How early should you get to O'Hare for a domestic flight?
O'Hare publishes no arrive-by time for domestic flights, only checkpoint hours. Terminal 5's Checkpoint 10 never closes, and the rest close by 11 p.m.
The airport publishes no arrive-by time for a domestic flight, so the hours that matter are the checkpoints’ own. Each one opens and closes on its own schedule, and Terminal 5’s Checkpoint 10 never closes. How long before departure to arrive is your airline’s call.
Which checkpoints are open, and when?
The airport’s TSA page says the checkpoints are generally open as listed, and that day-to-day airport activity can affect the hours. It recommends checking with your air carrier about operations on the date of your flight.
| Terminal | Checkpoint | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | Checkpoint 1 | 3:30 a.m. | 11 p.m. |
| Terminal 1 | Checkpoint 2 | 4 a.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
| Terminal 1 | Checkpoint 3 | 3:45 a.m. | 8 p.m. |
| Terminal 2 | Checkpoint 5 | 3:15 a.m. | 11 p.m. |
| Terminal 3 | Checkpoint 6 | 3:45 a.m. | 8 p.m. |
| Terminal 3 | Checkpoint 7 | 3:30 a.m. | 8 p.m. |
| Terminal 3 | Checkpoint 7A | 3:30 a.m. | 10:30 p.m. |
| Terminal 3 | Checkpoint 8 | 4 a.m. | 8:30 p.m. |
| Terminal 5 | Checkpoint 10 | Open 24 hours | Open 24 hours |
Our PreCheck and CLEAR guide has the lane hours.
Why the checkpoint you pick matters
A terminal’s closing time is really its last checkpoint’s. Terminal 1’s three checkpoints close at three different times, and past 8:30 p.m. only Checkpoint 1 is listed open there. In Terminal 3, Checkpoint 7A is listed open until 10:30 p.m. The airport’s table also gives Checkpoint 7 a PreCheck lane from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., after the checkpoint’s own 8 p.m. close.
Any checkpoint in a terminal reaches every concourse in it. Our Terminal 1 page sends Concourses B and C through Checkpoint 1, 2 or 3. Our Terminal 3 page sends Concourses G, H, K and L through Checkpoint 6, 7, 7A or 8. So in the evening, choose a checkpoint that is still open, even if it isn’t the nearest to your gate. Terminal 2 and Terminal 5 list one checkpoint each, so there the only question is the hour.
Before any of that, you need the right terminal. Our airlines pages give each carrier’s terminal and check-in location, and our terminals pages show the concourses behind each checkpoint.
What the airport doesn’t say
The airport’s TSA page gives no wait times. TSA’s own PreCheck page says about 99% of passengers wait less than 10 minutes, a figure it gives for PreCheck lanes across the U.S. and not for O’Hare. Your airline’s deadlines for check-in and bag drop aren’t in the airport’s pages either. Your airline’s page or app for your flight has them.
On what slows a line, the airport names two causes: a prohibited item in a bag, and liquids over the limit. Under its 3-1-1 liquids rule, liquids, gels, aerosols, creams and pastes must be 3.4 ounces or less, with all bottles in one quart-size plastic bag, placed in a bin for screening.
Sources
- Our pages: Security checkpoints, PreCheck and CLEAR guide, Terminal 1, Terminal 3, Terminals, Airlines, Flights
- Chicago Department of Aviation: TSA Information page (Checkpoint Hours, Travel Tips)
- Transportation Security Administration: TSA PreCheck page