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Dear Ask Chicagoist,
I noticed recently that O'Hare has Terminals 1, 2, 3, and 5. What's up with Terminal 4? It's a bit creepy riding the Train from terminal to terminal when it skips a number.
Thanks,
Creeped
Dear Creeped,
Don't worry, you won't get sucked into an airport nightmare straight out of some horror movie or another, where the planes are always delayed, children scream in your ear, there's nothing to eat but greasy $7 sandwiches and you can't find a power outlet for your laptop to save your life. Although it being missing does kind of remind us of Platform Nine and Three Quarters.
Terminal 4 just isn't being used for actual aircraft right now. It used to be the international terminal, pre-Terminal 5 days -- so from 1984 to 1993. If you were flying overseas, you'd have to take a shuttle bus from Terminal 4 to your plane. Now things are much more streamlined and modern with Terminal 5. Since the old Terminal 4 was "on the ground floor of the main parking garage," currently O'Hare uses the terminal for ground transportation -- CTA buses, hotel shuttles, etc. It's more or less the CTA transportation depot. Below that is the CTA Blue Line stop you've undoubtedly visited before.
It's likely not that we've retired Terminal 4, either. Once more terminals are built, O'Hare will likely use the number again.
Image via flychicago.com
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If you're going to terminal 5 you are going somewhere far. It gives me chills up my spine knowing that i am going to terminal 5 before an international flight.
Sorry, that's all i have to add to this.
try flying out of terminal 5 on any horrible US only holiday weekend: bliss.
Went to paris for Thanksgiving (cheap tix) and it was bizarre it was so quiet.
2: Hope you are right. I am coming back from Paris this Thanksgiving, and I hope for a less hectic experience than last time.
While you're at it, where is concourse A? was it in terminal 4?
I also noticed that United skips the number '13' at their luggage-pickup carousels!
Guest 2 is right. I flew to Sao Paulo on Thanksgiving several years ago. Check in was a breeze and my flight was only a quarter full, resulting in my first upgrade to business class. Overall, easily one of the best flight experiences in a lifetime of fighting through packed terminals and cramped coach.
As I recall, Concourse A is being reserved for future expansion of Terminal 1 to the North.
Way to go Chicagopedia.