85 million passengers a year: Chicago’s workforce, students, and families flying out, travelers connecting through United’s and American’s hubs, and the McCormick Place industries flying in. Get the ORD media kit for formats, planning ranges, and booking windows. As a single-source airport media agency, we’ll follow up to learn who you need to reach, then come back with current availability and a recommended mix.
You’re in good company
At a glance
ORD handled 84.9 million passengers in 2025, up about 6% year over year. United is the largest carrier; American runs a major second hub. International traffic was about 14.8 million. ORD is a dual-hub building with a convention center attached, not a leisure airport; that role sits with Midway.
Four terminals: Terminal 1 United; Terminal 2 Air Canada, JetBlue, and mixed regionals; Terminal 3 American (plus low-cost and Alaska mixes); Terminal 5 most international arrivals plus selected carriers including Delta and Southwest. Confirm the airline map against flychicago at contract. Terminal and direction decide who sees the unit.
Connecting passengers on United may never leave Terminal 1 airside; American connectors stay inside Terminal 3. Bag claim, Terminal 5 after federal inspection, and the curb reach only people beginning or ending a trip in Chicago. Conference inbound and resident branding briefs weight those zones differently.
Two calendars drive the buy. Always-on reaches the Loop and metro workforce, universities, healthcare systems, and corporate headquarters. McCormick Place weeks — PACK EXPO, RSNA, AHA, ANCC Magnet, the Auto Show — bring an industry through the same terminals. Holidays and semester peaks fill the gaps.
Planning ranges: a single unit or network runs $3,500–$75,000 per 28-day period. A two- or three-unit package runs $20,000–$120,000 per period. A domination-scale mix runs north of $165,000 per period. Production, install, and removal typically add a few hundred to low-five-figures depending on format. Those are planning ranges, not a rate card.
Media is sold in 28-day periods. Holds expire five business days after confirmation. Digital creative is due 14–18 business days before start; static creative 21–28 days before start. Contracts are non-cancellable once signed. Creative is subject to airport authority approval. Competitive separation may be possible, but it isn’t guaranteed; ask when booking and write it into the contract. Some arrivals domination packages require a twelve-week minimum.
Start your ORD plan
Three ways to start, depending on where you are.
What you can run
The units on the current ORD specifications include Multi-terminal overhead LED package; Terminal 1 neon-tunnel approach LEDs; Premier concourse digital package; Terminal 1 Concourse B tension fabric; Terminal 1 B/C connector fabric; Terminal 5 rotunda fabric package; Terminal 3 overhead fabric package. Digital loops and static faces are bought as those specifications describe them. Share of voice depends on the loop length for that unit. The descriptions are planning context, not a rate card.
ORD · Unit
~16 overhead LEDs (including double-sided faces) across Terminals 1, 2, and 3 in long-sightline corridors
ORD · Unit
Pair of large soffit LEDs above the escalator from Concourse C toward the B/C pedestrian tunnel
ORD · Unit
~23 screens near lounges, gate holds, and high-traffic points across concourses
ORD · Unit
Large overhead / wall fabric in United's B concourse retail and exhibit zones; some faces visible toward C
ORD · Unit
Overhead fabric on escalators to the walkway between B and C
ORD · Unit
Double-sided overhead fabric on the walkway toward international and Southwest gates
ORD · Unit
Package of large post-security overhead displays in the American hub terminal
ORD · Unit
Eye-level LED-backlit fabric near Admirals Club, Flag Hall, and H&K gate retail
ORD · Unit
Package of backlit dioramas at H gates near food court
ORD · Unit
Overhead soffit wraps in Terminal 3 baggage claim
ORD · Unit
~27 static units across T1/T2/T3 at concourse exits, security exits, and bag claim
Digital share of voice sits next to price. The Terminal 1 soffit LED pair above the escalator to the neon tunnel runs a :10 spot in a :60 loop (one of six, about 17%). The multi-terminal overhead LED package and the premier concourse LCD package run :10 in a :100 loop (one of ten, about 10%). Read those floors before comparing ORD to a one-week market.
