Long stop-over @ Chicago O'Hare - can I leave and come back?

Hefner

I'm flying to Orlando on Monday the 17th and coming back on the 31st March via Chicago O'Hare, flying with American Airlines.

I got the flights very cheap, but the only problem is on the way back we have a long stop-over; we land at 8.45am and don't leave till 5.35pm

Does anyone know if it's possible to leave the airport and come back? It would be great if we could

Thanks in advance!

headpin

Hefner wrote: »

I'm flying to Orlando on Monday the 17th and coming back on the 31st March via Chicago O'Hare, flying with American Airlines.

I got the flights very cheap, but the only problem is on the way back we have a long stop-over; we land at 8.45am and don't leave till 5.35pm

Does anyone know if it's possible to leave the airport and come back? It would be great if we could

Thanks in advance!

Usually it's no problem as long as you allow enough time to get back through security to make your flight boarding time.

Murphy_The_Cat

Hi hefner

I'm not sure if you can or not, but you can pay a fairly modest fee to use one of the loungues, or PlanB, phone up American Airlines and see if they can/will change your connecting flight to a later one.
They may tell you to buggger off, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. It may just work as the 11.30 flight from MCO to ORD works out cheaper than the 06.45 flight that you are taking !

alanrowell

You'll be a domestic passenger coming back from Orlando so there's nothing stopping you wandering off.

Even going the other way you have to pass through passport control at Chicago as it's your entry point to the US so you could wander off then

The same applies if you are transiting the US from another country

Hefner

Thanks for the replies so far :cool:

Another issue I will most likely encounter is where to leave luggage, according to the O'Hare website, they no longer have lockers to store luggage, so I may have to cart my stuff round Chicago :mad:

I did find a forum where someone suggested leaving luggage at the Hilton and tipping the bellman.:rotfl:

Any other ideas where I could leave luggage?

Stew68

Hefner,

Not sure about the luggage aspect but you should know that Chicago O'Hare is about 45 minutes from the centre of Chicago, even more in rush hour.

Stew

hammy_the_hammer

the lounge option would probably only be available 3 hours before your flight as i presume you'd be paying to use it.
i'd see about changing your flight time

blindman

Hefner wrote: »

Thanks for the replies so far :cool:

Another issue I will most likely encounter is where to leave luggage, according to the O'Hare website, they no longer have lockers to store luggage, so I may have to cart my stuff round Chicago :mad:

I did find a forum where someone suggested leaving luggage at the Hilton and tipping the bellman.:rotfl:

Any other ideas where I could leave luggage?

If this journey is on one ticket then surely your luggage will automatically connect without you seeing it in ORD?

If not then surely you can check in (24 hours) early and use the bag drop to get rid of the luggage.

The Chicago Transit Authority runs a Blue line from ORD to downtown.
Takes about 45 minutes and the fare is cheap at 2$ per ride.

LittleTinker

YOu might find, (as we did in a similar situation) that by the time you get off theplane and through customs etc etc........get into Chigago, and have to be back 3 hours before you fly, it really wouldnt be worth it.

blindman

LittleTinker wrote: »

YOu might find, (as we did in a similar situation) that by the time you get off theplane and through customs etc etc........get into Chigago, and have to be back 3 hours before you fly, it really wouldnt be worth it.

It's an internal flight from Orlando to ORD

puffinmuffin

"and have to be back 3 hours before you fly"
You won't have to do this as you will have been checked in in Orlando
i did this last year as i had a 9 hour lay-over (started in Miami), O Hare is a very boring airport and Chicago is a great city to spend a few hours in! It takes 45mins to 1 hour on the train to the city. You will clear customs in Orlando and your luggage should be checked all the way. Just make sure you allow enough time to get back through security on the way back in.