Chicago Terminals...

ORD is my home airport, so no transfer experience. Did you find this on the O'Hare website? It may answer some questions about pick-up points.
https://www.flychicago.com/ohare/ServicesAmenities/services/Pages/tbt.aspx

I am assuming you are on one ticket all the way from origin to Copenhagen? If you purchased through one airline, say United, the connection time allowed should be "possible". The airlines don't sell connecting tickets that are not possible. What is the on time experience of your flight from departure point to ORD?

If you get no answers here, try TripAdvisor for Chicago.

That link to the O'Hare website explains that you can stay on the secure side of the airport transferring to Terminal 5. But if you arrive Terminal 2 (which United uses for some flights especially the smaller aircraft United Express flights) you will first have to walk staying on the secure side to Terminal 1 (which United uses for most flights), to the pick up spot near Gate B1, and catch the bus there to Terminal 5. If you are on time landing at O'Hare you should have plenty of time. But if you are late. . .

I chickened out.

Was able to change the arrival flight to ORD via United for $0 (and a refund of 7,600 miles- lol) for the next earliest flight. Yes, we will have a 6 hr wait now but you know what? It is all good. I am 63, husb is 83 and the idea of "maybe" arriving a tad late, being unfamiliar with airport layout etc .

So we will go early, take our time, walk about leisurely and have a beer.

ORD is also my home airport. A few things to keep in mind: if you land in terminal 1, C concourse, or terminal 2, you will probably have a 20-minute brisk walk to the terminal 1, B1 bus gate, and you might have to wait for up to 15 minutes for a bus. Review the on-time performance of your flight arriving at ORD (flightaware or flightstats). 5:00 pm is a busy time at ORD. In the summer, many flights around that time are delayed, both arriving and departing, due to our frequent afternoon storms.

While I've never transferred at ORD, I'm assuming there will be some sort of passport check before you get to your gate in Terminal 5. Boarding closes 15 minutes before the flight. I think you'd make it, but I would be stressed the entire time. However, a 6-hour layover in ORD sounds dreadful.

I just saw your latest post. I would have made the same decision. Consider getting United lounge passes that day with that long layover.

Don't rush getting to Terminal 5. There are fewer restaurants over there.

Happy travels!

I didn't want to say it in my initial post as it is a personal decision - but I, like Kristen, would have made the same decision you did! I am just not a risk taker when it comes to international flights. There is so much that will always be outside my control!

Do take Kristen's advice re lack of restaurants at Terminal 5 seriously. More options at domestic terminals. Explore there a bit before transferring to 5 - unless you have access to an airport lounge and, even then, check at what time it becomes available.

It's a VERY good choice to give it a longer transfer window. Because SAS is no longer part of Star Alliance, they joined the Delta, KLM alliance. Good you're only taking backpacks!! (Otherwise you'd have to retrieve your bags at ORD, recheck and go through security again.)

If your flight is quite late arriving into ORD, you would need to cancel the on-going flight on SAS, they are under no obligation to get you onto a later flight. (I would download their app to be on the safe side, easier to quickly get into your reservations.)

I use UA a lot, so know from experience that they will 'just' refund the miles to you, if you decided to try and add a Delta flight to ORD (THEN Delta has an obligation to get you to CPH) But if things go well, your flights should work! Good luck!!

Because SAS is no longer part of Star Alliance, they joined the Delta, KLM alliance. Good you're only taking backpacks!! (Otherwise you'd have to retrieve your bags at ORD, recheck and go through security again.)

OP States that they booked with United Miles - so it can be assumed that the booking was made prior to 8/31/24 -the last day that SAS was a member of Star Alliance - flight should be prior to 8/31/25, and on a single ticket.

ImaFarmer, one of the better restaurant choices in terminal 5 is Rick Bayless' Tortas Fronteras.

Hey OP, Did you book on one ticket? SAS left Star Alliance in August 2024. I had understood you've only booked using miles to ORD, and onward paying for a RT on SAS from ORD?

I booked r/t from our home airport SGF to ORD using United miles. Actually, we are flying with SAS from ORD to HEL ( changing planes in Copenhagen). Flying back from OSL with another layover in Copenhagen to ORD. I priced it so many ways/carriers/routes and this saved the most coin.

6 hrs in ORD is nuts however we once had a 4 hr scheduled layover in DFW but we were diverted enroute to Texarkana (weather), had to refuel, and arrived to DFW as our flight out was pushing back from the gate.

Hi. OHare is my home airport. You may want to kill time in a lounge in terminal 5. FYI, the Priority Pass lounges are awful. The United lounge may require you to be flying business class. There is a new lounge near the SAS gates from LOT airlines. They do not require you to fly their airline to buy a day pass. I saw a video recently of someone touring the LOT lounge at OHare, and it looked like a good place to spend time. Also, food and drinks. You should be able to buy a pass online or at the entrance to the lounge if you decide to do so.

I will second dcreeder02's comments about lounges. The Swissport and SAS lounges
are pretty useless. The fairly-new LOT lounge is pretty nice.

You don't say when you are traveling; if it's a bit in the future, keep checking for possible
changes in flight schedules, which might help or hurt the 6 hour layover scenario.

Here is the link to the bus between T1 and T5:
O'Hare Transfer Bus

There is another option for spending those 6 (well, probably 4.5-5) hours, though -
the O'Hare Hilton hotel is easy walking distance from terminals 1-3, and would give
you a more relaxed setting and there is time for you to have a nice meal/a few
drinks. If you did that, just keep in mind you have to walk back to the people mover
(you might as well take that instead of the post-security bus since you are no longer
in the secure area) and clear security in T5 for your flight.

shoeflyer and ORDtraveler, that graphic was perfect. I did not come across that when I was looking at a map of ORD. Thank you! We will take the bus and it won't be the hurried jog-walk with backpacks through the terminal but a leisurely stroll from our gate to the bus stop.

