Airport help.

[Komm Suesser Tod]

I'll be picking up my girlfriend up at O'Hare airport this Saturday night, and I've never picked anybody up at an airport before. Dropped off, yes, but never picked up.

The details, she's flying from Spain, with a stop in New York along the way. She arrives around 8:30pm.

That's all I know, I mean, besides what airline and that kind of stuff. Where do I go? Should I park, or is there an area I can wait at?

Any help would be much appreciated.

[0ni0n]

I'll be picking up my girlfriend up at O'Hare airport this Saturday night, and I've never picked anybody up at an airport before. Dropped off, yes, but never picked up.

The details, she's flying from Spain, with a stop in New York along the way. She arrives around 8:30pm.

That's all I know, I mean, besides what airline and that kind of stuff. Where do I go? Should I park, or is there an area I can wait at?

Any help would be much appreciated.

All airports have paid parking or you can just ask her to come out of the airport, given that she's not baggage ridden. If she lands at 8:30, she will take about 30-45 mins checking out for international flight. Also, find out which terminal she is landing at.

[Aro]

Well from my knowledge, there should be a car lot where you can park, if not get a cab there are tons fo cabs coming from and going to airports. As for where you wait, you need to find out her "Gate" and wait there.

[0ni0n]

if you wanna score, bring her some flowers and chocolate. A friend of mine was exempted from any house chores for a month after doing just that at JFK last week.

[Tyche]

Get to the airport early. Dress in a suit and tie. Talk really loud on a blackberry.

International flights shouldn't take that long to check out. I pick up a friend from Germany anytime he flies in. Assuming the flight isn't delayed, it shouldn't take too long after the scheduled landing. I'm not realy familiar with O'hare though. Only been there once. I usually park in the garage. Find out what her flight number is. Check the screens inside the airport, as they'll tell you the gate and the updated landing time (if it's delayed/early).

[Jaybar]

When you arrive at O'Hare, you are given two choices: Arrivals and Departures. Take the Arrivals street and you can either park (unsure if it's paid or not, sorry, I never park) or wait outside by the cabs/limos (I have no idea if this is restricted to cabs/limos, you'd have to double check) - It's a double 2-lane road with a covered roof, unless they changed that.

Make sure you keep a good eye on the Arrival's ETA because O'Hare likes to delay.

[oldoldman]

Park and bring flowers or something. Typically airports don't charge short term if it's less than an hour.

[Katlan]

Get to the airport early. Dress in a suit and tie. Talk really loud on a blackberry.

This.

You can either go to paid parking and park your car. Or circle the airport and have her call you when she is at the baggage claim. You can't stall your car and wait for her outside the baggage claim because its considered blocking traffic, but once she is there you can wait a few minutes and they wont care

[Norellicus]

You'll want to find out her gate and flight numbers, you can park strategically that way and save a long walk from the terminal back to the car.

In most cases you can't idle in the same place as for-hire drivers, the police on-hand will force you to move along. If you don't wanna pay to park you *can* usually just drive in circles around the airport and then pick her up at the door, but you won't be able to leave your car and you'll earn way more brownie points by going into the airport so you're the first thing she sees after she exits, as well as carrying her luggage for her (overseas flights are exhausting), so you'll probably want to park anyway.

Usually there's an exact 'point of no return' where you can wait (particularly for international arrivals), it's the soonest place you'll be able to see her. You can also be proactive and find out which baggage claim her flight will be at, and figure out where it is from the arrival gate, so you can walk straight there and she doesn't have to think about it.

[Talus]

For domestic flights it may be 30-45 minutes from touchdown to greeting them at the gate, I'd allow a little longer for an international flight since you have to clear customs, even though it's Spain/part of the EU. Still, be early.

Since it's your girlfriend, if I were you, I'd park and meet her at the gate. Maybe make a sign and hold it up. Get a limo driver's hat, and ask for a tip on the walk back to your car.

