The 5 best lounges at ORD

Five lounges, three terminals#

All 16 lounges in our O'Hare directory are scored, and the leaders split across Terminals 1, 3 and 5. Since nobody changes terminals for a lounge, read this as the best room per airline.

1. Delta Sky Club (M) at ORD, 4.8 overall. Terminal 5, Concourse M near gate M11. Full bar, 2 shower suites, opened in 2022.
2. American Airlines Admirals Club (H/K), 4.7. Terminal 3, on the mezzanine between Concourses H and K. Full bar, 2 shower suites, renovated in 2017.
3. United Club (B18), 4.7. Terminal 1 near gate B18, full bar, no showers.

Fourth is the American Airlines Flagship Lounge at 4.6 and fifth the United Polaris Lounge, also 4.6.

Access and scoring#

Delta Sky Club (M) admits Delta Sky Club members and eligible cardholders, plus SkyTeam Elite Plus travelers on a same-day departure. The Chicago O'Hare International page shows all 16 lounges by terminal.

The overall score averages every rated metric, so it rewards consistency over one showpiece feature; ties go to the lounge with more metrics rated. Scores are editorial, 1 to 5, per our methodology. I'd compare with the best airport lounges everywhere.

Putting this into practice#

The names I'd check against the actual boarding pass include Delta Sky Club (M), American Airlines Admirals Club (H/K). I would start with the terminal and the time available after security. That turns a directory into a realistic shortlist. A lounge can be excellent and still be a poor choice for this departure if reaching it uses most of the waiting time. The location notes above should do as much work as the overall score.

The access check comes next. I'd identify the exact card, membership, status or ticket being used and read the conditions for that route into the lounge. A lounge appearing on a card's map is a starting point for that check. It is not a reason to assume every fare, guest or departure will qualify in the same way.

I would decide what I want from the stop before comparing amenities. For a meal, the food available during the actual visit matters. For work, I'd look for a suitable seat and power. For a short connection, simply finding a comfortable place near the gate may be the better result. There is little value in an amenity I cannot use.

The trade-offs I would check#

Traveling with someone else changes the calculation. I'd check the party's eligibility together, including any guest charge, rather than discover at reception that only one person is covered. A paid visit needs to make sense for the whole group and the time left. I would compare that total with a meal or a quieter seat elsewhere in the terminal.

I would also choose a fallback before walking over. If the preferred room cannot admit the party, the next choice should still fit the departure area and boarding time. That might be another eligible lounge, or it might be the terminal. Keeping that alternative simple makes it easier to walk away from a queue that no longer makes sense.

Related reading#

• The Platinum Card lounge access at ORD: every lounge it opens
• Venture X lounge access at ORD: every lounge it opens
• How to use United Club lounge access at ORD