Have to say, this online forum is so much better than the FB group. All the good answers, with none of the chaff.

Well. I came across this discussion and hope that I might jump in to ask something more about ORD that pertains to my trip.

I am flying American from Austin Texas and it looks like I am arriving at Terminal 5.

Then I am connecting to JAL and it looks like I will be departing Terminal 3. However I have booked through American and thy are putting me on JAL. Is it called code sharing?

I have about 3 1/2 hours connecting time.

Assuming my American flight arrives on time, will that be enough relaxed time to connect. .And I emphasize relaxed because I hate rushing.

Am I going to be required to take a transfer train or bus fom Terminal 5 to Terminal 3.

Bostonphil,

Yes, you'll have enough time with your layover. Terminal 5 is off to the side if you look at a map. Terminals 1-3 are all connected. You'll have to transfer terminals either on the bus (linked in posts above) or with the tram located outside of security. Unless you have TSA Precheck, I wouldn't want to go through security again if I didn't have to. Your baggage should be checked through since it's all on one ticket. Yes, it's code sharing :)

Hi Kristen

yes I have TSA pre check with my Global Entry.

But there is further complications. I am arriving in Chicago at 9:15 pm and the easier bus to Terminal #3 stops running at 9:30 pm. It looks like I will have to get to my next terminal with additional difficulty. My flight to Japan does not leave until about 1 am

And I am confused. I have looked at other links and it says that American arrives at Terminal #3 but the link on this page says that it arrives at Terminal #5. Could that be a mistake?

My trip is not until the end of September so I have plenty of time to figure it out.

Bostonphil,

You'll probably have to take the people mover (tram) between terminals (if you end up having to do so). You'll still be fine. There are signs directing you to the tram location as soon as you get off the plane. (Hint - head toward baggage claim)

Even at the most crowded times at ORD, I get through TSA Precheck and carry-on baggage scanning in about 10 minutes, and it won't be as crowded when you're there.

There have been some airlines switching terminals after Terminal 5 was renovated. Before your trip, check to see which terminals those flights typically fly in and out of (flight status of those flight numbers on any given day). However, it still may not be consistent. Either way, you'll have plenty of time to switch terminals if need be. You may not know until you get your boarding passes.

@ bostonphil7, there is no way to know which terminal a late September AA flight is
going to come into.

But my bet is on Terminal 3.

I'm not sure what page you are looking at that says your flight comes into Terminal
5, but the only certainty is that all AA international flights come into T5. Not domestic
ones.

I am flying American from Austin Texas and it looks like I am arriving at Terminal 5.

This is unlikely, domestic AA flights normally do not arrive at Terminal 5.

Bostonphil,

It would be highly unusual for your American Airlines flight from Austin to arrive at Chicago O'Hare Terminal 5.

Unless something very strange happens, you will arrive at Terminal 3 and your JAL flight will depart from Terminal 3.

You will walk between the gates for your connecting flight.

Hello Everyone and Thank You

I am relieved. Hugely relieved if AA Domestic comes into Terminal 3

Maybe I did not understand but this was on one of the links "American AirlinesTerminal:3 (Departures), 5 (Arrivals)"

I do not know how to explain where to find this but I will try. .

You have to go to the link that ORDTraveler posted. Then you have to go to the page where the different airlines are listed and "American AirlinesTerminal:3 (Departures), 5 (Arrivals)" is what it says when you go to American.

Perhaps they were talking about American International flights but it does not distinguish between Domestic and International.

And this is what is says for JAL

Japan Airlines (JAL)Terminal:3 (Departures), 5 (Arrivals)

Is this correct

Terminal 5 is ORD's International Terminal. Planes landing from foreign points of origin go into Terminal 5. That is true whether the carrier is an international one (like JAL) or domestic (like United). That is the place at O'Hare where there are immigration and customs points.

Some of the foreign carriers - JAL, ANA, Iberia, there are others - depart from a domestic terminal at ORD - 1,2, or 3. Other foreign carriers leave from terminal 5. BUT, arrivals from overseas will be Terminal 5.

Domestic carriers like American and United when headed overseas will typically leave from a domestic terminal in my experience. Kristen above says some domestic traffic is now using Terminal 5. Southwest and Delta are two using Terminal 5. Also some low cost airlines. Complete list from ORD's website:
https://www.flychicago.com/ohare/myflight/airlines/Pages/default.aspx

Adding - I've made 3 trips abroad so far this year, different carriers. It was always clear from airline emails what terminal my planes would depart from. I remember United's email from last month even giving the doorway that travelers should be dropped at - as if it is possible to be dropped at a specific door given the drop-off traffic and chaos at ORD!

Thank you ORDTraveler

I always book so that I should have plenty of time to make connections. I am patient and do. not mind people watching and relaxing but hate rushing.

I was attracted to ImaFarmer's post because of the title but after reading, I started to get alarmed because I had no idea that the Chicago airport was so huge

But now I have gone back to being comfortable with my flight and the terminals

Austin's airport is medium size and small when compared to an airport like Chicago.

I envy travelers such as yourself who can go to your home airport and fly non stop to any number of places around the globe.

I have counted myself lucky for ORD’s many direct flights frequently! Nothing like a simple taxi or car service ride home after a multi-hour flight from Europe or Asia.

I often do the detail research on unfamiliar airports that you have done. It always stuns me when I arrive at one of those huge airports, especially in a foreign country, how everyone seems to find their way around. The world’s travelers seem quite sophisticated these days! Or, maybe the signage is good and we’ve learned what to expect. I still like having a notion of what to look for and being prepared from a little research.

Enjoy the rest of your planning!