O'Hare Holiday Travel Guide 2026: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's

The holidays are the busiest time of year at O'Hare, and the last two seasons set records. If you are flying for Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year's, a little planning saves a lot of stress. This guide covers the busiest days for 2026, when to leave, what to bring, and how to get to and from ORD without a fight.

How busy O'Hare gets over the holidays

Here are the numbers from last year, from the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and the TSA.

Thanksgiving 2025

• The CDA expected more than 1.63 million travelers at O'Hare over the seven-day Thanksgiving period.
• That was a 9.5 percent jump from 2024, and likely the busiest Thanksgiving week in the airport's 70-year history.
• The peak day at O'Hare was Sunday, November 30, with nearly 290,000 passengers expected.
• Across the country, the TSA screened 3.13 million people that same Sunday. It was the busiest day ever at US airports.

Christmas and New Year's 2025

• The CDA expected more than 4 million passengers at O'Hare between December 19 and January 5.
• That was about 224,000 travelers a day, and 7.5 percent more than the 2024 holiday season.
• The busiest day was Saturday, December 20, with more than 263,000 passengers expected.
• The lightest day was New Year's Day, with about 191,000 travelers.

The 2026 forecasts are not out yet. Last year the CDA announced them just before each holiday. Our advice is to plan for crowds at least as big as last year.

Key holiday dates for 2026

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026. Christmas Day and New Year's Day both fall on a Friday this year. Here is what to expect on the days that matter most.

If your dates are flexible, flying on the holiday itself or on New Year's Day usually means shorter lines. Flying on the Sunday after Thanksgiving means the longest lines of the year.

When to leave for O'Hare over the holidays

Airlines and the TSA commonly advise arriving at least 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international flight. On the busiest holiday days, give yourself more.

For our pickup times, we use a simple rule. Start with the normal suggested pickup time for your area, then add 30 to 45 minutes for international flights, weekday rush hours or winter weather. Over the holidays, several of those can stack up on the same day. Our O'Hare drop-off page shows the base times by area, and our guide to how early to leave for O'Hare explains the timing in full.

You can also check estimated security wait times on flychicago.com, the official site for O'Hare and Midway.

What to bring: ID, gifts and food

Bring a REAL ID or a passport

The TSA now requires a REAL ID or another accepted ID, such as a passport. Since February 1, 2026, travelers without one can pay $45 to use a system called TSA ConfirmID. It covers a 10-day travel period, but it can take extra time and does not guarantee you will be cleared. Do not find this out at the checkpoint on the busiest day of the year. Check your ID now. Children under 18 do not need to show ID at the checkpoint. More at tsa.gov.

Leave gifts unwrapped

If the TSA needs to look inside a wrapped gift, they may have to open it. Use gift bags or boxes that open easily, or wrap your gifts when you get there.

Know the food rules

Solid foods like pies and baked goods can go in your carry-on. Things you can pour or spread, like cranberry sauce, gravy, jam and wine, count as liquids. If they are over 3.4 ounces, pack them in a checked bag.

Shoes can stay on

Since July 2025, the TSA no longer requires most travelers to take off their shoes at security. Belts, coats, laptops and liquids may still need to come out, so dress for a quick trip through the line.

Parking, rideshare and airport pickups over the holidays

Parking. A long holiday trip means paying for every day your car sits at the airport. If you are gone for a week or more, compare the total before you decide. Our parking vs. car service guide walks through the math.

Rideshare. Holidays are peak demand, and app prices rise with demand. At O'Hare, standard app rides pick up from set zones on the upper level at Terminals 2 and 3 only. With holiday luggage, that walk adds up. See Uber and Lyft Pickup at O'Hare: Where to Go.

Friends and family. On the busiest days, the arrivals roads get slow. If someone is picking you up, have them wait at the Cell Phone Lot until you have your bags, instead of circling the terminals.

How to book your holiday ride with us

• Book as soon as your flights are set. We recommend booking at least 12 to 24 hours ahead for guaranteed availability, especially for early-morning flights and group vehicles. On peak holiday dates, earlier is better.
• Book both ways at once. Set up your ride to O'Hare and your ride home from O'Hare in the same call.
• Your price stays the same. Our rates are flat and locked at booking, with tolls included. A holiday, a storm or rush hour never changes what you pay.
• Ask about cancellation terms. Some peak dates and large vehicles have their own cancellation terms. We will tell you when you book.
• We track your flight. If your holiday flight is late, your chauffeur is timed to the real landing, with free wait at the Cell Phone Lot.

Family coming to visit?

Picking up parents or grandparents who do not fly often? Book our meet and greet service. A chauffeur waits at the terminal door with a name sign, takes their bags and walks them to the car. At Terminal 5, the chauffeur waits at the terminal door after customs. For more tips, see our guide to airport rides for seniors.

Traveling as a group?

Our luxury SUVs seat up to 7, and our Sprinter vans seat up to 14 with a separate luggage area. For a big family, one van is often simpler than several cars. We explain how we decide in Sprinter Van or Three Sedans? Picking a Ride for a Group. Flying with small kids? We provide child seats at no charge with 24 hours of notice. See our guide to flying with kids from O'Hare.

If holiday weather hits

A December storm on a peak travel day is the worst case. Flights get canceled, lines get long, and ride apps get expensive. We wrote a full guide for that situation: Emergency O'Hare Pickup and Drop-Off in Bad Chicago Weather. The short version is to call early, keep your flight number handy, and know what the airline owes you if your flight is canceled.

The takeaway

O'Hare over the holidays is busy, but it is predictable. The Sunday after Thanksgiving and the last weekend before Christmas are the hardest days. The holidays themselves are the easiest. Sort out your ID, give yourself extra time, and book your ride early so the trip home is the easy part.

Related reading: O'Hare drop-off timing, O'Hare airport pickup, pricing and flat rates, group transportation, and How Long From Gate to Baggage Claim at O'Hare?.

A travel guide from O'Hare Limo Service, the flat-rate ORD car and limo service covering Chicago and the suburbs.