The digital, static, experiential, and exterior units brands buy in airports. For ORD we plan specific units and dates against what is open at the time.
Digital screens and video walls in airline business club lounges reach affluent business decision-makers and high-net-worth travelers in a captive setting.
Travelers often spend 90 minutes or more in the club. Screens in dining and seated areas and larger video walls (about 84–100 inches) give the brand both frequency and a dominant face.
Full motion or static creative can rotate through the loop while the audience is already seated.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Target high-level decision-makers and affluent individuals with entrance banners in airport business club lounges.
Engage with a discerning audience in a premium, brand-safe environment.
Showcase innovations for business-to-business brands or emphasize luxury for high-end brands.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Baggage claim digital network screens provide a unique opportunity to connect with travelers at a prime moment.
Strategically placed in high-traffic areas throughout the baggage claim area, these screens ensure maximum exposure for your brand.
By using baggage claim digital network screens, you can deliver your message to travelers multiple times, building frequency and driving engagement.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Packages can range in screen size and quantity. Strategically positioned throughout central airport concourses.
These screens can target 100% of arriving and departing traffic as passengers move towards airport exits and a large percentage of departing traffic as passengers move through the concourses and frequent favorite concessions in the area.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Large format banners offer a large, eye-catching space that can capture the attention of everyone walking through the airport.
They can be strategically placed on walls or hung from ceilings throughout the airport, ensuring maximum exposure for your brand.
With large format banners, you have the opportunity to own 100% of the share of voice in that area.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Experiential advertising at airports lets the brand interact with a captive audience through immersive installations.
Activations can include brand ambassadors, tech-focused displays, and product sampling.
Exhibit space is the same idea: a physical footprint where travelers can engage face-to-face.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Digital charging network screens are a highly effective advertising tool for brand marketers looking to reach a captive audience of travelers.
Travelers engage with the screens while charging devices, which adds dwell to the impression.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Digital spectacular screens offer a powerful advertising tool to capture significant attention in airports.
Strategically located in high-traffic areas, these screens provide maximum visibility and impact for your brand.
With their attention-grabbing size and creative flexibility, digital spectacular screens hold the attention of travelers and drive engagement.
* Differs depending on the airport.
By using digital network screens, you can deliver your message to travelers multiple times throughout their journey.
Strategically placed in high-traffic areas, these screens ensure maximum exposure for your brand.
These screens build frequency and drive engagement, making them an effective advertising option.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Dioramas are backlit displays at eye level in corridors and holdrooms.
They offer a lit, poster-scale face with 100% share of voice on that unit.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Leverage exterior signage to engage airport visitors as they arrive or depart, keeping the brand visible on the campus.
High-impact banners on the building or approach create a lasting impression before travelers enter the terminal.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Flight information screens are some of the most frequently viewed screens in the airport, where passengers already look for gate and time updates.
Advertising on these screens puts the message next to information travelers are actively reading.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Jet bridge wraps put the brand on the walk between gate and aircraft.
The space is captive and sequential: every boarded passenger on that gate walks the length of the wrap.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Large format digital screens offer a unique opportunity to make a lasting impression on travelers.
These screens have the wow factor needed to capture your target audience's attention and inspire them to engage with your brand.
Large format digital screens offer creative flexibility to showcase your brand's messaging and art in a way that resonates with your target audience.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Large format banners offer a large, eye-catching space that can capture the attention of everyone walking through the airport.
They can be strategically placed on walls or hung from ceilings throughout the airport, ensuring maximum exposure for your brand.
With large format banners, you have the opportunity to own 100% of the share of voice in that area.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Mini-spectaculars are smaller spectacular units that still dominate a sightline without a full-wall takeover.
They own share of voice on that face and work in tighter terminal pockets.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Exterior digital billboards at the airport engage a wide mix of travelers on the approach and campus roads.
Creative on digital billboards can run full motion or static.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Large format banners offer a large, eye-catching space that can capture the attention of everyone walking through the airport.
An overhead banner package is sequenced across multiple faces so the brand owns a stretch of the travel journey and a specific airport area, which is what creates the wow effect.
