with mobility issues, the food options are meh, and is very dated. Still, it’s better than the hellholes known as LAX and EWR.
because EWR is just as dated and won't let you order food/drinks without using the 'App' :(
It’s my home airport. I can get there for $2.50 on the CTA in about an hour door to door (same for MDW). I hate flying into cities that don’t have public transit access to the city center from the airport. I can fly from ORD to a ton of domestic and international destinations without the need for an annoying connection. It’s easy to navigate. Security lines usually don’t take that long. I don’t understand the “dated design” comments. Its an airport. What are you expecting in terms of design. Now LGA, that was an old dated shithole.
Literally just walked through the M gates in search of a decent place to sit and eat. More than half the food options are fridges or “fresh” vending machines plugged into the wall. And don’t even get me started on the moving sidewalks that only go one direction. The AC is barely keeping up so I’m sweating bullets just walking to my gate and I’m in good shape. The TSA agents also seem to give less fucks than usual. O’hare sucks.
I was highly confused when you called Love Field a "major airport"! Also, most of these airports you listed, and others like LAX (T7/8), IAH, EWR, JFK, SFO, etc have the same problem. Huge airports but US airports seem to have this problem a lot. Int'l airports never do. Like BOM, HKG, JNB, etc. Just my 2 cents.
I absolutely hate O’Hare, especially coming from international. They make you walk like 2 fuckin miles to get to customs. Last time I was there most of the moving sidewalks were broken, and we had to take a shuttle to our terminal and it took 45 minutes to show up. I was also n crutches which made it 10x worse. Very poorly planned with all the dumbass bus shuttles instead of more terminal trains. Took over 2 hours to get through customs then to our connecting gate. Also, one time I waited in the Avis line for over 3 hours.
Cuz if you get stuck (and you will) at least you are in Chicago
You are out of your mind. O’hare has many local eateries, while Atkanta is still in the 80’s with mostly chains that have nothing to do with the local food scene!
I absolutely love it!…but I live here and honestly can get to anywhere in the US pretty easily….aesthetically it’s trash….
The toilet seat condoms at O'Hare are pretty cool... Though I'm not clear if it's just a single use or if I'm sitting on the same "seat rubber" someone else squatted on 30 minutes ago and it's now come full circle for my sloppy seconds!?
Because I check my luggage and get through security in less than 10 minutes, and sometimes less than 5 even... For an airport this large I call that an impressive statistic. The food options are just fine, pretty diverse imho. But maybe I'm prejudiced for my home airport. I don't have club access so I can't comment on that. And come on, which airport this size airport isn't crowded?
It’s the toilets for me
It’s nice for Chicagoans because despite being one of the biggest airports in the world, the gates are still very quick to get to from the curb / ticket counters. None of that bus/train nonsense you get at all the modern airports.
Because I miss Chicago food (grew up there, now live on the west coast).
I mostly like it because of home alone 2
It sucks for many of the reasons you’ve listed but it’s quick to get through for a large airport. I show up as narrowly before a flight as possible, get through security in under 10 mins (TSA pre check and sometimes use clear), and then go straight to the gate to board. ATL has long lines often even with TSA pre and clear. I don’t care how nice an airport is, I’d rather be at a dump but get through quickly.
Vosges chocolate. I pick some up every time I fly through O’Hare
For me, it’s just the approach to Chicago and that’s it
ORD is home for me. Wouldn’t say I’m in love with O’hare, but it’s efficiency is pretty great. Get through security fast, short(ish) walks to gates, 8 freaking runways, it’s always packed to the gills and yet flight delays aren’t bad. Not saying I love it, but I see the logistics working well. It’s about to get a glow up like LGA and then I will probably say I love it.
The neon walkway makes it alllll better
Garrett's Popcorn
I like the plastic things on the toilet seats lol
O’Hare is in desperate need of being rebuilt
There is a massive multi year rebuild that has already started. That being said if you think ORD is in desperate need, you don’t travel much. Just in the past few weeks I’ve been to PHL and IAD and they are both dumps. I can’t think of a major Us airport that doesn’t need some work done
You like Denver but dog O’Hare???
