ORDAirport Guide

British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Japan Airlines at O'Hare

British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Japan Airlines check in at O'Hare Terminal 3. All Nippon Airways, the other Japanese carrier, is in Terminal 1.

The black-and-white zigzag floor and a line of steel queue posts with blue belts in the Terminal 3 Departures hall at O'Hare.
Departures hall, Terminal 3

British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Japan Airlines check in on the Departures and Check-In level of Terminal 3. All Nippon Airways, the other Japanese carrier, checks in on the same level of Terminal 1.

Where each airline checks in and which lounge names it

Airline Lounge that names it
British Airways Flagship Lounge and Admirals Clubs, for eligible passengers
Aer Lingus Flagship Lounge, under American’s rules
Iberia Admirals Clubs
Japan Airlines Admirals Clubs
All Nippon Airways Wingtips Lounge

The airport’s airline directory lists Aer Lingus at Terminal 3, and British Airways, Iberia and Japan Airlines at Terminal 3 for departures and Terminal 5 for arrivals. It lists All Nippon Airways at Terminal 1 for departures and Terminal 5 for arrivals. It names no flights. Terminal 3 also has American Airlines and Contour, covered in our American and Contour check-in guide. Our guide to every airline at O’Hare lists all of them. Terminal 3’s security checkpoints are 6 (3:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.), 7 (3:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.), 7A (3:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.) and 8 (4 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.), and our security page covers each one.

Terminals 1 and 3 join past security. The airport’s connecting page lets passengers who arrive on a domestic flight move between Terminals 1 to 3 without clearing security again. For flights from abroad that clear customs at O’Hare it says customs comes first and all connecting passengers go through TSA screening. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways both list Terminal 5 for arrivals, so a change between them that starts with a flight from abroad means customs in Terminal 5 and then screening again. Our walking guide covers the walk between Terminals 1, 2 and 3, and our Terminal 1 airlines guide covers All Nippon Airways, Lufthansa and United.

Lounges: the Admirals Clubs name Iberia and Japan Airlines

The airport heads its Admirals Club row “American/JAL/Iberia”, which covers Japan Airlines and Iberia customers whose fare or status includes lounge access. The clubs are the Admirals Club near Gate G8, the one near Gate L2A and a third by Gate H6, which the airport’s lounge page lists as Gate H6/K6. The airport doesn’t say which fares or status levels count, so ask the airline.

Lounge Open daily
Admirals Club near Gate G8 6:15 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.
Admirals Club near Gate L2A 5 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.
Admirals Club by Gate H6 4:15 a.m. to 10:45 p.m.
Flagship Lounge between Gates H6 and K6 4:15 a.m. to 10:15 p.m.

American’s Flagship page gives the Flagship Lounge its 10:15 p.m. close, and the airport’s map shows 10:45 p.m.

The lounge page also says travelers without a membership “may also purchase day passes for most of the clubs.” It names no club and gives no price. Our Admirals Club and Flagship guide covers who gets in.

The airport’s lounge page doesn’t name British Airways, but the Chicago Department of Aviation says eligible British Airways passengers can use the American Airlines Flagship Lounge and Admirals Clubs. American’s Flagship page does name Aer Lingus, among the airlines whose First and Business customers can get in on a qualifying same-day flight. The Flagship Lounge sits between Gates H6 and K6, and American’s rules decide whether an Aer Lingus ticket counts.

A British Airways customer without a lounge fare can ask American about the Flagship Lounge’s Single Visit Pass. It costs $150 or 15,000 AAdvantage miles per person and covers a same-day flight marketed or operated by American or a oneworld airline, in any cabin. The lounge sells passes only when it has room.

The Wingtips Lounge, past security in Terminal 5 near Gate M19, takes All Nippon Airways customers. It is open daily 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and it also takes SkyTeam Elite Plus members and Priority Pass members up to 3 hours before departure. The directory puts All Nippon Airways departures in Terminal 1, and Terminal 5 has no walking route to Terminal 1.

Flights from abroad clear customs in Terminal 5

The airport’s International Traveler page puts U.S. customs for flights from abroad in Terminal 5 and doesn’t say which airlines’ flights arrive there. The airline directory does list Terminal 5 for arrivals at British Airways, Iberia, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, so a Terminal 3 check-in for British Airways, Iberia or Japan Airlines doesn’t promise a Terminal 3 arrival. The page also says passengers from preclearance airports, including several in Canada and Ireland, clear customs before they leave. They may go straight to the domestic baggage claim in Terminal 5, or may arrive in Terminals 1, 2 or 3. Ask Aer Lingus whether your departure airport is one of those.

After customs, the free Airport Transit System reaches Terminal 3. Passengers connecting on United or American who aren’t checked through can recheck bags with an airline employee right after the customs area, while those connecting on another airline carry bags out of Terminal 5 and recheck them with that airline. Our Terminal 5 arrivals guide covers customs and baggage.

The airport’s map lists no baggage service office for these four airlines, so ask your airline. Our baggage claim page shows which offices it does list.

Sources