Why Chicago O’Hare Is One of My Favorite Airports, Especially When Traveling With Kids

This post was created in partnership with Chicago O’Hare International Airport. As always, all opinions are my own.

Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) is massive. It’s one of the busiest airports in the world and in 2025 actually ranked No. 1 in the world for aircraft movements, with more than 860,000 takeoffs and landings. On an average day, O’Hare handles more than 2,600 flights on over 50 airlines and travelers can fly nonstop to nearly 280 destinations around the world. Those numbers are pretty mind-boggling, especially when you’re standing inside the terminal watching planes take off one after another.

But here’s something that might surprise you: O’Hare is also one of my favorite airports. I know … some travelers are probably rolling their eyes right now. O’Hare certainly has its challenges. Almost every time I’m a guest on Bob Sirott’s WGN morning show, which is usually once every three weeks, ORD comes up and I tell him the same thing: I love the airport except for those sometimes painfully long taxi rides.

And it turns out, I’m not imagining it. According to a recent WGN Investigates analysis of FAA data, O’Hare has the longest average taxi times in the country: more than 28 minutes from gate to runway and more than 18 minutes from landing to gate. In fact, 16% of departing flights spend more than 40 minutes taxiing before takeoff.

That’s why I always give myself plenty of connecting time at O’Hare and, when possible, try to avoid tight connections during summer afternoons when thunderstorms can wreak havoc on schedules.

But if you plan accordingly, there’s a lot to love about O’Hare. And after recently getting a behind-the-scenes tour of the airport with my wife and kids, I discovered even more. Here are some of the reasons O’Hare has become one of our favorite airports, especially when traveling as a family.

The Christmas decorations are part of our family tradition

The people in Chicago are some of the nicest in the country and they also know how to celebrate the holidays. O’Hare does an especially great job at Christmastime.

In fact, when we travel from Los Angeles to Toronto to visit my wife’s family every December, I purposely book a connection through O’Hare so our kids can see the airport all decked out for Christmas. It’s one of the highlights of our travels.

There’s another reason: Home Alone. If you grew up watching Home Alone and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, parts of O’Hare might look familiar. Scenes from both Home Alone movies were filmed in Terminal 3, including the famous sequence of the McCallister family racing through the airport.

Walking through the terminal during the holidays, with all the decorations up, always gives me a little Home Alone nostalgia. Now our kids recognize it too, which makes our December connections even more fun.

You can take the train straight into Chicago

I don’t know why every major airport in the United States doesn’t have convenient rail transportation into the city. It’s something many major European airports get right and Chicago does, too.

The CTA Blue Line runs directly between O’Hare and downtown Chicago 24 hours a day. You don’t need to deal with traffic, wait for a rideshare or spend a small fortune on a taxi. Even a friend of mine, who could easily afford a car service, takes the “L” from O’Hare because it’s often easier than sitting in Chicago traffic. I do the same when I don’t have a lot of luggage.

The Blue Line station is conveniently located in the lower level of the airport and the ride downtown generally takes about 40 to 45 minutes.

The food is worth arriving early for

Airport food has come a long way and O’Hare has an impressive lineup, including a number of Chicago favorites. Our favorite is Tortas Frontera by award-winning Chicago chef Rick Bayless.

It’s not your typical airport fast food. They serve freshly made Mexican food including tortas, guacamole and other dishes that actually taste like something you would seek out in the city. There are three O’Hare locations: near Gate B10 in Terminal 1, Gate K4 in Terminal 3 and Gate M18 in Terminal 5.

There are plenty of other Chicago names throughout the airport too, including Billy Goat Tavern, Berghoff Cafe, Garrett Popcorn and Nuts on Clark.

Don’t leave without some Chicago popcorn

Speaking of Garrett Popcorn and Nuts on Clark, if you’re connecting through O’Hare and want a taste of Chicago, grab some popcorn. The famous combination is caramel popcorn mixed with cheese popcorn. It sounds a little strange if you’ve never tried it but the sweet and salty combination works. It’s also an easy Chicago souvenir to bring home, assuming you don’t eat the whole bag before your flight. Not that I would know anything about that.