They can be placed on walls or hung from ceilings, with 100% share of voice in that zone.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Spectaculars are large-format displays built for a single dominant face in a high-traffic terminal space.
With the ability to own 100% of the share of voice, your message is the only one being seen by travelers in that area.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Tension fabric displays are a visually stunning way to showcase your brand or product in the airport.
They command attention in a crowded terminal and offer a cost-effective way to reach a large audience.
With tension fabric displays, you have the opportunity to own 100% of the share of voice in that area.
* Differs depending on the airport.
By advertising on airport security trays, the brand reaches travelers during an essential part of the departing journey.
Every passenger who uses that lane handles the tray.
* Differs depending on the airport.
By using vertical digital network screens, you can deliver your message to travelers multiple times throughout their journey.
These are vertical units with a different view profile: most sit at eye level and read with a poster feel.
Strategically placed in high-traffic areas, they build frequency as passengers walk the concourse.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Video walls are strategically positioned in high-traffic areas of the airport, ensuring maximum visibility and engagement for your brand.
These high-impact screens provide maximum visibility for your brand, making a lasting impression on travelers.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Wall wraps offer a visually striking and modern way to showcase your brand in the airport, with the ability to customize them to your brand.
Strategically placed in high-traffic areas, wall wraps capture attention and own 100% of the share of voice on that surface.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Sponsoring Wi-Fi access at airports engages travelers on their personal devices.
Call-to-action pages can be video or static, which is what turns access into a media placement.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Window wraps offer a visually striking and modern way to showcase your brand on terminal glass, with the ability to customize them to your brand.
Strategically placed on windows in high-traffic areas, they capture attention from the interior walkway or the curb and own 100% of the share of voice on that glass.
* Differs depending on the airport.
Examples
Airport advertising in practice, photographed across many airports. Availability at ORD varies by format.
Real brands. Real campaigns.
Campaigns across several countries and media owners, each bought through one contract. Swipe or use the arrows for the markets, the scope, and the result.
U.S. + Canada
Multiple media owners.
One coordinated buy.
EAM brought a U.S. and Canada airport campaign together across multiple media owners.
Five continents
Different markets.
One media partner.
Large-format digital and screen networks across five continents, including London, Paris, Tokyo, and São Paulo.
Airports + airline lounges
Airports and lounges.
One coordinated plan.
A combined airport and airline-lounge presence across the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East.
Five U.S. airports
A year of visibility.
One coordinated rollout.
EAM bought year-long security-tray takeovers across five major U.S. airports.
Latin America
Four airports.
One regional campaign.
EAM planned digital and physical branding across Buenos Aires, Santiago, Bogotá, and Mexico City.
San Jose · SJC
One airport.
A complete takeover.
EAM coordinated a full San Jose airport takeover across digital displays and all 760 security trays.
Airline lounges · 7 U.S. cities
Executive education.
Reached in the lounge.
EAM planned and executed a lounge campaign for Wharton Executive Education in United, Delta, and American clubs across Philadelphia, New York, Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis, and San Diego.
4 markets · Year-round
Four markets.
A full year on screen.
EAM built a year-round enrollment campaign on airport digital video: always on in Salt Lake City, rotating through Dallas, Chicago, and Washington, D.C.
U.S. + Spain
An album launch.
Two countries at once.
For the Saturno release, EAM planned and executed airport advertising in Miami, New York, Chicago, Madrid, and Barcelona, plus an in-flight buy across the JetBlue fleet.
“EAM made a nationwide airport campaign feel much easier to manage. The team was responsive, organized, and always on top of the details. They helped us make smart decisions with the budget, kept everything moving, and ultimately delivered exactly what we were looking for.”
Chief Marketing OfficerFortinet · nationwide airport campaign“This was one of the most challenging campaigns we had ever managed, launching during COVID and the unprecedented freeze in air travel. EAM was an incredible partner throughout the entire process. They worked closely with the airports and media partners to protect our placements and ensure our space was held until travel resumed. Their persistence, communication, and attention to detail made an extremely difficult situation manageable. Without EAM, navigating this campaign would have been a nightmare.”
