Chicago O’Hare International Airport ORD, is operated by the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), which is among only a few getting the 2011 Airports Going Green award.  In terms of passenger count among U.S. Airports, O'Hare is only trumped by Atlanta Airport. Recently, it has formed  'Sister Airport' partnerships with Chinese & South Korean airports for mutually beneficial relationships.

The Airport is located 17 miles northwest of the Chicago Loop, in the northwestern-most corner of the city of Chicago, Illinois, and near the Tristate Tollway (I-294) and I-I90. Motorists enter & exit via I-190, branching off I-90 (Kennedy Expwy.) leading to downtown Chicago. 

With seven runways and an estimated 66.8 million passengers in 2011, Chicago O’Hare International  is an important hub for United and American Airlines, and is served by a multitude of domestic and foreign airlines offering direct and connecting flights to all points of the globe. 
O'Hare also serves as port of entry for flights to/from Cuba (but still restricted to 'purposeful' travel - passengers need to be either close relatives of Cuban residents, or be involved in the medical or agricultural business sectors, or travel for educational or religious purposes).

Frequent Flyers / Global Entry members Note:  TSA (tel. 571-227-2829) introduced its new 'Pre-Check program' for American Airlines passengers, which is a pre-screening process. If accepted into this program, frequent flyers will be able to move quickly through security without removing shoes & liht outerwea and won't have to remove laptops from computer bags.  The new Pre-Check lane is in Terminal 3, Security checkpoint 8, near door 3G.  It is expected that other airlined will join this program.  Members of the Global Entry program  are automatically eligible: O'Hare has 10 Global Entry kiosks in the International Terminal 5.

The on-Airport Hilton Hotel offers the use of showers at their health club for a small fee.

The passenger terminal complex at O'Hare International Airport consists of four passenger terminals - T1, T2, T3 & T5 - arranged in a semi-circle. (Please refer to 'Terminal Map' page.)

Parking options at Chicago O’Hare Airport include a cell phone lot, valet parking at the garage, hourly & daily parking in the garage, Lot D for Terminal 5, Economy lots G, E & F, and Kiss n Fly lot. (Please refer to 'Airport Parking' page.)

For rental cars go to the Hotel & Rental Car Counter at Terminal 2, lower level (baggage claim), near Door 2D.

To get from O'Hare Airport to your destination you have the option of renting a car, taking a taxi or limo, a bus or the subway:
1. Trains: (a) Subway trains from CTA ‘L’ Blue Line depart underground of Terminal 5, and Metra North Central’s commuter trains stop at the O’Hare Transfer station, which connects to the Airport Transit System by a shuttle bus. (b) the CTA Orange Line links directly into Chicago's Loop with connections to all other lines in the loop.
Other regional train and bus information may be obtained by going to the website for the Chicago Area Regional Transportation Authority.
2. Buses: The Bus/Shuttle Center is on the ground level (Level 1 near elevator center 3) of the elevated parking garage. This center is the central pick-up facility for regional and hotel courtesy buses, airport rental car agencies and parking shuttles. It is easily accessible by pedestrian tunnels from Terminals 1, 2, and 3. Some regional buses also pick up at Terminal 5. Pace bus picks up at the "Kiss and Fly" area.
3. NOTE: CDA & the O'Hare Express Blue Ribbon Committee point to their new website for the proposed O'Hare Airport Express Rail Service (ordexpressrail.com).

Future Airport Developments: The O'Hare Modernization Program, presently in its first phase of construction, will move forward, by adding runway capacity, and addressing unacceptable levels of flights delays. The first phase still under construction includes two new runways, a runway extension and a new control tower. Upon completion by 2014, O'Hare Airport will have eight modern runways and will be able to reduce flight delays considerably. Negotiation for future improvements will continue in 2013.