How to manage 12+ hours stopover in Chicago?

How to manage 12+ hours stopover in Chicago? - Serious African American businessman in formal suit looking at wristwatch while standing outside modern business center building

I am a student travelling from India to the US for my higher studies and am carrying two 23kg bags.

I have two flight options from India, both of which terminate at Chicago (ORD). My university has arranged for a bus from Chicago airport to the university (another 8 hour journey), which starts from Chicago airport at 10:30 in the night.

  1. The first flight from India reaches Chicago around 3:30 in the afternoon of the previous day, so I have to spend 7+24 hours in Chicago.
  2. My second flight reaches Chicago around 10:30 in the morning, so I have to spend 12 hours in Chicago.

I would like to know what would be the best economical (as I am a student, cannot afford to spend too much money) way to handle both these types of stopovers considering the baggage that I have to handle.

PS: I want to decide between these two flight options based on your feedback for both the stopovers.



Best Answer

There is a concise guide for a short layover in Chicago, published in Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewbender/2014/01/21/layover-guide-chicago-ohare/

The guide recommends to buy a $10 day pass on a stored-value Ventra Card. A one-way ticket is $5 from O’Hare (vending machines in the station below the airport)

Great pointers can also be found here: Can I visit Chicago during a 5.5 hour layover in O'Hare?




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What can I do with a 12 hour layover in Chicago?

12 hours is enough time to tick off some of the city's most iconic sights. First stop would have to be Navy Pier, where a trip up the Ferris wheel is by far the best way to see the city. Then on to Willis Tower where you can walk out above the crowds on the famous SkyDeck ledge.

How do you survive a 12 hour layover?

How To Survive a 12 Hour Layover
  • Change Clothes! Don't be stinky ya'll. ...
  • Make friends with the flight attendants. ...
  • SLEEP! ...
  • People Watch. ...
  • Charge your electronics! ...
  • Eat! ...
  • Read a book. ...
  • Hydrate!


  • Can you leave the airport during a layover in Chicago?

    1. Re: 7.5 hours layover in Chicago - can we leave the airport? Yes - you can leave the airport. Take the blue train downtown from the airport - https://www.transitchicago.com/airports/ - allow an hour each way on the train.

    Can you leave the airport during 15 hour layover?

    Yes, you can leave the airport during domestic layovers. For instance, if you're a US citizen and have a layover within the country, it is legal and safe to leave the airport. Be aware that you'll probably be getting two boarding passes if the domestic layover is more than an hour.



    what to do on a long layover in chicago *vlog*




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