Chief Marketing OfficerInvest in Canada · airports and airline lounges“We ran a security tray advertising program across several key airports, and EAM was a tremendous partner throughout the process. Their team helped secure the space, manage renewals, and coordinate the campaign seamlessly from start to finish.”
Chief Executive OfficerFlexispot · security tray programThese examples show past EAM campaigns—not a minimum campaign size, a forecast, or a guarantee of results. One-airport briefs are welcome, too.
Cost
$3,500–$75,000 for a single unit or network per 28-day period. $20,000–$120,000 for a two- or three-unit package per period. North of $165,000 for a domination-scale mix per period. Digital loops commonly run ten-second spots; share of voice depends on loop length (about 10% on a :100 loop, about 17% on a :60 loop). Those are planning ranges, not a rate card.
Media is sold in 28-day periods. Holds expire five business days after confirmation. Digital creative is due 14–18 business days before start; static creative 21–28 days before start. Contracts are non-cancellable once signed. Creative is subject to airport authority approval. Competitive separation may be possible, but it isn’t guaranteed; ask when booking and write it into the contract. Some arrivals domination packages require a twelve-week minimum.
What a budget buys at ORD
Planning ranges. Pick the one closest to your brief and we’ll build the plan from it.
A single unit or network, one period
A two- or three-unit package, one period
Domination-scale mix, one period
These are planning ranges, not packages or a rate card. Actual plans depend on the unit, the period, and what is open when you book.
Media at ORD is sold in 28-day periods (the specifications also state rates as four-week units). For a convention week, one period covering the show is the usual brief; for always-on branding, brands stack periods. Some arrivals domination packages carry a twelve-week minimum. Rates move with availability; annual increases apply to multi-year agreements.
Print and static. Tension fabric, lit fabric, dioramas, and soffit wraps are a substantial share of recommended mixes. Production, install, and removal are quoted separately — commonly a few hundred dollars on a diorama to low-to-mid five figures on a multi-unit fabric package.
The published mix of roughly two dozen static units across Terminals 1–3 carries a twelve-week minimum. It is an O&D arrivals tool, not a substitute for United or American airside frequency. Use it when people are actually entering Chicago for a multi-week stretch.
Contract realities. Buying unit: 28-day period. Holds expire five business days after confirmation; extensions are at the contract's discretion. All rates non-cancellable once contracted. Digital creative is due 14–18 business days before start; static creative 21–28 days before start. Creative subject to final airport authority approval before production or posting. Competitive separation may be possible, but it isn’t guaranteed; ask when booking and write it into the contract. Proof of posting: print gets one close-up and one environmental photo per location within five business days of posting; digital gets the same for single units and for 10% of locations on packaged networks, plus a photo of each ad in stacked content. Annual rate increases apply to multi-year agreements. Pricing quotes are valid for 30 days from issue.
For pricing methodology across airports and tiers, see the .
Unit rates, loop-position premiums, and period-specific quotes. Those numbers move with availability. Specific units and periods come back as a quote.
