ORDAirport Guide

Autism-friendly and sensory travel at O'Hare

O'Hare publishes sensory maps, a social story, point-of-view videos and sensory bags at the information desks. It lists no sensory room.

Glowing coloured wall panels and the neon-lit wavy ceiling of the tunnel between Concourses B and C in Terminal 1 at O'Hare.
Light tunnel between Concourses B and C

O’Hare’s sensory-friendly page lists point-of-view videos, a social story, sensory maps and sensory bags. Use the first three before you leave home and pick up a bag at an information desk. The page lists no sensory room, and requests for airline accommodations go to the airline.

Before you travel: the story, the videos and the maps

The airport’s sensory page offers three things to look at ahead of the trip:

  • Sensory-POV videos show what to expect at different stages of the airport journey.
  • A social story walks through the airport with pictures, from arriving at the terminal to boarding the plane.
  • Sensory maps highlight high- and low-sensory areas so you can plan a route with comfort in mind.

The maps draw each route in orange for high sensory input, pink for medium and blue for low. Icons mark seating, natural light, low noise, dense crowds, beeping sounds, strong smells, security checkpoints and Calm Spots. A Sensory Zone icon sits midway along the walkway between Concourses B and C in Terminal 1, and another at the F1 end of Terminal 2’s departures hall. Terminals 1, 2 and 3 each show Calm Spots. Terminal 5’s map shows none, though both ends of Concourse M are blue and the middle stretch near the departures hall, roughly Gates M10 to M19, is orange. Our quiet places guide lists where each Calm Spot sits.

At the terminal: sensory bags and Sunflower items

Sensory bags are available at the airport information desks. The airport says they hold calming tools such as fidgets, headphones and visual aids. The same desks give out Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards, which the airport says let someone discreetly show a non-visible disability and signal that they may need more help, understanding or time. The airport names autism among the conditions the program is for.

The gate desks sit at Gates B6 and C18 in Terminal 1, Gate F4 in Terminal 2, Gate K2 in Terminal 3 and near Gate M15 in Terminal 5. Terminals 1, 2 and 3 also have lower-level desks near Door 1C, Door 2C and Door 3C. Terminal 5 also has desks in the upper level lobby near Doors 5C and 5D, and in the lower level lobby. The Multi-Modal Facility desk, near Door 4, is staffed 24 hours. Our information desks page lists them by terminal. The airport’s pages disagree on weekend hours at the gate desks:

Page Gate desks Other desks
Travelers Aid page Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. One set of hours listed for all desks
Terminal Accessibility page Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Lower level desks 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, Multi-Modal Facility desk staffed 24/7

If you’re counting on a bag or lanyard from a gate desk on a weekend evening, aim to be there before 7 p.m., the earlier of the two closing times.

Someone to talk to: Travelers Aid

Travelers Aid Chicago staffs the desks and keeps an office in Terminal 2, across from the Family Lounge. Our Terminal 2 page maps Concourses E and F. The office phone is (773) 894-2427, and it’s open Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Its page asks, “Are you flying for the first time with a child with disabilities?” and invites a call or email. Staff provide written directions and social stories with pictures. One-to-one help on the day of travel may be available, but it must be arranged in advance and depends on staff availability. Staff may also offer a caregiver a short respite when the person they travel with can’t travel alone. The page says Travelers Aid can’t provide prolonged supervision.

At security: TSA Cares

TSA’s page doesn’t name autism. It does list difficulty following instructions because of a disability or medical condition, and traveling with a child who has a disability or medical condition, as reasons to ask for a Passenger Support Specialist. That’s a TSA officer with specialized training in helping people with disabilities.

TSA asks for the request at least 72 hours before departure, through its TSA Cares form or by phone at (855) 787-2227. The line is open weekdays 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET and weekends and holidays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. The program doesn’t provide expedited screening, so you still go through the usual screening. At the airport you can also ask a TSA officer or supervisor for a Passenger Support Specialist on the spot. Our security page lists each checkpoint’s published hours.

What the airport doesn’t publish

The airport’s map labels the Family Lounge a sensory room, but its Family Lounge and Traveling with Children pages describe a play space with colorful seating, device charging stations and stroller parking, and neither mentions sensory features.

For ADA-related requests, the airport names wheelchair assistance, medical needs and service animals. Its accessibility and sensory pages don’t mention pre-boarding, so ask your airline what it offers before you fly.

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