How long does it take to get through security at O Hare?

According to a recent USAToday article, the average o'hare airport security wait times are around 15 minutes. The best Chicago ohare TSA wait times occur on Saturday 10-11pm. The worst Chicago TSA wait times are on Tuesday from 4-5pm, where you could wait up to 33 minutes.



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Always allow at least 20 minutes for security, but you can do a same-day check of screening line times at: http://www.whatsbusy.com/airport. Only the Terminal 5 TSA checkpoint is open 24 hours. Terminal 1, 2, and 3 checkpoints are open from approximately 4 am -11 pm.

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Larger airports, such as O'Hare and Midway in Chicago, ask that passengers arrive at least 90 minutes prior to departure especially if a traveler needs to go to the check-in counter for any reason (i.e., check baggage, etc.).

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The average wait time is between 20 and 25 minutes, but can be as long as 50 minutes during especially busy times. Generally, arriving at the airport at least two hours prior for domestic flights and three hours for International flights is recommended.

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The general guideline on how early to get to the airport for a domestic flight is 2 hours. However, those traveling at a very busy time of year or out of a large airport might want to allow more time.

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For domestic flights in the United States, most airlines recommend that passengers arrive at the airport at least 1-2 hours before the scheduled departure time for check-in and security screening.

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Popular Travel Times:
  • Busiest days to travel: Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Fly early, but not too early.
  • The busiest times are 6-8 am, and 3-5 pm.
  • The worst time for delayed flights: 7-9 pm, due to ripples from the 3-5 pm rush.


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Thanksgiving and Christmas tend to be the busiest travel days of the year, but other holidays like Memorial Day, July Fourth, and Labor Day also see some of the highest volumes of air passengers. So far this year, daily passenger numbers have been growing each month.

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Usually you're advised to be there at least 2 hours earlier to have enough to time for the check-in, luggage on-boarding, security check and other steps needed for you to be ready to attend the flight. Of course, you're totally free to reach the airport last minute, but you'll miss your journey.

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As you can see, while 2 to 3 hours before your flight might be a good general guideline, there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to deciding how much time to allow at the airport.

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In a time of long security lines, delays, and cancellations, there's no such thing as getting to the airport too early.

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Solid food items (not liquids or gels) can be transported in either your carry-on or checked baggage. TSA officers may instruct travelers to separate items from carry-on bags such as foods, powders, and any materials that can clutter bags and obstruct clear images on the X-ray machine.

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Crosswinds greater than 50-60 km/h may cause airlines to delay or cancel flights. Even lower gusts can trigger flight delays or cancellations if the runways are wet or icy, as stiff winds can reduce a plane's ability to brake on the runway.

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Generally, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best weekdays to fly. Thursday is a bit more expensive but still reasonable. Saturday is usually the cheapest weekend day to fly. That does not mean you cannot find great flight prices on the other days of the week.

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Generally, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best weekdays to fly. Thursday is a bit more expensive but still reasonable. Saturday is usually the cheapest weekend day to fly.

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Generally speaking, most airlines advise that you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours prior to a domestic flight, and at least 3 hours prior to an international flight.

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Generally, the first three terminals are considered domestic terminals and are easily traversed. All three of these terminals are connected by pedestrian walkways, making them so much easier to cross than having to wait for transportation to take you to them.

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TSA PreCheck Benefits About 99% of TSA PreCheck® passengers wait less than 10 minutes.

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