| Unit | Where it reaches them | Faces / size | Your spot in the loop | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Multi-terminal overhead LED package | ~16 overhead LEDs (including double-sided faces) across Terminals 1, 2, and 3 in long-sightline corridors | Mixed ~102″×62.5″ and ~124″×62″ | :10 / :100; one of 10, ~10% SOV; static + motion | Domination building block; hub frequency across domestic core |
| Terminal 1 neon-tunnel approach LEDs | Pair of large soffit LEDs above the escalator from Concourse C toward the B/C pedestrian tunnel | ~300″ × 87″ class | :10 / :60; one of 6, ~17% SOV; static + motion | United connecting and O&D dwell on the iconic path |
| Premier concourse digital package | ~23 screens near lounges, gate holds, and high-traffic points across concourses | ~84″; 1920×1080 | :10 / :100; one of 10, ~10% SOV; static | Frequency across the building; corporate and always-on |
| Terminal 1 Concourse B tension fabric | Large overhead / wall fabric in United's B concourse retail and exhibit zones; some faces visible toward C | ~300″ × 144″ | Static | United hub presence; conference + branding dual use |
| Terminal 1 B/C connector fabric | Overhead fabric on escalators to the walkway between B and C | ~180″ × 108″ | Static | United connectors and O&D moving between concourses |
| Terminal 5 rotunda fabric package | Double-sided overhead fabric on the walkway toward international and Southwest gates | ~240″ × 60″; package of 2 | Static | International departures / arrivals adjacency; Southwest O&D at T5 |
| Terminal 3 overhead fabric package | Package of large post-security overhead displays in the American hub terminal | ~337–343″ × 107″; package of ~5 | Static | American hub departures; Flag Hall / H&K adjacency when paired with lit units |
| Terminal 3 lit fabric (Admirals / Flag Hall) | Eye-level LED-backlit fabric near Admirals Club, Flag Hall, and H&K gate retail | Mixed ~124–175″ widths | Static | American premium dwell; B2B and financial |
| Terminal 3 backlit dioramas | Package of backlit dioramas at H gates near food court | ~62″ × 43″; package of ~4 | Static | Lower-cost American-hub presence; package floor |
| Terminal 3 bag-claim soffit wraps | Overhead soffit wraps in Terminal 3 baggage claim | ~300″ × 26″; package of ~4 | Static | American O&D arrivals; conference inbound on AA |
| Arrivals domination static package | ~27 static units across T1/T2/T3 at concourse exits, security exits, and bag claim | Various | Static | Full O&D arrivals story — twelve-week minimum on the published package |
Timing
For B2B and associations, the McCormick Place weeks: PACK EXPO in mid-October, ANCC Magnet at month's end, AHA and RSNA in November, the Midwest Clinic in December, then the Auto Show in February 2027. For branding, every week: the resident workforce does not wait for a show. Holidays and semester peaks add leisure and student volume.
| Event | Timing | Who arrives | What it means for the buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America Chicago Marathon | October 8–11, 2026 | Runners, families, expo visitors | Consumer and hospitality weight; arrivals and curb |
| PACK EXPO International | October 18–21, 2026 | Packaging and processing buyers; major industrial show | Marquee B2B week on the near calendar. Hold early; weight T1/T3 arrivals and bag-claim soffits |
| ANCC Magnet & Pathway | October 29–31, 2026 | Nursing leadership | Healthcare / talent inbound |
| AHA Scientific Sessions | November 6–9, 2026 | Cardiology and cardiovascular professionals | Healthcare and device brands; T1/T3/T5 mix |
| IEEE SC26 (Supercomputing) | November 15–20, 2026 | HPC and AI infrastructure | Tech / cloud B2B; dual direction |
| RSNA Annual Meeting | November 29 – December 3, 2026 | Radiology and medical imaging; one of McCormick Place's largest annual draws | Peak healthcare imaging week. Hold early; arrivals domination and T5 international matter for overseas attendees |
| Holiday stretch | Late November through early January | Families, visiting alumni, leisure | Consumer and hospitality; Marketplace-style dwell and arrivals digital |
| Midwest Clinic | December 16–18, 2026 | Band and orchestra educators | Niche education / arts inbound |
| AHR Expo | January 25–27, 2027 | HVACR professionals | Industrial / building-systems inbound |
| Chicago Auto Show | February 13–21, 2027 | Auto shoppers and dealer / OEM trade days | Automotive and related services; longer public run than a pure trade show |
| NeoCon | June 13–16, 2027, THE MART | Commercial interior design, architecture, and workplace buyers | Design, furniture, and workplace-technology brands; arrivals and the River North hotel corridor |
| Semester peaks | Late August, mid-January, May | Students, parents, faculty | University and recruiting briefs; departure-side weight |
| Standard weeks | All other periods | Metro workforce, routine business, leisure | Always-on branding; loops less contested |
Dates checked October 2026.
