Which airlines use Terminal 1 at O'Hare?
United, Lufthansa and All Nippon Airways check in at O'Hare Terminal 1. SWISS and Austrian Airlines check in at Terminal 5.
United, Lufthansa and All Nippon Airways all check in at Terminal 1. SWISS and Austrian Airlines don’t check in there. They check in at Terminal 5, which has no walking route to Terminal 1 past security.
Where each airline checks in
| Airline | Check-in |
|---|---|
| United Airlines | Terminal 1 lobby on the Departures and Check-In level, with Polaris check-in, Premier Access and Economy bag drops and an agent assistance desk |
| Lufthansa | Terminal 1, Departures and Check-In level |
| All Nippon Airways | Terminal 1, Departures and Check-In level |
The airport’s airline directory lists Lufthansa and All Nippon Airways at Terminal 1 for departures and Terminal 5 for arrivals. It lists United at Terminal 1 for departures and Terminal 5 for international arrivals. It names no flights or gate numbers, and the airport’s flight search says its terminal and gate data come from a third-party service, so your airline has the last word. Every other airline’s terminal is in our guide to every airline at O’Hare.
United has a second lobby in Terminal 2
United is the only Terminal 1 airline that also checks in somewhere else. It has a lobby in Terminal 2, and a group check-in desk sits on the Terminal 1 Arrivals level. The airport doesn’t say which United flights use which lobby. Our Terminal 2 airlines guide covers the other lobby, and the United connecting guide covers moving between the two terminals.
Lounges: three United Clubs and Polaris, plus one for Lufthansa and ANA
United runs the Terminal 1 clubs. Concourse B has a United Club near Gate B6 and another near Gate B18, and Concourse C has one near Gate C10. The United Polaris Lounge is also in Concourse C, near Gate C18, and admits international first and business class customers only. Our United Clubs guide maps each gate range to its club.
The only lounge that names Lufthansa or All Nippon Airways is the Wingtips Lounge. It names SWISS and Austrian Airlines as well, along with United. It’s open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., past security in Terminal 5 near Gate M19.
The Terminal Transfer Bus takes connecting passengers only, with a boarding pass for a same-day flight from the terminal they’re riding to. Confirm your gate with the airline before you plan a Wingtips visit.
SWISS and Austrian check in at Terminal 5
SWISS and Austrian Airlines both check in at Terminal 5, on the Departures and Check-In level. From Terminal 1, the free Airport Transit System runs 24 hours a day, and our terminal train guide walks the ride.
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 it names no airline. It adds that passengers from preclearance airports may instead arrive in Terminals 1, 2 or 3. So a Lufthansa or All Nippon Airways check-in at Terminal 1 doesn’t promise an arrival there.
Passengers connecting on United or American who aren’t checked through can recheck bags with an airline employee right after the customs area. Anyone connecting on another airline who isn’t checked through carries the bags out of Terminal 5 and rechecks them with that airline before a domestic flight. Our Terminal 5 arrivals guide has the passport lines, bag claim and customs. United’s baggage service office is on the Terminal 1 Arrivals and Baggage Claim level.
Sources
- Our pages: Airlines at ORD, Terminal 1, Lounges, Wingtips Lounge, Baggage claim, Terminal Transfer Bus
- Chicago Department of Aviation: airline directory, terminal map, connecting traveler page, International Traveler page and flight search