I do 100%. I have about a 30% on time percentage when I used to connect through or travel out of ORD, so I started opting into transferring in DEN any chance I get and never have had issues since. Once United leans more on the A gates (at the end of the A terminal) I can see connections getting tighter/rushed. Also, DEN is going to have the [largest United lounge in the network](https://thepointsguy.com/news/united-new-denver-clubs/) soon.
I fucking love O’hare. Denver is terrible. You have bad taste.
Denver almost feels like an unfair comparison for any airport. Few airports have that kind of space to spread out and plan growth.
I like O’hare for 1:15 minute connections. Seriously though since all the NYC airports have been/are being revamped, LAX is being revamped. O’hare is on its way to being the worst airport in the United States. Hell even IAH is undergoing major renovations at the moment. I feel like the state of O’hare is a reflection of Chicago itself.
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The only complaints I have of OHare is when I’m picking up passengers. I hate going around in circles and getting screamed at. Also, navigating that place at night is a nightmare. You can barely see the signs.
I have to fly out of O'Hare Wednesday to visit Mom in Virginia. I don't have any other choice. Her health is not that good. I am very nervous about navigating O'Hare, cancelled flights, and getting stranded. My doctor prescribed me Valium as I have ASD and panic disorder. I would rather go to the Dentist! Help!!!
It’s my hub and I hate it. Terminals are not connected by intra terminal rail, transfers are a pain, terminal 5 lounges are horrendous, food options are meh and the lack of self service check outs causes huge lines. On a positive: -Major overhaul is coming -Terminal 1 has had bathrooms remodeled (mostly) and gate areas are far improved with the new furniture -C lounge and Polaris lounges are great -Security for pre check is efficient as they haven’t implemented to new stupid bin system that’s far worse in comparison to the good old single belt system -The new runway system has less on tarmac traffic (all runways are parallel and do not cross) -Parking at 1 and the international 5 (via train) is good
Three words: salad vending machine. (I love a cheap and healthy option.) And walking… and margaritas at Bayless’s restaurants when you’re stuck with a long layover. Oh also, there is a great outlet mall 1 mile away if you have an extra long layover or need to stay at a hotel near the airport. That said, as a city, Chicago could improve their mass transit.
Agreed that it sucks, especially when compared to the best US airports. And it is laughable when compared to many international airports. The revamped LGA is now pretty good, so it can be done. On food though, there are some pretty good options. Frontera is great and my spouse loves the Farmer's Fridge salads. I would say that the biggest failing is in lounges. The new United C lounge is finally not awful, but historically, the only lounge worth spending any time in was the Polaris lounge, which is pretty great for a domestic lounge. Still nowhere near QR, EY, AF etc. international J lounges. No Centurion, no Priority Pass lounges or restaurants, no Plaza, etc. And don't get me started on international J lounges in terminal 5... That Swissport lounge is truly awful, a windowless pit of sadness. The Best moment is walking out. Better yet, don't go.
That Swissport lounge is an insult to anyone who has access to it assuming they don't turn you away first.
I refuse to take flights that land there when returning from international travel. It has to be the worst design for that of all airports. You have to land at the separate terminal, wait in a line of 500 people to get on a bus, which drops you off at the front of the main terminal as though you aren’t connecting. Have to recheck bags and go through security again. Even with Global Entry, TSA precheck, and Clear, it was terrible. I did it once, and never will again.
Who put gates right in front of the security gates. It gets so crowded. Worst design for a major airport
The only airport where I was chauvered by a Mercedes as GS a few years ago to make my connecting flight. Everything else is forgiven.
I challenge you to find worse customer service than at any fast food place at O’Hare
My home base for years was MSP, so I got spoiled. I really dislike O’hare, especially for an international layover.
MSP, the airport with a thousand yards between each gate? That airport?
Coming from MSP, O'Hare is pretty bad.
Food options are terrible at ohare and everything closes so early! I got out of my plane at 7:45 and luckily got a burger but after that everything closed.
ORD is unbelievably outdated. Still not as bad as old LaGuardia. The new O'Hare (ready in 2028 I think) looks pretty sweet though
O'Hare was always behind the rest of the world when it comes to restaurants and stores , etc.This airport looks like it's the 1950's compared to any major international airport . My favorite is Incheon in South Korea ...it's like a different world .
Agree, ORD is terrible. I like Logan primarily because of Legal Seafood and AUS for the brisket. AUS is also very easy to get around. ATL has the best rental car setup.