Terminal 2 at O'Hare: Concourses E and F, the Family Lounge and the chapel
Terminal 2 has one checkpoint, Gates E1 to E17 and F1 to F28, a Family Lounge past security, and a chapel and USO before it. Hours and links inside.
Terminal 2 has one checkpoint, Checkpoint 5, and it leads to both concourses, E (Gates E1 to E17) and F (Gates F1 to F28). The Family Lounge sits right after it, and the chapel and the USO sit before it, so you’ll want to decide whether you need them before you screen.
Checkpoint 5
Checkpoint 5 is on the Departures and Check-In level. Its hours:
| Lane | Hours |
|---|---|
| Checkpoint | 3:15 a.m. to 11 p.m. |
| TSA PreCheck | 3:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
| CLEAR Plus | Sunday and Monday 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
The airport warns that checkpoint hours “may be affected by day-to-day airport activities.” Our security page lists the other terminals’ checkpoints if you need to compare, and our checkpoint guide covers the lanes.
Concourse E: Gates E1 to E17
Concourse E has the terminal’s only 24-hour coffee counter, a Starbucks at Gate E2. The airport’s map also lists 24-hour Starbucks coffee vending machines near Gate F1 and, before security, near Door 2C.
| Gate | What’s there |
|---|---|
| E1 | CIBO Express Gourmet Market from 5 a.m., Wicker Park Sushi Bar from 10 a.m. and a lactation pod. The airport’s Art Scavenger Hunt also lists a replica of the World War II F4F-3 Wildcat here, where you can learn about its namesake, Lt. Commander Edward “Butch” O’Hare |
| E2 | Starbucks, open 24 hours, Summer House Santa Monica and Carry Out/Carry On |
| E4 | Auntie Anne’s and Nuts on Clark |
| E5 | Stanley’s Blackhawks Kitchen & Tap from 5 a.m. and Home Run Inn Pizza |
| E7 | United Club |
| E9 | La Tapenade Mediterranean Café |
| E11 | Starbucks from 4:30 a.m. |
Concourse F: Gates F1 to F28
Most of the terminal’s services are around Gates F1 to F4: the Family Lounge, the Travelers Aid office, a currency exchange and an information desk. Food runs from F3 to F9, with more at F15 and F19.
| Gate | What’s there |
|---|---|
| F1 | The Family Lounge and a currency exchange. The airport’s Mother’s Room page also puts a lactation pod here, near the lounge |
| F3 | Connect Bar from 8 a.m. The airport’s accessibility page and map put a lactation pod here, near the Family Lounge |
| F4 | An airport information desk |
| F5 | Duty Free Store, open daily from 7 a.m. until the last flight |
| F7 | McDonald’s from 4 a.m. |
| F9 | United Club, Chili’s, Dunkin’ and Sarah’s Candies |
| F15 | Skybridge Bar & Grill |
| F19 | Brioche Dorée |
The airport lists the currency exchange at F1 from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and its map shows it closing at 4 p.m.
The crossover between Gates E5 and F9 has a Mother’s Room and an all gender restroom, and the airport’s terminal map lists a Mother’s Room near Gate F7. Before security, on the Arrivals level, Sports Edition Bar opens at 2 p.m.
The Family Lounge
The airport puts the Family Lounge in the Main Hall near Gate F1, beyond security. It’s a play space for kids, with colorful seating, device charging stations and stroller parking. The airport says live entertainment appears at various times through the year, especially during the holiday season, and the airport’s map shows the lounge open around the clock.
The Companion Plus Restroom and an all gender restroom are across from it. So is the main Travelers Aid office. Our families and kids page lists the single-user all-gender restrooms and the vending machines stocked with diapers, formula, wipes and activity kits. Our nursing page lists the Mother’s Rooms and lactation pods.
The chapel and the USO
Both are on the Mezzanine level, before security, so a trip from a gate means clearing Checkpoint 5 again.
The chapel is above the Alaska and JetBlue ticket counters and next door to the USO. The airport lists prayer books, rugs, rosaries, worship materials and Juma’ ablution (wudu) facilities, and gives the Chapel Office as (773) 686-2636. It lists no chapel hours. The Interfaith Room is in Terminal 5, and our chapel page covers both.
The Terminal 2 USO is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the airport says hours are “subject to change based on volunteer availability.” Call (773) 686-7396 to check. It serves active military personnel and their dependents, and has:
- free refreshments
- internet access
- a quiet room
- a children’s room
- a TV lounge
- gaming
Information desks and Travelers Aid
The main Travelers Aid office is open Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Its phone is (773) 894-2427. The information desk at Gate F4 runs 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and the airport’s pages split on weekends. Its Travelers Aid page says 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, while its terminal accessibility page gives Gate F4 as 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on those days. That page also lists a lower-level desk near Door 2C, open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. The airport’s terminal map puts the Terminal 2 information desk at Gate E2 instead. Our information desks page lists the desks at every terminal.
Terminals 1 and 3 on foot, Terminal 5 by bus or train
Terminal 2 has pedestrian connections on the secure side to Terminal 1 and Terminal 3. The airport’s bus page lists Terminal Transfer Bus stops at Terminals 1, 3 and 5 and none at Terminal 2, though its International Traveler page says the bus takes preclearance passengers to Terminals 1, 2 or 3. Between 11:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m., a secure-side trip to Terminal 5 means walking to the bus at Terminal 1’s Gate C18B or Terminal 3’s Gates G17 and K20, and only connecting passengers can ride it. The airport publishes no walking time for that route. The walking guide covers the secure-side walk between terminals.
The other way is the Airport Transit System, which stops at Terminal 2. Riding it means exiting security and being rescreened at a TSA checkpoint, and between 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 a.m. the airport says that’s the route for connecting passengers. Our connections page lists the Airport Transit System’s hops between terminals and the Terminal Transfer Bus’s two routes.
Getting here and away
Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Denver Air Connection and JetBlue check in on the Departures and Check-In level, and the airport’s airline directory also lists Southern Airways Express at Terminal 2. United has a lobby here as well as in Terminal 1, so confirm which terminal your flight uses. Air Canada and Alaska run baggage service offices on the Arrivals level.
Premier Parking serves only Terminals 1 and 3. Terminal 2 drivers use the Main Garage or Lots B and C, which serve Terminals 1, 2 and 3, or an economy lot and the train. The Blue Line is reached by following the Trains to City signs through the pedestrian tunnels on the basement level.
Sources
- Terminal 2, Security checkpoints, Families and kids, Chapel, Military lounge, Information desks, Nursing rooms, Airport Transit System and Connecting flights
- Chicago Department of Aviation: TSA information, Family Lounge, chapel, USO, transportation between terminals, Travelers Aid and terminal accessibility pages, and the terminal map