Chicago O’Hare Airport Service Animal Policies
Assistance animals are welcome to travel with passengers who have disabilities. Certain exemptions are provided to these animals, but some rules and restrictions still apply. To determine if your dog qualifies to be certified as a Psychiatric Service Dog and can be accepted as such for air travel, you can visit Pettable’s PSD service.
Chicago O’Hare Airport Pet Relief Areas
Chicago O’Hare is home to six accessible pet relief areas. The four outdoor options are located at the Multi-Modal Facility, and on the lower levels of Terminals 1, 2, and 5, and their indoor option is in Terminal 3’s Rotunda area. The outdoor options are outfitted with grass, gravel, and/or woodchips, whereas the indoor pet relief area is complete with fake grass and a mock fire hydrant. As with most airports, Chicago O’Hare Airport pet policy requires all dogs to be in carriers or crates while in the airport. The only exceptions occur during security screenings and while utilizing one of the pet relief areas.
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ORD Airport Pet Cargo Locations
If your dog is able to travel as checked baggage, the Chicago O’Hare International Airport pet policy is to check him in at the airline counter and pick him up in the excess baggage section of your arrival terminal.
If your pet is traveling cargo to Chicago, O’Hare Airport pet policies require you to drop him off and pick him up at your airline’s designated cargo facility. O’Hare’s cargo facilities are conveniently located within the same road loop. West Cargo Road, South Access Road, and North Access Road create the borders of O’Hare’s cargo area. There is no shuttle service to and from these cargo buildings, but the area is easily accessible by road.
United Cargo
630 North Access Road
Chicago, IL 60666
847-928-3000
Delta Cargo
North Access Road, Building 613
Chicago, IL 60666
800-352-2746
American Airlines Cargo
Chicago, IL 60666
610 North Access Road, Building 33
773-686-7159
Lufthansa Cargo
616 South Access Road
Chicago, IL 60666
800-542-2746
More Chicago O’Hare Airport Pet Policy Tips
O’Hare International Airport moves approximately 1.8 million tons of freight each year, meaning that, in addition to being a popular passenger airport, the location is a high-traffic cargo transporter. In fact, O’Hare is among the top 25 cargo airports by volume globally. If your dog travels as cargo, he will be in experienced hands—but you might also need to be patient when picking him up. Though the airport just introduced a new cargo campus, plan for a potentially long wait before seeing your pup.
Though getting your pet from cargo may be a hassle, O’Hare is a surprisingly animal-friendly airport. As mentioned, Chicago O-Hare pet policies regarding animals in the airport restricts your dog to the carrier at (almost) all times. However, the new indoor pet relief area provides pets and their parents the opportunity to spend some time outside of the crate. However, though there is no designated pet policy regarding time spent at the indoor animal relief facility, keep in mind that this is the only area—aside from security—where animals are allowed outside of their carriers. Be aware of other pets’ and travelers’ needs when spending time here.
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