[volcanicweather]

Considering this is your first time picking someone up, I would just park and meet her after she gets off her flight. You don't want to be that guy circling the wrong terminal. Knowing where her luggage will be arriving at would be a nice benefit, as she will be tired.

Personally, I wouldn't bring flowers... just more stuff to carry really. But something I really, really like is coming home to a clean house after I'm done traveling. Especially after long flights, you're tired and you have jet-lag... you just want to relax, not walk into an inferno of stuff to do. So you might want to do a total overhaul on cleaning your place and get some attention-grabbing flowers and put them in a noticeable place (i.e. dining room table, in a vase).

If she is arriving at a weird airport time (late pm / early am) where there is less congestion, it might not be such a bad idea to show up early and drive around a few times and understand where things are. Ideally the curb pick-up / taxi / limo areas are the most convenient ways to pick somebody up... especially in cold climates like Chicago; because they can just wait by the doors and when they see you pull up, run outside, put their bags in, and you drive off.

It might not hurt too to let her know if you plan on parking and picking her up, especially if she is coming in from Spain. She may not have packed a winter coat (I know I try not to when going to warm climates) and walking long distances in the cold parking garages can suck without one. Or you can be a nice guy and lend her yours =)

[MarkM.]

Unless they have changed something, you wont be able to go to the actual gate she arrives at, but you should be able to get a general idea where she will arrive and what area to be standing in.

[Pyro]

Pretty much guarantee you won't be able to meet her at the gate unless you talk to security and get a pass to go out there. You're probably not going to get one of those since I'm assuming she isn't disabled in any way. Some airports have special parking lots they call "Cell Phone Waiting Areas" where you can park for free for a short time. What airline is she flying in on? If it's Delta, I can look up some information on the flight for you if I'm still at work if you respond to this.

[Aerides]

Personally, I wouldn't bring flowers... just more stuff to carry really. But something I really, really like is coming home to a clean house after I'm done traveling. Especially after long flights, you're tired and you have jet-lag... you just want to relax, not walk into an inferno of stuff to do. So you might want to do a total overhaul on cleaning your place and get some attention-grabbing flowers and put them in a noticeable place (i.e. dining room table, in a vase).

oh this yes if you live together or are bringing her back to your place .. this. Clean sheets, wine/whatever she drinks stocked in the fridge.

Yes get her flight number, park, you can't meet at gate but once she comes out of security etc. Take her bag (she's a girl guaranteed she's got a large carry on), help with luggage, etc. Once she has got all luggage, offer to let her wait there while you run back to get the car and drive around.

Oh and after 12+ hours in coach don't expect her to look too great or be ready for immediate bonking.

[Killgannon]

expect delays as chicago is gonna be snowy this weekend.

[Stiker]

Warning about O'Hare: Make sure you park in the garage/parking area and not on the street which is pick up only. The cops WILL write tickets. I remember just circling the terminal over and over again just to make sure I didn't get one.

Although, since it is your girl, parking and meeting her will be easier.

Also iirc, O'Hare has a separate International Terminal so keep that in mind if the flight is coming directly from Spain.

[Jaybar]

I don't think he has to worry about the International terminal since she is getting a connecting flight out of New York.

But yea, I think next 2 to 3 days are going to be hell for the airport.

[Komm Suesser Tod]

Her flight to Chicago out of New York is canceled, she might be getting on a flight to Ohio though, but she wouldn't be able to get a flight to Chicago until the next morning.

Awesome.

[kyod]

cops at o'hare are notorious for yelling at you if you idle near the arrivals section for like 5min, they will ticket. check online after her flight is in the air to time your arrival to o'hare. or you could just pay an insane amount and park and wait for her at baggage claim.

also, it's going to snow for the next 4 days, tell her to get on a really really early flight (like 6/7/8am) if she can for tomorrow.

[Dazd]

O'hare happens to be one of the easiest airports to navigate so you're lucky . Just go to the economy parking lot and park there hop on the shuttle train and take it to the international terminal.