The most effective lounges at Chicago’s O’Hare — and methods to get inside

Chicago’s largest airport, O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD), continues to interrupt passenger quantity data, and the airport’s lounge recreation is getting higher. Whereas there’s nonetheless no Centurion Lounge, it is making progress nonetheless.

Flyers can select from 15 airline-affiliated lounges throughout 4 terminals on each the departures and arrivals sides to accommodate home and worldwide flights.

Not all lounges are created equal, although — so we have compiled an inventory of our favourite lounges at O’Hare.

United Golf equipment and Polaris lounges in Terminals 1 and a pair of: At a look

The place are the United Golf equipment and the Polaris lounge?

There are three United Golf equipment in Terminal 1, particularly close to gates B6, B18 and C10. There is a fourth United Membership in Terminal 2, throughout from Gate F9 and there is now a fifth United Membership now in Terminal 2, Concourse E, close to gate E7. Most of the United lounges are open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day, although the latest Concourse E lounge (a former Delta lounge) is open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. each day.

In the meantime, the Polaris lounge is in Terminal 1 by gate C18 and usually opens at 6 a.m. each day, although it’s at present closed for a large enlargement.

What’s it like contained in the United Golf equipment and Polaris lounge?

The 5 United Golf equipment are comparatively comparable, however the primary variations are within the sq. footage, design and degree of renovation.

4 of the 5 United Golf equipment have a full-service bar with beer, wine, liquor and nonalcoholic choices; no less than one buffet with cold and warm meals; gentle snacks; a espresso bar; a freestyle Coca-Cola machine; and filtered water. Lounge menus rotate quarterly, incorporating seasonal components. Automated robotic trash collectors accumulate dishes and trash for patrons.

Even within the smaller lounges, visitors can get pleasure from workspaces, together with collective group areas in addition to particular person seating areas with loads of chairs and retailers.

Most golf equipment have no less than 4 premium service reps in every membership per shift.

O’Hare’s varied United Golf equipment

Positioned by gate C10 in Terminal 1, one of many latest United Golf equipment opened in January 2023 and thus displays the model’s membership redesign with shiny, trendy and industrial options.

Highlights of this membership embrace a wellness room for folks, a QR-based customer support help methodology and a brightly coloured jet bridge outdoors with views from many floor-to-ceiling home windows. The 17,000-square-foot room has 400 seats, so it is unlikely to really feel overcrowded.

The membership close to gate B6 is definitely bigger than the one by C10, at 19,000 sq. ft and greater than 475 seats. It has two scorching plate bars and 4 customer support brokers. Moreover, it is very shiny (because of synthetic and pure gentle), ethereal and open.

You may discover many Lufthansa and ANA flyers within the United Membership close to B18, as many worldwide flights depart from close by gates. Of be aware are the membership’s non-public telephone room and two buffets. Given that it is the smallest membership at ORD — with simply over 10,000 sq. ft and roughly 120 seats — it is also a very good lounge for lounge newbies to dip their toes in.

One other membership at Gate F9 additionally has two buffet choices. It’s 12,500 sq. ft and has greater than 230 seats.

The latest United Membership is in Terminal 2 close to Gate E7. It is not the fanciest United Membership, nevertheless it does have a self-service bar.

The Polaris lounge (at present closed)

The extra upscale Polaris lounge at O’Hare is located throughout from the duty-free retailer and gate C18. It’s accessible to worldwide clients touring in United Polaris and premium Star Alliance cabins.

It is at present closed for enlargement and reworking — however as soon as it reopens, we count on it to be bigger and extra fabulous.

The primary Polaris lounge within the nation, it is marked by its distinctive large chandelier, during which each ball represents a metropolis avenue in Chicago.

Associated: United Airways’ prime lounge exec pulls again the curtain on 5 main updates for 2025

Among the lounge’s most luxurious options embrace the first-come, first-served showers and personal shaded daybeds, the place you may sleep for an hour on 145-degree heated Saks Fifth Avenue linens. When you want an extended relaxation — maybe resulting from a global layover — you may lengthen your time in mattress pending availability.

A seasonally rotating, domestically impressed menu served on an island with an adjoining buffet line and particular person eating room for a la carte service means there’s probably one thing to suit most dietary wants. There’s additionally a full-service bar.

