Experience the Air France Lounge at Chicago O'Hare: Comfort Between Flights

Welcome to the Air France Lounge in Chicago

Chicago's O'Hare Airport is well-known, and within it lies the Air France Lounge—a compact yet truly comfortable haven located in Terminal 5. My family and I had the chance to visit this lounge before our transatlantic flight.

Lounge Details

In Terminal 5, you'll find two SkyTeam lounges: the Delta Sky Club and the Air France Lounge. I visited on Christmas Eve when the Delta Sky Club was closed, making the Air France Lounge quite crowded at 6 PM.

Hours and Access

The lounge is open daily from 5 AM to 8 PM, conveniently located near gate M17, adjacent to the LOT Polish Lounge. You can access the lounge if you're traveling in business class with SkyTeam or hold a SkyTeam elite card. This includes tiers such as La Première (though Air France does not offer first class from Chicago), business class, or Flying Blue Gold, Flying Blue Platinum, and SkyTeam Elite Plus members.

If you don't have SkyTeam Elite Plus status, you're not permitted to bring a guest.

Space and Seating

This lounge spans 5,060 square feet (470 square meters) and can accommodate up to 105 guests. Everything is arranged in one large room with a bar on one side and a buffet on the other. There are plenty of comfortable seating options, including tables with chairs and bar seating. When I entered, the lounge was quite busy, but within about 30 minutes, the space felt nearly empty.

Food and Beverages

My family was quite hungry, and as we walked past the buffet, we noticed many others waiting for food. Each time a dish was brought out, it quickly disappeared. There were even times when plates, bowls, or utensils were in short supply. Nevertheless, the food looked appetizing, featuring a variety of hot and cold options like salads, quiches, sliced meats and cheeses, soups, shepherd's pie, and even tandoori chicken. Once the initial rush settled down, I found there was no shortage of offerings.

I was glad I saved room for the meal on the plane, but had it been a domestic flight, I would definitely have enjoyed lunch here.

Restrooms and Showers

The lounge provides restrooms for both men and women, as well as facilities for disabled guests and a shower area (I couldn't take photos as it was occupied).

Lockers and Storage

Near the entrance, the lounge features six lockers for storing carry-on luggage. You can lock and unlock them using a four-digit code of your choice.

Conclusion

Although my first visit to the lounge felt somewhat uncomfortable due to the crowd, this was likely an exception because of the Delta Sky Club being closed. Overall, it’s a beautifully designed lounge with a view of the runway, tidy food and beverage offerings, clean restrooms, and shower facilities. As a member of Priority Pass, it certainly outshines the Swissport lounge next door, which was so crowded they had to deny entry to Priority Pass holders on Christmas Eve. When I left the lounge, there were no lines at all—a stark difference just 30 minutes later!