O’Hare’s vending machines are next level

One thing I hadn’t really appreciated until this trip was how many useful vending machines there are throughout O’Hare. If you don’t have time to sit down at a restaurant, you’ll find Farmer’s Fridge machines stocked with fresh salads, bowls, snacks and other healthier grab-and-go options. Many are open 24 hours.

There’s a Mycha Milk Tea ATM, located in Terminal 3 near Gate G4. This convenient self-service vending fridge is open 24/7, offering freshly made bubble tea, fruit tea and coffee.

There are also some much more unusual vending machines scattered throughout the airport. But there’s one in particular that my son had been waiting a long time to visit: The LEGO vending machine. He first spotted one last year on our way through ORD on our way to Naples, Italy. We had spent longer than we should have in the American Airlines Admirals Club and were rushing to our gate when suddenly my son stopped dead in his tracks.

“What are you doing, buddy? We gotta go!”

Then I saw what he was staring at. A LEGO vending machine. I promised him we’d come back another time when we weren’t rushing to catch a flight. Well, this was that time.

There are LEGO vending machines in Terminal 2 near Gate E1 and Terminal 5 near Gate M18 and they’re open 24 hours. They sell LEGO sets starting at around $10. Needless to say, this was one of the highlights of the airport tour for both of my kids, who both got to finally give that vending machine a try!

The airline lounges

Since O’Hare is a huge hub for both American Airlines and United Airlines, there are plenty of lounges. American operates multiple Admirals Clubs and my favorite is the Flagship Lounge in Terminal 3 near Gate H6/K6. United also has several United Clubs as well as its Polaris Lounge in Terminal 1 for eligible international premium-cabin passengers. The competition between American and United at O’Hare is intense.

In fact, the two airlines have been battling to expand their operations at ORD, with United operating nearly 650 daily flights earlier this year and American pushing toward more than 500 on peak days. The competition became so heated that the FAA stepped in this year to reduce proposed summer schedules after airlines planned a significant increase in flights. That’s probably good news for travelers since packing too many flights into an already busy airport can lead to even more congestion and delays.

There’s a Family Lounge for kids

This is one of those things all parents should know about before traveling through O’Hare. The Family Lounge in Terminal 2 gives kids a place to burn off some energy instead of sitting at the gate staring at an iPad.

And this summer, O’Hare added Storytime in the Family Lounge on Tuesdays and Thursdays, giving little travelers another way to pass the time before a flight. If you’re traveling with young kids and have a long layover, put this on your radar.

O’Hare also has nursing rooms, family restrooms and other facilities designed for parents traveling with children.

Don’t miss the dinosaur

Here’s something else kids love. There’s a giant Brachiosaurus replica in Terminal 1. It’s one of those wonderfully unexpected airport sights and it’s hard to miss when you’re walking through the terminal. It also makes a great distraction when you’ve got kids who are getting restless between flights.

Travelers Aid might be O’Hare’s best-kept secret

One of the most fascinating stops on our tour was Travelers Aid. I’ve heard of Travelers Aid for years but I had no idea how much they actually do.

The Travelers Aid office is in Terminal 2 across from the Family Lounge and their staff and volunteers help travelers with everything from basic directions to much more serious situations.

They can provide guidance to travelers with disabilities or other challenges, help passengers dealing with disrupted travel plans and offer crisis intervention when someone is stranded or in distress. But what surprised me most was what they keep inside their office.

They have emergency supplies including baby products, toiletries and clothing. I saw filing cabinets and storage areas filled with underwear, diapers, pants, shirts and other necessities.

The staff told me there are situations when a passenger has an accident and soils their clothing. Instead of having to walk around the airport embarrassed or spend a fortune buying a whole new outfit, Travelers Aid may be able to provide replacement clothing. Think about how much that could mean to someone having one of the worst travel days of their life.

The accessible facilities across from the Family Lounge also include showers as part of O’Hare’s Companion Plus Restroom, along with an adult-sized changing table, accessible toilet and other features for travelers who need additional assistance.