The mistake at ORD is buying the hub as if every passenger were headed to McCormick Place or the Loop. Terminal 1 concourse units reach United's connecting banks; Terminal 3 does the same for American. Bag claim, Terminal 5 after customs, and the curb face O&D passengers entering Chicago. A PACK EXPO or RSNA brief that only buys airside frequency under-reaches attendees who are here. Match direction to connecting vs landing, then pick the terminal. Midway is not a substitute for hub corporate or international inbound.
PACK EXPO, RSNA, and the Thanksgiving-to-New-Year stretch: hold 4–6 months out. Mid-tier McCormick Place weeks (AHA, ANCC Magnet, Auto Show): 8–12 weeks. Standard always-on periods: 4–8 weeks is usually enough. ORD prices by 28-day period rather than by a published event premium; peak weeks sell out on the arrival path first. Domination-scale arrivals packages may also require a twelve-week commitment.
| Tier | Examples | Hold by | What sells first | Pricing character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peak | PACK EXPO week, RSNA, Thanksgiving through New Year | 4–6 months | T1 tunnel LEDs, multi-terminal overhead LEDs, T3 bag-claim soffits, large T1 fabric | Standard period rates; contested availability; loops fill with travel, healthcare, and category competitors |
| High | AHA, ANCC Magnet, Auto Show, IEEE SC, semester starts | 8–12 weeks | Relevant terminal arrivals and hub fabric | Standard rates; terminal-specific contention |
| Standard | Always-on branding periods | 4–8 weeks | Most networks open | Standard 28-day rates; best for multi-period resident programs |
ORD's pressure shows up as availability, not a printed Q4 surcharge. The Terminal 1 tunnel-approach LEDs, multi-terminal overhead LEDs, Terminal 3 bag-claim soffits, and large T1 fabric faces sell first when a major show is in town. Terminal 5 fabric moves for international inbound. Twelve-week arrivals packages need earlier scoping because of the minimum.
Unit-level rates, loop-position premiums, and period-specific quotes. Those numbers move with availability and with the period. What you can plan against: 28-day buying unit; $3,500–$75,000 for a single placement; $20,000–$120,000 for a two- or three-unit package; north of $165,000 for a domination-scale mix. Specific units and periods come back as a quote.
Ready to plan?
Tell us who you need to reach, where, and when. We come back with current availability at every airport in the plan and a recommended mix.
Placement
On the O&D path if the audience is actually coming to Chicago; on United airside in Terminal 1 or American airside in Terminal 3 if the audience is connecting through the hub. Conference inbound weights bag claim and Terminal 5 after customs. Resident branding weights departure-side fabric and digital in T1 and T3. Arrivals domination packages need the twelve-week minimum and still do not replace hub airside frequency.
| Step | Zone and units | What the passenger is doing | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off the plane (domestic hub) | Gate and concourse; T1 tunnel LEDs if United; T3 Flag Hall / lit fabric if American; premier digital | Walking to exit or to a connection | Medium for O&D; high for connecting-audience briefs |
| Security exit / concourse exit | Arrivals domination statics; overhead fabric | Leaving secure area toward bag claim | High for O&D |
| Baggage claim | T3 soffit wraps; other terminal bag-claim faces; arrivals package units | Waiting for bags; extended dwell | Highest for conference inbound and hospitality |
| Terminal 5 after customs | T5 rotunda fabric; post-inspection path to curb | Clearing immigration; collecting bags; choosing ground transport | Highest for international inbound |
| Ground transportation and curb | Curb and roadway-adjacent units where offered | Choosing ride-hail, Blue Line, rental car, hotel shuttle | High; last read before Loop or McCormick Place |
| Departure side | T1/T3 ticketing-to-gate fabric and digital; premier screens; tunnel approach | Check-in, security, dwell before the bank | High for resident, recruiting, university, and corporate branding |
ORD is four terminals, not one read. Passengers connect airside among Terminals 1–3 for many domestic itineraries; Terminal 5 links by ATS or transfer bus. The placement mistake is treating "ORD" as a single face. Terminal and direction decide who sees the unit.
