How Far in Advance Should You Book an O'Hare Car Service?

For most trips, book your O'Hare car service at least 12 to 24 hours in advance. That holds your car, your chauffeur and your pickup time. Book earlier for holidays, big events, early-morning flights and group vehicles. And if you need a ride today, call us. We take same-day rides whenever a car is available.

Good news first: online booking is now live. You can book your O'Hare ride online any time, day or night. You can also call or text us at (708) 998-6634. This guide covers how far ahead to book for every kind of trip.

How far ahead to book, by trip type

Regular trips: book 12 to 24 hours ahead

For a normal trip to or from O'Hare, 12 to 24 hours of notice is enough. Booking ahead guarantees three things:

• Your vehicle. The sedan, SUV or van you picked is held for you.
• Your time. Your chauffeur is assigned and your pickup is planned around traffic.
• Your price. Your flat rate is set when you book, with tolls included and no surge.

Not sure what time to leave? Our guide on how early to leave for O'Hare lists times by suburb and flight type.

Early-morning flights: book the day before

A 6 a.m. flight can mean a 3 or 4 a.m. pickup. That is not the time to look for a ride. We run 24/7, and early pickups are normal for us. Just book by the day before so your ride is set before you go to sleep.

Holidays: book as soon as your flights are set

Thanksgiving week, Christmas and New Year's are the busiest times at O'Hare. Many people want a ride on the same mornings. The best advice is simple: book your car the same day you book your flights. This matters even more if you need an SUV or a Sprinter van for family and bags.

For dates, timing and packing tips, see our O'Hare holiday travel guide.

Conventions and big events: book early

When a big show comes to McCormick Place or the Rosemont convention center, many travelers fly into O'Hare at the same time. Book your ride as soon as your travel dates are set. For a team, one Sprinter van keeps everyone together. See our O'Hare to McCormick Place page for routes and fares.

Groups: book large vehicles early

If you are moving a group, a team or a family reunion, book as early as you can. That way the right size vehicle is held for you. Our group transportation page shows every option, from 14-seat vans to 54-passenger coaches.

Traveling with kids: book child seats 24 hours ahead

Child seats are free, but we need at least 24 hours of notice to have the right ones in your car. When you book, add the number of kids and their ages in the notes. For more tips, read our guide to flying with kids and car seats at O'Hare.

Need a ride today? Call us

Plans change. Flights get moved. We take same-day and last-minute bookings whenever a car is available. The fastest way is to call or text (708) 998-6634. A real person answers 24/7 and tells you right away if we can take the trip.

What to have ready when you book

• Pickup and drop-off addresses, or your O'Hare terminal
• Date and time of pickup
• Airline and flight number for arrivals
• Number of passengers and bags
• Child seats or extra stops, added in the notes

What if your flight changes after you book?

You don't need to rebook for a delay. We track your flight and move your pickup to your real landing time. If you land early, your chauffeur is there. If your flight is canceled, send us your new flight. We will move your ride to match. For how our pickups work at each terminal, see our O'Hare airport pickup page.

The takeaway

So how far in advance should you book an O'Hare car service? For most trips, 12 to 24 hours is enough. For holidays, big events, early flights and groups, book as soon as your plans are set. If you need a ride at the last minute, call us. Online booking is now live. In a few minutes, you can get a flat rate with tolls included. You also get flight tracking and a chauffeur who meets you at the curb when you call or text that you are ready.