Air France just opened its newest lounge, and this comes as a total surprise to me, as I didn’t even realize this was under construction!
Continue reading: Air France Lounge Chicago O’Hare Opens: Priority Pass Members Rejoice!
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Epic. Air France is knocking it out of the park with new US-based lounges. JFK, LAX, SFO, and now ORD are a great addition to those airports. Can't wait for whatever AF does at the new JFK T1, whenever that finally opens (sure to be a BFD in our community.)
Unrelated Lucky but no coverage about Brazil's GOL getting A330neos? Pretty big move for an airline that only flies 737s! There were some articles on Reuters and a few other sources late last week.
I visited the lounge on Friday (flying business class on Air France); its definitely a step up from the Swissport lounge. FWIW, they did mention that they will not allow Priority Pass members when AF/KLM have flights, likely between 12-5 pm. Its a pretty small lounge but their alcohol and food selection is even a step up from the delta sky club
It’s in T5. Non starter. UA has great lounges at Ord. So does AA. They’re not on priority pass but that keeps out the undesirable customers.
I would caution that sometimes Priority Pass is denied access when capacity is an issue. Reserving access to only AF passengers (or SkyTeam passengers/elites). I've seen it occur.
Unless one is traveling internationally. Yet another "it's only about me" comment from the middle school student.
This post is specifically about increased optionality in T5, which has no relevance to United nor American customers given they don't depart flights from there. Not sure if you've visited an Admiral's Club recently but there's more than enough undesirable behavior happening there too, even without Priority Pass.
The big question in my mind is whether this would be superior to the new Delta lounge at ORD, which is large and very nice. Maybe the alcohol is fancier? Or the food spread might be more "elevated" during non-priority pass hours, but I doubt it's more extensive than Delta's.
Was just there this morning. The staff was very kind and attentive and the F&B selection for breakfast was great. It’s nice to get something out of Priority Pass once in a while.
Speaking of 'middle school' humor... Jack, are the same 'Jack' as at DoC, where 'MeOff' keeps following you around?
I know, Lee; yet, still, AF lounges are nice, high quality, and worthwhile, if you have access via PP or SkyTeam or whatever.
Yee of little faith... put one of your 13 complimentary Priority Pass memberships to use!
One wonders how packed this lounge will get during the later bank of evening international flights (I'm looking at you, EK).
It was only a handful of years ago that AirFrance-KLM had a lounge at ORD T5. Sometimes I would board my AF or KL flights direct from the door in the lounge at ORD. This was before Delta got a lounge at ORD T5.
AA has great lounges... Really? I used AA's flagship lounge at ORD twice last month. I would hardly call it great. Perhaps the great one is the one I didn't use. Let me know where it is so I can try it out next time.
I don't recall that. But, with respect to you, differ user name -- same middle school student.
Southwest flies in and out of T5, so when it's available for Priority Pass members, it can function as a lounge for SWA domestic travelers, no?
One suspects that English travellers would be best advised to give the subject lounge a miss at ORD. The reason being that the blog contributor who uses the “ORD, blar, blar, blar” login, might mistake them for little old me. Seemingly he wants me to die by his hands …. one wonders if he has ordered a hit on me? …. 🙂
From my read - it can be - except from 12 to 5 when access limited to the AF/KLM and Sky Team Elite. Similar entry requirements to the AF Dulles Lounge
Can a DL SkyTeam Gold access this lounge considering that DL doesn’t allow access to the Sky Clubs?
We must fly out of different ORD airports. UA has one nice (non-Polaris) club in ORD, and that’s out in C. The rest are dated and all have uninspired F&B. AA’s lounges are passable. The main lounge is frequently packed to the gills and, again, marginal F&B.
I remember the old AF-KL lounge in T5. It was a broom closet, a dump, and it had the worst food. Given how large (and lovely) the DL SkyClub is in T5 I’m surprised AF and KL didn’t just keep using it and save themselves some money.
Delta domestic flights originate out of T5. It would be quite useful for them.
Jack - totally fair. Great for non-elite non-J Skyteam passengers (including domestic Delta) without lounge access, as well as Frontier, Southwest, and random international carriers that don't get tugged over to T1-3 for departure.
Air France and KLM used to share a small, subpar and windowless lounge at O’Hare. It wasn’t great but it did exist.
Air France and KLM used to share a small, subpar and windowless lounge at O’Hare. It wasn’t great but it did exist.
So just to clarify on the hours that it does not operate for an AF/KLM flight it becomes a PP lounge? You make it seem like a good thing, but I disagree. It downgrades the lounge if it becomes a PP lounge unless they plan to change their F&B offerings and other services.
Unless Ben has done it and I missed it, let’s start a heated debate on worst airport lounge (recognizing no one has been to all of them). My nomination: The Lounge (Priority Pass) at SJU. It was so deficient when we were there last November that we opted to wait it out instead at our overpopulated assigned gate with the unwashed masses.
That changed last year. Delta Elite Plus members can now access quite a few lounges domestically in various countries including the USA
Yes, Swissport lounge at ORD is SO BAD! Basically go in there, get a few drinks down as quickly as possible then get out of there!
Given SAS roll over to SkyTeam, and shortly a majority ownership by the AF/KL-Group, SAS made an announcement today that their lounge will shortly close at ORD, and I suspect when KL, SK and AF departs between:
4:40pm KL to AMS
5:10pm AF to CDG
7:15pm SK to CPH
it's good that there is some air in the schedule between AF/KL and SK, otherwise it would get crowded I suspect.
It's good to see investments by European carriers in their US lounge footprint.
In terms of SAS, Air France have taken over the management of the EWR lounge already despite SAS rostering 3x daily and AF only 1x daily.
It means the end of a long history of SAS operated lounges in the US. There are now only four SAS operated lounges left in the world: ARN, CPH, OSL and GOT. The rest are either SkyTeam or third-party.
I have not been forever. It's easy to forget that Swiss used to manage this pre-Covid. They even had a small HON/FCL corner that was excellent!
I think Frontier are also T5 out of ORD. I don't think this lounge will be useless per se but IMO doesn't warrant Ben's excited tone.
We were at this location on Nov 22, 2025. At 5pm, the receptionist told us they can’t admit us until 6pm even though PP site said that we’re allowed in at 5. We went to Swissport instead to wait there until 6. That’s a separate review. At 6pm we came back and was told that because Air France flight was delayed so they are holding the lounge priority for Air France passengers until 6:30. At 6:20, we were allowed in after the receptionist told us there were Business class passengers inside so please be quiet as we entering the lounge even though we were quiet outside while we waited. There were three people inside. The lounge was nice, but the attitude towards PP guests was lacking. If you don’t want PP passengers to be in your lounge then perhaps you should rethink about your participation in the PP program.