ORDAirport Guide

Which security checkpoint should you use at O'Hare?

Your terminal sets your checkpoints: 1, 2 and 3 in Terminal 1, 5 in Terminal 2, 6, 7, 7A and 8 in Terminal 3, 10 in Terminal 5. Hours and lanes inside.

A bench and a white column beside the Terminal 1 security checkpoint entrances at O'Hare.
Checkpoints, Terminal 1

Your airline picks your terminal, and your terminal picks your checkpoints. Inside your terminal, you choose between checkpoints only in Terminal 1, which has Checkpoints 1, 2 and 3, and in Terminal 3, which has 6, 7, 7A and 8. Terminal 2 has Checkpoint 5 and Terminal 5 has Checkpoint 10. Our airlines page shows which terminal each carrier uses.

The airport’s TSA page says checkpoints are generally open as listed and that day-to-day airport activity can change the hours. It tells you to check with your airline about operations on your flight’s date.

Terminal 1: Checkpoints 1, 2 and 3

All three lead to Concourses B and C, so the choice comes down to hours and lanes.

Checkpoint Open Lane listed
1 3:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. None
2 4 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. TSA PreCheck, 4 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
3 3:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. CLEAR Plus, Sunday to Friday 4:15 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 4:15 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

For a late flight, use Checkpoint 1. It stays open to 11 p.m., while Checkpoints 2 and 3 close at 8:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. The trade is lanes: the airport’s table shows no PreCheck lane there, and the airport lists no CLEAR lane either.

Our Terminal 1 page lists the gates behind the checkpoints.

Terminal 3: Checkpoints 6, 7, 7A and 8

All four serve Concourses G, H, K and L. Our Terminal 3 page shows where each concourse’s gates sit.

Checkpoint Open Lane listed
6 3:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. None
7 3:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. TSA PreCheck, printed as 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
7A 3:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. TSA PreCheck, 3:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
8 4 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. None

Checkpoint 7A is the pick for a late flight, because it stays open until 10:30 p.m. It also keeps a PreCheck lane until 8:30 p.m. The airport lists no CLEAR lane anywhere in Terminal 3.

Checkpoint 7’s PreCheck hours look odd on the airport’s table. It prints 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., which starts after the checkpoint’s own 8 p.m. close, and it lists no daytime PreCheck hours. The table doesn’t explain this. Ask your airline before you count on a late PreCheck screening at Checkpoint 7.

Terminal 2 and Terminal 5: one checkpoint each

Terminal 2’s Checkpoint 5 serves Concourses E and F and is open 3:15 a.m. to 11 p.m. The PreCheck lane runs 3:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. CLEAR Plus runs there on Sunday and Monday from 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Tuesday to Saturday from 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Terminal 5’s Checkpoint 10 serves Concourse M and is open 24 hours. Its PreCheck lane runs 3:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. CLEAR Plus runs Sunday to Friday from 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 4:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Our Terminal 5 page covers the concourse.

When your terminal’s checkpoints are closed

Checkpoint 7A has the latest close in Terminal 3. The airport’s connecting page says Terminals 1 to 3 are connected, and it lets connecting passengers move between them without clearing security again. Terminal 1’s Checkpoint 1 and Terminal 2’s Checkpoint 5 stay open past 7A, but the page doesn’t say whether a departing passenger may use another terminal’s checkpoint. Terminal 5 isn’t among the connected terminals. Our walking guide explains the secure-side connections and notes that the airport publishes no walking times.

What the airport doesn’t say

The airport’s TSA page lists hours and packing tips. It gives no wait times and doesn’t say which checkpoint runs quicker. TSA’s PreCheck page says about 99% of passengers wait less than 10 minutes in those lanes. It also says no one is guaranteed expedited screening.

Our PreCheck and CLEAR guide covers where CLEAR enrolls you in PreCheck and what each program costs, and our arrival-time guide covers when to get to the terminal.

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