O'Hare lounges: United, American or Terminal 5?
O'Hare lounges: United, American or Terminal 5?

O'Hare lounges: United, American or Terminal 5?

Chicago O'Hare is an airport split between two home carriers, and its lounges follow the same division. United occupies Terminals 1 and 2, American Terminal 3, while the foreign airlines are in Terminal 5. Anyone with Priority Pass needs to know one thing right away: the lounges that accept it are all there.
First of all it is worth asking who you are flying with. The lounges of the American airlines are designed for their premium passengers, for club members and for those with status in the respective alliances; the idea of walking into any lounge with a generic card works poorly here.
Which lounge to choose
Lounge Where Hours Priority Pass Paid entry Showers
USO O'Hare Center T2 09:00-21:00 No — —
Swissport Lounge T5 07:00-00:00 Yes — —
United Club T1 — No Yes —
United Club T1 — No Yes —
United Club T1 05:00-20:00 No Yes —
United Polaris Lounge T1 · International flights 06:00-21:00 No — Yes
United Club T2 — No — —
United Club T2 — No — —
Admirals Club T3 05:00-21:45 No Yes —
Admirals Club T3 06:15-21:45 No Yes —
Admirals Club T3 04:15-22:45 No Yes —
American Airlines Flagship Lounge T3 04:15-22:45 No — —
Air France Lounge T5 05:30-23:30 Yes — —
Delta Sky Club T5 — No — —
LOT Business Lounge T5 — No — Yes
Other T2 Before security
USO O'Hare Center

Mezzanine, before security

Large TV screen, films, books, board games, a children's play room and a quiet room.

Hours
09:00-21:00

Free entry for active-duty military personnel and their family members.

  • Children's area
Independent T5 Priority Pass
Swissport Lounge

Concourse M, upper level, near gate M18

It stays open until midnight, convenient for evening departures from Terminal 5.

Hours
07:00-00:00

Entry with Priority Pass and for premium passengers of partner airlines, including Air India, Royal Jordanian, Etihad, Emirates, Finnair and LOT.

Airline T1
United Club

Concourse C, near gate C10

The United club of Concourse C, a few gates from the Polaris Lounge.

Entry for United Club members and for Star Alliance Gold status holders departing on international flights.

  • Hot food
  • Bar
Airline T1
United Club

Concourse B, near gate B6

United club in the first part of Concourse B.

Entry for United Club members and for Star Alliance Gold status holders departing on international flights.

  • Hot food
  • Bar
Airline T1
United Club

Concourse B, near gate B18

United club for anyone departing from the B gates.

Hours
05:00-20:00

Entry for United Club members and for Star Alliance Gold status holders departing on international flights.

  • Hot food
  • Bar
Airline T1 · International flights
United Polaris Lounge

Concourse C, near gate C18

United lounge dedicated to intercontinental flights.

Hours
06:00-21:00

Entry for Business and First passengers on long-haul international United and Star Alliance flights. No day pass is available.

  • Showers
Airline T2
United Club

Concourse F, opposite gate F9

United club for anyone departing from the F gates.

Entry for United Club members and for Star Alliance Gold status holders departing on international flights.

Airline T2
United Club

Concourse E, near gate E7

It has taken the place of the former Delta lounge in Concourse E.

Entry for United Club members and for Star Alliance Gold status holders departing on international flights.

Airline T3
Admirals Club

Concourse L, near gate L2A

American club for flights from Concourse L.

Hours
05:00-21:45

Entry for Admirals Club members and for oneworld Emerald and oneworld Sapphire status holders; other passengers can buy the day pass.

  • Hot food
  • Bar
Airline T3
Admirals Club

Concourse G, near gate G8

It opens later than the other Admirals Clubs at O'Hare: for flights before 6 the club between Concourses H and K or the one in Concourse L is better.

Hours
06:15-21:45

Entry for Admirals Club members and for oneworld Emerald and oneworld Sapphire status holders; other passengers can buy the day pass.

  • Hot food
  • Bar
Airline T3
Admirals Club

Connector between Concourses H and K

It has the longest hours of the Admirals Clubs at O'Hare: useful for both the first flights of the morning and evening ones.

Hours
04:15-22:45

Entry for Admirals Club members and for oneworld Emerald and oneworld Sapphire status holders; other passengers can buy the day pass.

  • Hot food
  • Bar
Airline T3
American Airlines Flagship Lounge

Between Concourses H and K, upper floor

American's flagship lounge for anyone departing on international flights, with a bar.

Hours
04:15-22:45

Entry for Business and First passengers on long-haul American and oneworld flights. No day pass is available.

  • Bar
Airline T5 Priority Pass
Air France Lounge

Concourse M, near gate M17

Air France lounge for SkyTeam passengers in Terminal 5.

Hours
05:30-23:30

Entry for Air France and KLM premium passengers and for Flying Blue Elite Plus and SkyTeam Elite Plus holders; it also accepts Priority Pass.

  • Bar
Airline T5
Delta Sky Club

Concourse M, gates M11-M14

The Sky Club at O'Hare exceeds 22,000 square feet, a little over 2,000 square metres.

Entry for Sky Club members, Delta One passengers and SkyTeam premium passengers.

  • Hot food
  • Bar
Airline T5
LOT Business Lounge

Concourse M, near gate M18

LOT lounge with showers.

Entry for LOT, Turkish Airlines and other Star Alliance Business passengers. It opens according to LOT departures.

  • Showers
In Terminal 1 United plays at home. The United Polaris Lounge, in concourse C near gate C18, is reserved for those departing in Business or First on an intercontinental United or Star Alliance flight, and does not sell entries. The United Clubs are spread between concourses B and C and welcome club members and Star Alliance Gold status holders departing abroad; the one near gate B18 is the reference for those departing from B. In the clubs of concourses B and C you can also buy a day pass. In Terminal 2 United has other clubs, in concourses E and F, for those departing from those gates. Terminal 3 is American territory. Those flying long-haul Business or First with American or oneworld use the Flagship Lounge, on the upper floor between concourses H and K. The Admirals Clubs are in different areas of the same terminal and do not keep the same hours: the one between H and K opens first and closes last, useful for dawn flights and evening ones alike, while the one in concourse G opens later; for very early departures you move between H and K or to concourse L. In the Admirals Clubs you can also buy a day pass. Terminal 5 is where you go with Priority Pass. In concourse M the Air France Lounge welcomes Air France and KLM premium passengers and SkyTeam Elite Plus members, but also accepts the card. The Swissport Lounge, on the upper level near gate M18, stays open until midnight and is the choice for evening departures; it also serves premium passengers of airlines such as Emirates, Etihad, Finnair and LOT. Nearby, the LOT Business Lounge opens only according to LOT flights, while the large Delta Sky Club is open to Delta One, Sky Club members and SkyTeam premium. One last note for those in uniform: the USO O'Hare Center, on the mezzanine of Terminal 2 before security, welcomes serving military personnel and their families free of charge, with a children's play room and a quiet room.
At O'Hare the choice of lounge almost always coincides with the choice of terminal, and the terminal is decided by the airline. Those flying United in intercontinental Business have the Polaris, those flying American long-haul the Flagship; with a status or a club membership you use the United Clubs and the Admirals Clubs, watching the hours. Without any of these requirements what remains is the day pass at an Admirals Club or a United Club, or Terminal 5, where with Priority Pass you choose between Air France and Swissport.
Chicago O'Hare airport lounge United Airlines American Airlines

You might also like...