Review: SAS Lounge Chicago Airport (ORD)

While you wrote about the Swissport lounge, you notably did not provide a rating. How many stars would that one get?

I appreciate these ORD reviews, and feel like I could have written up these exact same thoughts. It's fortunate that most airlines seem to be pushing the Swissport lounge, which is one of the few reasons this lounge has any open seats at all. Was flying J on a TK flight a little while back, saw this lounge and the lounge agents tried sending me over to the Swissport lounge "That's for TK flights". I showed them the ticket again, and they begrudgingly let me in. I'm sure a lot of people just turn back around, but that Swissport lounge is miserable. It's worse than US hotel lounges, and that says alot.

He can't go below 0 stars, maybe that's why.

Look at the chairs or seats. Most of them have NO TABLE for food and drinks. Let alone a computer. How on earth is anyone supposed to sit down and actually have a drink?

And where is the space for bags. I can't imagine this is kosher with the fire code. Bags easily obstruct all of the paths to and from the seating area, which is a big violation of fire codes.

The most upsetting part about the SAS Lounge is that you know you would be entitled to access the Polaris Lounge in the other terminal but you decided against it because of the long TSA lines.

For ORD i actually prefer flying UA or LH over SK, OS or LX.

I couldn't agree more about the embarrassment that is ORD T5 - especially as an international arriving passenger. It reminds me of newark in 1995.

I visited there in October. It was completely packed and half the people were coughing. I didn't spend much time there. I was flying Swiss but on a United ticket, so I spent most of the day at the Polaris Lounge (I had a long layover) and then took the train over and checked in. I didn't find a long line at security on the far left of the ticketing area, and the lounge is literally across the hall from the security point.

The new Delta extension had just opened but there were no gates in use yet, so while the gate Swiss uses is in a dark hallway, it was nice to walk down to the bright Delta area and sit there.

Spend as much time in the Polaris lounge in the other terminal as you can and are comfortable with, and then scoot on over to Terminal E. And skip this lounge.

Not that it’s a decent lounge itself (in fact, it could be classified as worse than the SAS lounge) but for Star Alliance passengers, has Swiss re-opened it’s lounge at ORD?

The new Delta SkyClub, also used by Air France and KLM is top notch. T5 also has a new extension, however the airside area is very narrow.

Funnily enough ORD T5 opened in 1993, so maybe design queues were taken from EWR?

Hopefully the T5 expansion can help with some of these issues.

ord21.com/signature_projects/Pages/Terminal-5.aspx

Worse, T5 reminds me of Newark circa 1985.

Well these comments have confirmed my thought to just tram to the United lounges and do security twice. Thanks everyone!

This was the very first lounge I ever visited, prior to boarding my very first business class flight, in an SAS angle-flat seat. Really thought I was living high on the hog. This was 2013, so not really all that long ago. Great memories of that trip.

This lounge is still miles better than the Air Canada lounge in Paris CDG. Can't wait for United to move back to T1.

I mean, the crowding problem must have a fair amount to do with the fact that the Swiss lounge was forced to close due to the ORD renovation work. And I always enjoyed the Swiss lounge. Before the Polaris lounge, it was my favourite at ORD.
But the real solution is to just connect T5 to the rest of the airport airside.

CDG t1 is open, along with the new star alliance satellite and lounge. Air Canada relocated on 11 January.

And United moved back on 9th

As others have implied, if I flew ORD-VIE, I'd take LH to FRA and transfer to Austrian, just to avoid Terminal 5 at ORD. The place is like a distillation of depression. It was the last major international terminal built prior to lounges becoming a "thing" and the advent of the big transcontinental aircraft. It is definitely not suited for purpose. When all of the Delta fanboys became excited about moving there last year, I told them that they'd miss Terminal 2. A supposedly good lounge (which is the de facto SkyTeam lounge) doesn't make up for having to enter the ninth circle of Hell that is Terminal 5.

One important thing to note about access (and not for good reason in ORD) - SAS Plus (their Premium Economy cabin) also grants SAS lounge access. I had access departing ORD to ARN back in 2018 and was surprised, but it was still insanely crowded back then.

"If you’re looking for food and drinks and are eligible for access, then it’s worth visiting. "

No, it's really not. I literally did an about-face the moment I got in the door back in November before my own ORD-VIE flight. Also, Tortas Frontera--possibly the best airport terminal food in the country--is right outside the lounge.

"possibly the best airport terminal food in the country"

100%. Why can't Rick Bayless open Tortas Frontera in other cities and outside of ORD? He's opened 2 locations of Tortazo here in NYC and it's pretty damn mediocre, comparatively. Meanwhile, I will route via ORD whenever possible just for those tortas!

Yeah. I've been there three times. Every time crowded. I can't believe how busy it is because I never thought Delta had a huge customer base in Chicago given (a) how small the old O'Hare Sky Club was and (b) Delta also has a good number of flights out of Midway.

When flying in and out of Chicago on Delta as a diamond, always check same-day change since O'Hare and Midway are co-terminus.

Ben, you say SAS lounge is the only Star lounge out of ORD T5, wasn't aware of LX lounge being permanently closed. Would be nice for LX and OS to get gates on T1 for departures like LH does

We'll have to wait for the Global Terminal to open for that. It's designed for alliances to group together.

I always go to Terminal 2 United Polaris lounge after checking in my luggage for international business flight. The catch is that you have to go through security check TWICE unless you are flying United international flight flying out from Terminal 2, most Star Alliance partners fly out from Terminal 5. Does it worth the effort and time? If you have Global Entry and CLEAR, probably worth the effort. If not, don't bother with the long line lol. It took me about 30 mins to go from Terminal 5 to terminal 2 with GE and CLEAR and took a long walkaway and elevators to Polaris lounge. And another 30 mins to go through another security check back in Terminal 5. Without GE and CLEAR, I would guess it would take an hour one-way so definitely not worth the effort.

All in all, O'Hare is THE WORST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT I've ever been. Almost made me wants to move away from Midwest lmao

I find Delta in T5 fantastic, the new Sky Club is perfect.

The terminal is terrible the lauge just awful

I've used the SAS lounge many times and have never been able to get a seat - ever. Such a shame.

The Ohare website says there is a "secure airside bus" between the terminals every 15 min. Do you know if this is currently operating as they say or does it not work? It seems like it would mean you don't have to go through security multiple times.

I wonder who makes up the signs and whether anyone reviews them before they go out. I imagine that virtual all people who have spent time in the US wouldn't ever call them "Newton cookies," since they are very obviously Fig Newtons.

It is working and you don’t have to go through security at T5 when taking it. My wife and I just took it on 4/13 and it was great. Enjoyed the Polaris Lounge an C18 and then caught the bus at B1. A bit of walking, but definitely worth it if you have the time. We allowed 1 hour “just in case”, but only needed about 40 minutes. Bus runs every 15 minutes and we were the only pax. Hope it isn’t discontinued as 6 employees involved. 2 each end and 2 on bus. Driver and handler I guess. Pretty cool crossing the infield, too. Bus ride about 15 minutes. We’d definitely use every time. Worst aspect is you need to walk down 1 flight of stairs at B1. Elevator at T5.

For someone who claims to use O'hare quite a bit, one would think you'd know the UA Polaris lounge is in Terminal 1, not 2.