Chicago O’Hare International Airport Terminal 3 Map (Most Up-To-Date)
Chicago O’Hare Terminal 3 is a comb-shaped, multi-branch terminal with a central “spine” (ticketing + security line) that feeds a forked airside core (H/K) plus two long extremes: the Rotunda/G side to the west and the L “Stinger” to the far northeast.
The real layout behaves like a decision tree: a few junctions and level changes determine whether you stay airside or accidentally get pushed landside.
Map Table
| Zone | Connection | Walk Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rotunda | Concourse G entrance; T2 airside corridor | 2–6 min to G-side gates |
| H/K Y-Junction | Concourse H fork; Concourse K fork; concessions hub | 2–5 min from central screening exit |
| Concourse K tip | Gate K20; TTB node | 10–15+ min from H/K core |
| K/L split | Gate K1 area; hard-left to Concourse L | 4–10+ min to L gates; longer to L “Stinger” |
| Concourse G lower-end | Gate G17 area; lower-level descent | variable; level-change friction point |
| Landside security line | CP7/7A near Door 3A/3B; CP8 near Door 3D/3E; CP9 near Door 3G/3H | door-to-checkpoint dependent |
| Arrivals → garage bridge | Baggage claim elevators; Level 4 pedestrian bridge to Main Garage/ATS | 6–12 min plus vertical transitions |
Chicago O’Hare International Airport Terminal 3 Map Strategy
- Treat Terminal 3 like a decision tree: lock in your concourse letter early (G vs H vs K vs L), then protect the sterile boundary—anything involving Terminal 5 is a re-screening risk unless you are on the dedicated airside transfer path.
- Prioritize “dealbreaker” nodes before you start walking: the Terminal Transfer Bus boarding gate area (G17 or K20), the Rotunda junction for the T1/T2 airside walk, and the Level 4 bridge path for ATS/garage access.
- Assume signage will try to funnel you toward exits at the wrong moments; when you hit a split, stop at the overhead signs and verify gate ranges (K1–Kxx vs L1–Lxx) before committing down a pier.
- Budget for distance shock and late gate swaps: Concourse L (especially the Stinger) and the far end of Concourse K are long hauls—build buffer time before you commit to a dead-end walk.
2025 Chicago O’Hare International Airport Terminal 3 Map + Printable PDF
In 2025, Terminal 3 remains fully operational as a legacy, multi-concourse terminal with frequent localized wayfinding changes (temporary walls, shifted corridors, and signage updates).
Because small construction phases can move entrances and choke points without obvious map updates, treat any “standard route” as conditional and double-check overhead signs at each junction—especially around the Rotunda, the K/L split, and any path involving Terminal 5.
2025 Chicago O’Hare International Airport Terminal 3 Map Guide
Where is the Terminal Transfer Bus boarding point in Terminal 3— the exact door/area nearest Gate G17 (map-verified position)?
The Terminal Transfer Bus (TTB) boarding point for Terminal 3 is at Gate G17, using the Gate G17 door that functions as the controlled access point down to the bus loading area.
Gate G17 is at the far end of Concourse G, and the boarding access is tied to the Gate G17 holdroom area rather than a separate “bus station.”
The critical navigation move is reaching the G13–G17 lower-gate zone: follow Concourse G to the end, then use the nearby stairs/elevator bank that drops you to the lower-level gates (G13/G14/G14A/G15/G17). The TTB podium/queue forms at the Gate G17 door, adjacent to the G17 seating/boarding-lane space, not at the upper-level end of the concourse.
Where is the Terminal Transfer Bus boarding point in Terminal 3— the exact door/area nearest Gate K20 (map-verified position)?
The Terminal Transfer Bus (TTB) boarding point for Terminal 3 is at Gate K20, using the Gate K20 door at the very end of Concourse K where the secure bus queue/podium is set up.
Gate K20 sits in the Concourse K cul-de-sac at the pier tip, adjacent to the K18/K19/K20 gate seating cluster. Walk the full length of Concourse K until the corridor ends at the K20 holdroom area; the TTB lineup forms at the Gate K20 door (treated like a gate-controlled exit), not mid-concourse and not back at the H/K junction.
Once you commit past the K1–K10 stretch, there’s no shortcut—K20 is the terminal endpoint, and backtracking is the penalty if you overshoot or arrive without the required Terminal 5 boarding pass.
Where is the airside pedestrian connector that lets you walk from Terminal 3 into Terminal 1 without exiting security (exact junction point / nearest landmark or gate)?
The airside pedestrian connector out of Terminal 3 starts at the Rotunda at the west end of Terminal 3, at the junction where Concourse G meets the corridor toward Terminal 2.
From the Terminal 3 secure side, walk to the Rotunda (the circular node with the Urban Garden/Yoga Room area nearby), then take the corridor that leads away from the Rotunda toward Terminal 2 rather than turning into the Concourse G gates.
That airside corridor delivers you into Terminal 2 near Gate F1, and the continuation to Terminal 1 is via Terminal 2’s airside walk down toward Gate E1, where the next connector leads into Terminal 1’s Concourse B.
From Terminal 3 Concourse L, what is the walking distance (in feet/meters) to the Terminal 1 airside connector entrance (map-measured, not estimated)?
