2026 layover guide
Chicago (ORD) connection time
At Chicago O'Hare International Airport, plan on at least 55 min for a domestic connection, 1 h 40 min if you change terminals outside security, and 2 h 25 min if you're arriving from abroad. Here's why, step by step.
Verified Oct 17, 2026By Steven MoHow we check Report a correction
Comfortable: 1 h 30 min
By ATS train, with another security check
Customs, bag recheck and security
Some changes mean security again
Quick answer
Plan on at least 55 min for a domestic connection at ORD, 1 h 40 min if you change terminals and 2 h 25 min after an international arrival. Some terminal changes mean going through security again.
- Domestic, same terminal
- 55 min (comfortable: 1 h 30 min)
- Changing terminals
- 1 h 40 min by ATS train
- From abroad
- 2 h 25 min, including customs and bag recheck
- Hub airlines
- United Airlines and American Airlines
How long a layover do I need?
- Get off the plane and walk to your next gate25 min
- Be at the gate before boarding closes15 min
- Buffer for a small delay15 min
Our estimate, rounded up, not the airline's official minimum connection time. If both flights are on one ticket, the airline will rebook you if a delay makes you miss the second one. How we calculate this
Recommended layovers at ORD
Our estimates for common connections, rounded up. Comfortable times leave room for a late arrival.
| Connection | MinimumRecommended minimum |
|---|---|
Domestic to domestic, same terminal Checked bags transfer automatically | 55 min Comfortable: 1 h 30 min |
Domestic to domestic, changing terminals, inside security By ATS train | 1 h 10 min Comfortable: 1 h 45 min |
Domestic to domestic, changing terminals, outside security Includes another TSA check | 1 h 40 min Comfortable: 2 h 15 min |
International arrival, connecting domestically Customs, bag recheck and TSA | 2 h 25 min Comfortable: 3 h 15 min |
Same, with Global Entry and PreCheck Faster customs and security | 1 h 55 min Comfortable: 2 h 45 min |
Separate tickets with checked bags No protection if you miss it | 1 h 55 min Comfortable: 2 h 45 min |
Airlines' official minimum connection times can be shorter: if you booked both flights on one ticket, the airline has already checked that the connection is legal and will rebook you if a delay makes you miss it.
Getting around ORD
Terminals
Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 5.
Changing terminals
Terminals 1, 2 and 3 are linked inside security by walkways. Terminal 5, home to most international flights, is separate: the usual route is the free ATS train plus another TSA check. An airside Terminal Transfer Bus links Terminal 5 with Terminals 1 and 3 at set times, and your airline will tell you if you can use it.
Customs and international arrivals
Arriving from abroad, you clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), collect your checked bags, drop them at the recheck belt and go through TSA security again before your connection. International flights arrive at Terminal 5; most connections then ride the ATS train to Terminals 1–3.
Tips for connecting at ORD
- •United is in Terminals 1 and 2, American in Terminal 3.
- •Give any connection involving Terminal 5 extra time.
Plan your trip through ORD
The airport guide, and the bag rules for the airlines you're likely to connect on here.
ORD connection FAQ
Airlines set their own official minimums at ORD and only sell connections that meet them, so a one-ticket itinerary is always "legal". In practice we recommend at least 55 min for a domestic connection, 1 h 40 min when you change terminals and 2 h 25 min after an international arrival.
Other airports
Sources
Last verified Oct 17, 2026. Terminals and connection rules change, so check your airline's connection instructions before a tight layover.
Read how we collect and check this data, or tell us if something's out of date.
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