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Chicago airport: Can I leave it between flights and where do I go?
Fireflash
Montreal, QCRegistered User regular
Montreal, QCRegistered User regular
I will be in Brazil for the first 2 weeks of January. Unfortunately I just got notified that my return flight has been modified.
Sao Paulo -> Chicago -> Montreal. I land in Chicago at 6:10 am on Jan 16th, but my flight to Montreal is only at 6 pm, which means almost 12 hours of waiting in an airport which is depressing to think about. And I bet I'd have to pay for the airport's wifi access!
I've never done this before so, is it possible to leave the airport and come back without much problem? Would it be worth it considering transportation time from and back to the airport? Where can I go for some quick enjoyment of the city for what is basically half a day?
Sao Paulo -> Chicago -> Montreal. I land in Chicago at 6:10 am on Jan 16th, but my flight to Montreal is only at 6 pm, which means almost 12 hours of waiting in an airport which is depressing to think about. And I bet I'd have to pay for the airport's wifi access!
I've never done this before so, is it possible to leave the airport and come back without much problem? Would it be worth it considering transportation time from and back to the airport? Where can I go for some quick enjoyment of the city for what is basically half a day?
PSN: PatParadize
Battle.net: Fireflash#1425
Steam Friend code: 45386507
Battle.net: Fireflash#1425
Steam Friend code: 45386507
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WiFi is free if you watch an ad, and there are charging stations around. Just make sure you only plug into an outlet and not a USB port.
O'Hare is not by anything, so yes, it will be significant time to deboard, store luggage, get somewhere and get back.
Probably best bet is to take the el train (subway) from the airport to somewhere close. Rosemont has some interesting shops and things to do, and is the first-ish stop out of ORD. Search for 'CTA Blue Line' to see the route.
First off, which airport are you going to be landing at? Chicago has two international airports - Midway and O'Hare. (More than likely, you'll be coming into O'Hare, which is further from the city core.) Also, what airline are you on?
Second, and this is huge - the US has no concept of being in transit. Which means that you will have to go through customs when you land, and reprocess your bags to go on. (On the other hand, this does mean there's no incentive to stay, either.) So you'll want to factor in the process time.
Since you're Canadian, a visa isn't a problem (the US and Canada have a long standing reciprocity agreement.)
So, if you decide to head into Chicago proper, recheck your bags after claiming them (so you're not carrying them around.) You may want to find a way to ditch your carryons as well, depending on bulk and number. Both airports are directly linked to CTA, so it's just a train ride in.
You could also, if you don't want to worry about leaving, look into buying a day pass for the airline's frequent flyer club. They will have snacks and beverages, wifi, and comfy chairs to relax in.