Chicago Airport

[animal 1970]

Hi can anyone please tell me what immigration is like at Chicago is it really busy like MCO or pretty straight through thanks

[mitch-fishguard]

Went there Sept 2016 for a week. Through in about 10 minutes. Great !

[Wembleygal]

One Christmas, it took over an hour and a half, but it has now improved.

[duchy]

Although as an airport it's busier than Orlando it is far bigger and better designed so isn't as crowded as Orlando can be and obviously passengers are more mixed (e.g. Not the vast majority are holidaymakers) so it is usually very quick to get through. I've probably entered the US there twelve times and never encountered really stroppy immigration or customs officers. Some are friendlier than others .
One trip going through security at Chicago the woman in front of me had full size bottles of shampoo etc in her hand luggage. The officer explained nicely that she couldn't take them and although she didn't get upset with him she was unhappy to lose them all. He checked them all , kept two for show, looked around to make sure his supervisor wasn't watching ... and threw the rest quickly back into her bag and waved her through I don't think that would ever happen at Orlando !

Oh and if you buy nothing else at the airport buy the famous Chicago Garrett popcorn. It is amazing .

As for time getting through, best ever was 20 minutes (hand luggage only) worst was an hour, compared to Orlando where my worst was four hours ! (I've avoided direct to Orlando ever since and never regretted it)

[Guest]

Busiest between 2pm and 4pm, so it depends when you land, time of year and how long you have got between connections. You'll need to get from terminal 5 to terminal 3 as well.

[duchy]

Originally Posted by paulfaz

Busy between 2pm and 4pm, so it depends when you land and how long you have got between connections. You'll need to get from terminal 5 to terminal 3 as well.

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Easy hop on the monorail though and you will only have hand luggage . Plenty of places to grab something to eat if the plane food wasn't great and remember the Chicago to Orlando leg is buy on board only so better and cheaper options at the airport. I usually buy a sub to eat on the domestic flight.

[joxxxxx]

I think Chicago can be very variable (or used to be)- when we went a couple of years ago we were 2 and half hours to get through immigration (and we were in PE so first off the plane)- it was awful. Around the same time other people were saying they got through in 15 minutes.

[Pookle]

I went last year and it took a good hour to get through, though by far the worst thing was the absolute age it took from landing to getting off the plane.

[andylad]

Last time i was there it was fine . I think things are improving all the time at most ports of entry.