There are six bathe suites obtainable (together with one Individuals with Disabilities Act-compliant bathe) that present loungers, slippers, Therabody merchandise and different facilities. Everlasting urgent laundry providers — particularly shirts, pants and sweaters — can be found for fast freshening up inside 5 to 10 minutes.

How you can entry the United Golf equipment and Polaris lounges

United Membership℠ Card (see charges and charges) cardholders ($695 annual price) obtain limitless United Membership entry for themselves and a visitor. When you attain premier Gold standing or spend 50,000 on purchases per calendar 12 months, you stand up to 2 visitors per go to. The United℠ Explorer Card (see charges and charges) contains two single-use United Membership passes yearly.

You may as well pay for a United Membership membership with money or miles, and costs range by United Premier elite standing degree.

United is now providing two tiers of membership membership, Particular person and All-Entry, because it lately overhauled its entry guidelines.

Choose Premier members also can entry the United Membership. Particularly, United Premier Gold (and better) members can entry the provider’s lounges when touring internationally on any Star Alliance provider, no matter their class of service. They’ll additionally convey one visitor departing on a Star Alliance provider from the identical airport. Star Alliance Gold members who maintain standing with one other companion airline can use the United Membership with any same-day Star Alliance boarding cross, together with throughout home United journey.

Those that do not maintain playing cards or have standing should buy a day cross for $59 within the membership or through the United cell app (although it is not good for grab-and-go golf equipment).

When it reopens, the Polaris lounge will once more be accessible to vacationers in United Polaris enterprise class (no visitors) in addition to these in Star Alliance first-class (one visitor) and enterprise class (no visitors).

Admirals Membership and Flagship Lounges in Terminal 3: At a look

The place are the American Airways Admirals Golf equipment and Flagship Lounges?

There are three American Airways Admirals Golf equipment and one American Airways Flagship Lounge in Terminal 3. Two Admirals Golf equipment are previous safety throughout from gate G8 and earlier than gate L1. In the meantime, the Admirals Membership and Flagship Lounge will be discovered after safety within the crosswalk between gates H6 and K6.

What’s it like contained in the American Airways Admirals Golf equipment and Flagship Lounge?

Not one of the American Airways lounges will change your life relating to lounge visits, however they do supply just about all of the fundamentals. In our expertise, there’s normally room to take a seat down and seize a chew to eat irrespective of which lounge you get pleasure from, although there’s extra space within the Flagship Lounge.

General, the Flagship Lounge makes for a greater expertise, although entry necessities are extra stringent.

O’Hare’s Admirals Golf equipment

Within the common Admirals Golf equipment, the foods and drinks choice is fundamental, however you will not go hungry with a number of chilly cuts, soups and different snacks. Water, espresso, tea and delicate drinks are self-serve, although there’s a full bar with a bartender at every location.

There are many seating areas to select from, with views of the airport tarmac.

The American Airways Flagship Lounge

The Flagship Lounge is a step above with fewer crowds, devoted service desks and nice airport views (it is a degree above the Admirals Golf equipment).

You may additionally discover bathe services obtainable on a first-come, first-served foundation.

An elevated meals station serves cold and warm meals buffet-style. The choice is superb, with loads of choices for any urge for food.

There’s additionally a greater number of beer, wine and alcohol to select from.

How you can entry the American Airways Golf equipment and Flagship Lounge

Normally, to entry Admirals Membership, you will must current a same-day American, Alaska Airways or different Oneworld provider flight boarding cross (some lifetime memberships do not require a same-day boarding cross).

These with the Citi® / AAdvantage® Govt World Elite Mastercard® (see charges and charges) obtain complimentary Admirals Membership entry, as do Concierge Key members. You may as well entry the golf equipment by holding an eligible premium ticket, particularly business- and first-class tickets on worldwide American- or Oneworld-operated flights.

To entry the Flagship Lounge, you will must be Concierge Key or be touring in Flagship First on a global flight.

Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald standing by means of American AAdvantage (through Platinum, Platinum Professional and Govt Platinum standing) or the Alaska Airways Mileage Plan (through MVP Gold, 75K and 100K standing) additionally allows you and a visitor to entry Admirals Golf equipment or Flagship Lounges on qualifying worldwide itineraries operated by American or a Oneworld companion — even in economic system class.