Travelers Aid also helps passengers with sensory needs. They offer sensory bags at airport information desks containing things like fidgets, headphones and visual aids. There are also sensory maps that identify higher- and lower-sensory areas of the airport and social stories that can help travelers understand what to expect before arriving.

This is the kind of airport service most people never think about until they desperately need it.

O’Hare participates in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program

Another program I was happy to learn more about is the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower. Not every disability is obvious. Someone may have autism, PTSD, hearing loss or another condition that isn’t immediately visible but means they may need extra time, assistance or understanding while traveling.

Travelers can voluntarily wear a green sunflower lanyard or other Sunflower item as a discreet signal to trained airport employees that they may need some additional help. O’Hare makes Sunflower lanyards available at information desks throughout the airport. I think programs like this can make a huge difference because airports can be overwhelming even for experienced travelers.

The information desks are incredibly helpful

You’ll see information desks throughout O’Hare and they’re staffed by Travelers Aid volunteers. During my tour, I met a friendly travel agent working at one of them. In the roughly five minutes we stood there talking, it seemed like at least a dozen people came rushing up with questions.

And the number one question? “Where is Gate ___?” No surprise there. O’Hare is enormous.

Travelers Aid operates seven information desks around the airport, so if you’re confused about where to go, don’t wander around getting increasingly stressed. Stop and ask someone.

TSA lines can look worse than they are

I’ve seen some ridiculously long TSA lines at O’Hare but I’ve also found that they usually move surprisingly fast and the TSA officers I’ve encountered there have always been friendly. But there’s an even better option for eligible travelers: TSA PreCheck Touchless ID. On my recent trip, the regular PreCheck line was showing about a 20-minute wait.

Touchless ID? It took me less than a minute. American Airlines recently expanded TSA PreCheck Touchless ID to all of its hub airports, including ORD. Eligible AAdvantage members can opt in and use facial matching technology to verify their identity instead of presenting a physical ID at participating checkpoints.

It’s voluntary and you’ll need to enroll ahead of time, but if you’re eligible, it’s worth setting up.

The Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport is incredibly convenient

If you have an overnight connection, an early morning flight or a major delay, there’s a hotel right at the airport. We’ve stayed at the Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport, which is the only hotel located within O’Hare. You can walk underground from Terminals 1, 2 and 3, which is especially convenient during a Chicago winter. There’s transportation available to Terminal 5 and the CTA Blue Line station is right nearby. When we stayed there, we even tried one of their allergy-friendly rooms.

KEEP READING: My Experience Staying in an Allergy-Friendly Room at the Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport

Do you know why O’Hare’s airport code is ORD?

Here’s a good piece of trivia for your next trip: Why is Chicago O’Hare’s airport code ORD when there isn’t a “D” in O’Hare? Before it became O’Hare, the airport was known as Orchard Field Airport. The ORD code dates back to that name. The airport was renamed in 1949 for Edward “Butch” O’Hare, a U.S. Navy aviator and Medal of Honor recipient from World War II but the ORD airport code stuck.

O’Hare is more than a place to catch a flight

I know plenty of travelers who try to avoid O’Hare because of its size, weather delays and reputation for congestion. I get it. It’s one of the busiest airports on the planet and when something goes wrong, you’re going to know it. But after traveling through ORD countless times and now getting the opportunity to really explore it with my family, I appreciate it even more.

There are nearly 280 nonstop destinations, great food, direct public transportation into downtown Chicago, airline lounges, family facilities, accessibility programs, sensory resources, Travelers Aid volunteers and helpful information desks.

And then there are the little things like the Christmas decorations. Walking through the same terminal you recognize from Home Alone. Getting Garrett Popcorn before your flight. Watching your kid’s face light up when he finally gets to stop at that LEGO vending machine you’ve been promising him for a year.

O’Hare may be enormous and you should definitely give yourself plenty of time to navigate it, but that’s also part of what makes the airport so interesting. The biggest takeaway from our tour was that there’s much more happening at O’Hare than most travelers realize.

So next time you’re connecting through ORD, don’t automatically think of your layover as time you need to kill. Give yourself a little extra time and explore. You might end up liking O’Hare as much as we do.