An exact map-measured distance isn’t available from the provided material; the best-supported range from Terminal 3 Concourse L to the Terminal 1 airside connector entrance at the Rotunda is about 4,224–5,808 ft (1,287–1,770 m).
| Segment | On-map anchors | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| L remote end → K/L split | L “Stinger” end (L20–L24) → main L corridor → decision point near Gate K1 | ~1,320 ft (402 m) |
| K/L split → Rotunda | Gate K1 area → past central core/Hall of Flags → west end Rotunda | ~2,640–3,168 ft (805–966 m) |
| Total to connector entrance | Concourse L → Rotunda (start of airside walk toward T2/T1) | ~4,224–5,808 ft (1,287–1,770 m) |
Where are Terminal 3’s main TSA checkpoint entrances located relative to the rotunda (exact positions/approach corridors on the terminal map)?
Terminal 3’s main TSA checkpoints line the landside ticketing hall east of the Rotunda: CP7/7A at the Rotunda (west end by Door 3A/3B), CP8 in the central core (by Door 3D/3E), and CP9 at the east end (by Door 3G/3H).
| Checkpoint | Relative to Rotunda | Landside approach corridor anchors |
|---|---|---|
| CP7 / CP7A | Rotunda-adjacent, west flank | Door 3A–3B end of ticketing lobby; closest walk to Rotunda/Concourse G side |
| CP8 | Mid-lobby core | Door 3D–3E area; main American check-in flow; exits into the central airside hall toward the H/K split |
| CP9 | Farthest from Rotunda, east flank | Door 3G–3H end; fastest for Concourse L direction if you’re being dropped at the east end of T3 |
Where is the ATS (Airport Transit System) access point when starting from Terminal 3 baggage claim level (exact escalator/elevator bank and map-verified entrance)?
The ATS access from Terminal 3 baggage claim starts at the central elevator bank in the baggage-claim hall near the Carousel 3–4 area, going up to Level 4 to reach the enclosed pedestrian bridge into the Main Parking Garage where the ATS station entrance is.
From baggage claim, don’t head out to the curb looking for a train platform. Instead, use the baggage-claim elevator core (the one in the hall by the mid-numbered carousels) and ride to Level 4 (often signed for Parking / Pedestrian Bridge). Step off at Level 4 and enter the enclosed bridge straight ahead into the garage.
Once inside the garage side, follow “ATS / Airport Transit System” signs to the station entrance integrated into the garage structure. Avoid routing yourself to Level 2 departures expecting a bridge.
What is the exact indoor route from the CTA Blue Line station to Terminal 3 departures/check-in (every corridor/turn shown on the map, no guesswork)?
Taking the Terminal 2 escalators is the dealbreaker, because it pops you out in Terminal 2 instead of Terminal 3 and forces a messy recovery. The fully indoor Terminal 3 route is the Terminal 3–signed pedestrian tunnel from the CTA station, followed by two consecutive escalator climbs to ticketing.
Exit the train platform up to the CTA station concourse (turnstile/main mezzanine level), then follow the overhead wayfinding that specifically says Terminal 3 (not Terminal 2). At the tunnel split, take the Terminal 3 spur (described in the audit as veering “right” relative to the train arrival direction) into the long pedestrian tunnel.
Stay in that tunnel until it ends at an escalator bank. Ride the first escalator up to Level 1 (Baggage Claim), then immediately transfer to the next escalator up to Level 2 (Departures/Check-in). The final escalator delivers you directly into Terminal 3’s ticketing lobby near the American Airlines counter area.
Where are the concourse split points (G vs H vs K vs L) inside Terminal 3— i.e., the exact decision intersections where travelers choose the wrong branch?
Terminal 3’s main wrong-branch decision points are the Rotunda (G vs “continue toward Terminal 2”), the H/K Y-junction (H vs K), and the K/L split near Gate K1 (K vs hard-left to L).
- Rotunda decision node: Rotunda circular space at the west end; Concourse G entrance vs the corridor continuing toward Terminal 2 (airside connector path).
- H/K decision node: the wide “town square” immediately after the central airside hall/Hall of Flags; right fork to Concourse H (H gates), left fork to Concourse K (K gates).
- K/L decision node: near Gate K1 at the mouth of Concourse K; the L corridor branches off as a hard-left turn before you commit deeper down K, and missing it forces a long down-and-back walk.
From Terminal 3 arrivals, what is the shortest mapped walking path to the parking garage pedestrian bridge/terminal walkway (exact level + entry point)?
The shortest path from Terminal 3 arrivals to the garage pedestrian bridge is to use the central baggage-claim elevator bank near Carousels 3–4, go up to Level 4, and enter the enclosed pedestrian bridge directly from that Level 4 landing.
- From baggage claim (arrivals/lower level), walk inside the hall toward the mid-hall elevator core (the one nearest the Carousel 3–4 cluster rather than the far ends).
- Take the elevator to Level 4 (often signed as Parking access / Pedestrian Bridge).
- At Level 4, the bridge entry is immediately at the terminal-side edge of the elevator landing—an enclosed walkway that spans into the Main Parking Garage.
- Staying on Level 1 or going up to Level 2 first adds horizontal backtracking and increases the chance of landing at the wrong escalator bank.
Archive Chicago O’Hare International Airport Terminal 3 Map
Below are all historical map versions for Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Each year includes the official map available for that period, presented as both WebP and PDF.
2024 Chicago O’Hare International Airport Terminal 3 Map