If you’re a member with Oneworld Sapphire or Emerald standing through a program apart from AAdvantage or Mileage Plan (like British Airways Gold standing), you and a visitor can entry an Admirals Membership or Flagship Lounge when touring on American or one other Oneworld provider for home itineraries as nicely.

In any other case, you may pay for entry in a wide range of methods.

A one-day cross is $79 or 7,900 miles. (We don’t advocate this based mostly on TPG’s valuation of American miles.)

Annual particular person and family memberships price between $700 and $1,650, relying in your standing degree and whether or not you’re renewing an current membership or shopping for a brand new one.

Lastly, members can choose a membership membership as two of their Loyalty Level Selection Rewards.

Be aware that memberships and day passes are just for Admirals Golf equipment, not Flagship Lounges.

Delta Sky Membership at Terminal 5

The place is the Delta Sky Membership?

The Delta Sky Membership is after safety between gates M11 and M14. It is open each day from 4:30 a.m. to eight p.m., apart from Saturday, when it closes at 6 p.m.

What’s it like contained in the Delta Sky Membership?

The O’Hare Delta Sky Membership is one among our favorites within the system. This lounge measures greater than 22,000 sq. ft and affords a wide range of seating areas.

The Sky Membership has a full-service bar with beer, wine, liquor and nonalcoholic choices. It additionally has a big buffet with cold and warm decisions, and several other espresso stations with espresso machines or scorching drip espresso and tea.

There are two full bars and areas for watching TV, planespotting or working. Throughout our visits, it has by no means felt crowded.

Meals is plentiful, with scorching breakfast objects like sausages within the mornings and extra strong dishes served later within the day.

The lounge has showers you may guide on a first-come, first-served foundation.

There may be additionally a wellness room for nursing moms.

Not solely are there nice views of the airport and Delta jets, however there’s even a Chicago-style scorching canine vendor.

Associated: Delta unveils Sky Membership and Terminal 5 gates at Chicago’s O’Hare airport

By far the very best function of this membership is that it additionally has two boarding gates. One is used for flights to its hub at New York Metropolis’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and the opposite is for worldwide Delta companions like Air France.

How you can entry the Delta Sky Membership

There are a selection of the way to get into the Delta Sky Membership.

Some premium playing cards present complimentary lounge entry, and there are additionally varied paid choices to enter a Sky Membership — so long as you are not flying fundamental economic system.

For instance, The Platinum Card® from American Categorical, The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Categorical Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Enterprise American Categorical Card all present complimentary entry for same-day Delta-operated flights or Delta-marketed WestJet flights, excluding Delta fundamental economic system or equal companion fares.

As of Feb. 1, Delta has capped yearly Sky Membership visits (Feb. 1 to Jan. 31) at 10 visits for Amex Platinum and Amex Enterprise Platinum and 15 for Delta Reserve Amex and Delta Reserve Enterprise Amex cardholders.

There are additionally a wide range of paid choices for coming into a Sky Membership, so long as you aren’t flying fundamental economic system.

Delta Reserve cardholders on Delta companion airline flights pays $50 per go to, whereas elite standing members pays money or SkyMiles — particularly $695 or 69,500 SkyMiles (particular person membership) or $1,495 or 149,500 SkyMiles (govt membership) yearly.

There are numerous methods for Delta SkyMiles elite members to entry SkyClubs. For instance, Diamond and Platinum Medallion members can choose Selection Advantages every Medallion 12 months for entry. Diamond, Platinum and Gold Medallion members also can entry lounges when touring in Premium Choose or Delta One seats on a same-day worldwide itinerary.

Premium cabin tickets also can yield lounge entry: home and worldwide Delta One passengers and people flying on a same-day worldwide first-class or business-class ticket on a SkyTeam-operated flight (confirmed in enterprise class or first-class for each section of the ticket) get Sky Membership lounge entry no matter elite standing or membership.

Lastly, SkyTeam Elite Plus members from different airways can entry Delta Sky Membership lounges when touring on a SkyTeam worldwide flight (excluding between the U.S. and the Caribbean) or a SkyTeam home flight connecting to or from a SkyTeam worldwide flight.

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