Chicago O’Hare International Airport is home to six animal relief areas—four outdoor areas and two relief stations inside airport security. These amenities are located at the Multi-Modal Facility, and on the lower levels of Terminals 1, 2, and 5. The areas include grass, gravel, and/or wood chips to assist with fussy animal behavior. As with most airports, these outdoor Chicago O’Hare pet relief areas are located outside of security, so pet owners must go through TSA airport screening to get to their flights. The indoor O’Hare pet relief areas are both located in Terminal 3.
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Terminal Guide for Chicago O’Hare Airport Pet Relief Areas
First, be sure you know the airline rules and O’Hare Airport pet policies. Otherwise, the most important thing to remember is that most O’Hare Airport pet relief stations are located outside and before reaching security:
- To access the Terminal 1 pet relief area, take the elevator located between Door 1C and 1B to Baggage Claim on the lower level. Exit through Door 1A; the animal relief area will be on your left.
- To access the Terminal 2 pet relief area, take the elevator located between Door 2E and 2D to Baggage Claim (lower level), then exit through Door 2E. The pet relief area will be on your right.
- To access the Terminal 5 pet relief area, take the elevator located between Door 5C and 5B to Baggage Claim (lower level) and exit through Door 5B. The animal relief area will be on your left.
- To access the Multi-Modal Facility pet relief area, locate the lobby and head North.
- To access the indoor animal relief area in the Terminal 3 Rotunda, pass through security in any terminal. If proceeding from Terminal 2, take a left and follow the passageway until reaching the rotunda. If proceeding from Terminal 3, take a right and follow the passageway until reaching the rotunda.
- To access the indoor animal relief area in the Terminal 3 Main Hall, pass through security in any terminal. The pet relief area is located next to the Lotto booth near Gate K1.
ORD Airport Pet Relief Area Map
What to Expect from Chicago O’Hare Pet Relief Stations
The Chicago O’Hare pet relief areas are some of the nicest we’ve seen. Though inconvenient (travelers must pass through security again after utilizing the amenity), the outdoor facilities include real grass, wood chips, bags for quick clean-up, and a seat for pet parents.
O’Hare is a large airport and services several thousand flights every day. Though few passengers travel with animals, we recommend bringing your own bags in case none are available at your terminal’s pet relief station.
In addition to providing several outdoor animal relief areas, O’Hare also provides indoor animal relief areas. The area is outfitted with artificial grass, miniature fire hydrants, and a pop-up sprinkler system to clean and eliminate waste. The location choices are strategic, as they eliminates the need for passengers to travel back through security to allow the animal to use the bathroom. Plastic bags are available to owners, and the room is wheelchair accessible.
Chicago O’Hare’s introduction of indoor pet relief areas is a step in the right direction. Even with the nicer outdoor areas, the airport is somewhat behind the curve for overall pet travel resources, especially when compared with the number of indoor animal relief areas at other busy transportation hubs.