--- title: "Flying with a pet at O'Hare: relief areas, TSA and airlines" description: "O'Hare's pages don't mention pets. TSA wants your pet out of its carrier at the checkpoint, and the airline sets the carrier, fee and cabin rules." url: "https://ordairportguide.com/guides/flying-with-pet-through-ohare/" updated: "2026-10-31" airport: "ORD" type: "guide" --- > Independent guide, not the official ORD website. All pages: https://ordairportguide.com/llms.txt # Flying with a pet through O'Hare O'Hare's pages don't mention pets. TSA wants your pet out of its carrier at the checkpoint, and the airline sets the carrier, fee and cabin rules. Updated October 31, 2026 ![The grass bed, red hydrant and fence panel of an indoor pet relief room.](https://ordairportguide.com/images/ord/t1-door-1a-relief-area-v12.webp) Indoor pet relief room O’Hare publishes no pet policy of its own. TSA decides how a pet goes through the checkpoint, and your airline decides whether the pet flies, in what carrier and for what fee. The airport’s one animal rule is for the relief areas, where its page says “All animals must be accompanied and leashed by the owner.” The airport’s accessibility page covers service animals and doesn’t mention pets. It says ADA-related requests, including service animal arrangements, “must be made directly with your airline”. Its security page lists checkpoint hours and says nothing about animals. ## Relief areas and the leash rule The airport calls its relief areas service animal relief areas, and it doesn’t say whether a pet that isn’t a service animal may use them. If your pet isn’t a service animal, ask your airline. The outdoor areas are open at all times and the indoor ones whenever you’re inside security. Outdoor areas sit behind a gated fence and measure about 16 by 10 feet. Indoor areas are about 10 by 8 feet, with a sink, a relief pad, paper towels and a water hose. | Terminal | Before security | After security | | --- | --- | --- | | Terminal 1 | Outside Lower Level Door 1A, near United baggage claim 15. Turn left, about 40 steps | Concourse C, past Gate C10 on the right of the hallway toward Gate C12 | | Terminal 2 | Outside Lower Level Door 2E, near baggage claim 1. Turn right, about 50 steps | None listed | | Terminal 3 | None | The Rotunda, immediately left along the hallway toward Terminal 2, and at Gate L26 at the end of the hall across from the windows. A Main Hall area is listed too and is closed for construction | | Terminal 5 | Outside Lower Level Door 5B, near baggage claim 10, about 50 steps | Concourse M past Gate M8 toward Gate M7, and in the restroom bank between Gates M25 and M26 | | Multi-Modal Facility | Out of Door 6, then right about 50 steps | None | The airport’s terminal map also marks one next to Gate L5 in Terminal 3, which none of the airport’s pages list. Our [pet relief page](https://ordairportguide.com/amenities/pet-relief/) has directions for every place. ## Getting your pet through the checkpoint TSA’s page says small pets are allowed through the checkpoint and tells you to check your airline’s policy. It gives these steps: - **Take your pet out of its carrying case** and put the case through the X-ray machine. - **Keep control of your pet with a leash.** Take the leash off when you carry the pet through the metal detector. - **Expect the carrier to be inspected.** TSA says animal carriers get a visual and/or physical inspection. TSA adds that the final decision rests with the officer. Our [security page](https://ordairportguide.com/security/) lists every checkpoint with its published hours. ## What the airline decides The airport’s airlines page points you to each carrier’s website. Our [airlines page](https://ordairportguide.com/airlines/) shows which terminal each carrier uses. [American Airlines](https://ordairportguide.com/airlines/american-airlines/) is in Terminal 3, and its pet page sets these rules for a pet in the cabin: - Carry-on pets are limited to cats and dogs that meet the size, age and destination requirements. - The pet stays in its carrier, under the seat in front of you, for the entire flight. - You can bring one more item with the carrier, either a personal item or a carry-on bag. - Pets traveling within the U.S. must be at least 8 weeks old. - American doesn’t accept pets that have been sedated or tranquilized. The carry-on pet fee is $150 per kennel within and between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, based on the specific country’s entry policy. American says pet fees are nonrefundable and apply per kennel, each way. You add the pet in the Additional Services section of your trip on aa.com or the American app, then go to the American ticket counter to pay the fee and have your pet and kennel checked. | Carrier type | Flights | Length + width + height | | --- | --- | --- | | Soft-sided (recommended) | All flights | 18 x 11 x 11 inches | | Hard-sided | American Mainline | 19 x 13 x 9 inches | | Hard-sided | American Eagle | 16 x 12 x 8 inches | American doesn’t allow a carry-on pet in bulkhead or exit row seats. It also says you cannot travel with a carry-on pet on trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific trips, or to or from Hawaii. Pet strollers must be checked at the ticket counter, and checked bag fees apply. American accepts checked pets only for active-duty U.S. military and U.S. State Department Foreign Service personnel traveling on official orders. Chicago O’Hare is one of the cities where its checked pets may connect. American has temperature restrictions so that checked pets and pets shipped with American Airlines Cargo aren’t exposed to extreme heat or cold. You cannot travel with a pet if the current or forecasted temperature is above 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29.4 degrees C) at any location on the itinerary, or if the ground temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7.2 degrees C). The page doesn’t say whether the limits reach a pet in the cabin, so ask American before a winter trip. [United Airlines](https://ordairportguide.com/airlines/united-airlines/) uses Terminals 1 and 2, and the airport’s airline directory also lists Terminal 5 for international arrivals. Its pet rules aren’t covered here, so ask United before you book. ## Arriving with a dog from abroad American’s pet page says the CDC sets the requirements for bringing dogs into the United States, and the rules cover all dogs, including service dogs and returning pets. American says to bring every required document to the airport and show it at check-in. It also won’t take a dog as a carry-on pet if the dog comes from or has visited a high-risk country for rabies in the six months before travel. Terminal 5 has relief areas in the sterile corridor before the customs area and in the international baggage claim, according to the airport. Our [Terminal 5 arrivals guide](https://ordairportguide.com/guides/arriving-at-ohare-terminal-5-from-abroad-customs-baggage/) walks the steps from the gate to the exit. ## Sources - ORD Airport Guide: [Pet relief areas](https://ordairportguide.com/amenities/pet-relief/), [Pet relief guide](https://ordairportguide.com/guides/pet-relief-areas-at-ohare-every-terminal/), [Security checkpoints](https://ordairportguide.com/security/), [Airlines at ORD](https://ordairportguide.com/airlines/), [American Airlines](https://ordairportguide.com/airlines/american-airlines/), [United Airlines](https://ordairportguide.com/airlines/united-airlines/), [Terminal 5 arrivals guide](https://ordairportguide.com/guides/arriving-at-ohare-terminal-5-from-abroad-customs-baggage/) - Chicago Department of Aviation: Terminal Accessibility page, Security page, Airlines page and terminal map - Transportation Security Administration: Small Pets page - American Airlines: Traveling with pets page