Direction follows the objective. A convention buy is arrival-weighted on the inbound days (bag claim, soffits, T5 after customs, arrivals domination when the minimum fits) with light hub airside presence if attendees are on United or American. A resident branding buy is departure-weighted: T1 and T3 fabric, premier digital, and the tunnel-approach LEDs. An international inbound buy starts after federal inspection at Terminal 5. An airside-only United buy will overstate local reach on a city brief.
Airline assignments shift among Terminals 2, 3, and 5. Expansion and refresh programs reassign holdrooms and circulation. Confirm unit locations and airline maps against the current plan at contract, not against last year's deck.
Why ORD
Because United's Midwestern hub and McCormick Place's calendar share one airport, while Midway takes the Southwest and leisure share. Eighty-five million passengers a year move through four terminals; United leads, American runs a second hub in Terminal 3. Brands buy the resident metro on the departure side and the convention inbound on arrivals — and they plan around which passengers actually leave the airside.
ORD is Chicago's primary international gateway and one of the busiest U.S. airports by passenger volume. In 2025 the Chicago Department of Aviation reported 84,856,018 passengers, up 5.97% from 2024 — about 70.0 million domestic and 14.8 million international. December 2025 moved about 6.69 million passengers, consistent with the media specifications' monthly figure of roughly 6.67 million. United is the dominant carrier; American is number two. Southwest's Chicago base is weighted toward Midway rather than O'Hare.
What makes the buy specific is the hub structure plus the city. United banks traffic through Terminal 1 (Concourses B and C, linked by the neon pedestrian tunnel). American concentrates in Terminal 3 (Concourses G, H, K, L). Most international arrivals clear federal inspection in Terminal 5. A material share of United and American traffic is connecting — concourse and tunnel-adjacent units reach people who may never enter Chicago, while bag claim, Terminal 5 after customs, and the curb face only the O&D passenger. Confirm connecting shares against a primary CDA or carrier source before quoting percentages in sales materials.
McCormick Place on the Near South Side offers about 2.6 million square feet of exhibition space — the largest convention campus in North America. Its calendar changes who is in the building: PACK EXPO, RSNA, AHA, ANCC Magnet, the Chicago Auto Show, and NeoCon in June. Holidays and university calendars add leisure and student traffic.
Audience
84.9 million passengers in 2025 across four terminals. United dominates Terminal 1. American dominates Terminal 3. Terminal 5 clears most international arrivals. Terminal 2 holds Air Canada, JetBlue, and mixed feed. The useful audience for a conference brief is the industry landing that week; for a branding brief it is the metro workforce and students who depart every week. Midway handles a separate Southwest-heavy leisure base of roughly 19 million passengers a year — different airport, different brief.
| Terminal | Airlines (as of flychicago / public guides; confirm at contract) | What it means for the buy |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 1 | United (domestic and international departures); Star Alliance partners as assigned | United hub heart; Concourses B and C linked by the neon tunnel. Highest United dwell; conference and corporate traffic on UA concentrates here |
| Terminal 2 | Air Canada, JetBlue; selected regionals and mixed domestic (confirm Alaska / Spirit ticketing vs gate splits) | Canada and East Coast / leisure-leaning O&D; useful when the audience is not on United or American |
| Terminal 3 | American Airlines hub (G, H, K, L); Spirit, Frontier, Alaska mixes as assigned (confirm at contract) | American hub; Flag Hall, Admirals Club-adjacent lit fabric, H-gate food court. Second hub bank for conference and corporate briefs |
| Terminal 5 | Most international arrivals after federal inspection; Delta, Southwest, and other carriers as assigned; many foreign-flag departures | Customs and the first public read for long-haul arrivals; international inbound and selected low-cost O&D. ATS / transfer bus link to T1–T3 |
United and American bank Midwest, coastal, and international corporate traffic through Terminals 1 and 3. Lounge entries and high-dwell concourse retail are the physical reminder that this is a frequent-flyer building. Always-on B2B, financial, SaaS, and industrial brands weight departure-side dwell here.
PACK EXPO, RSNA, AHA Scientific Sessions, ANCC Magnet, IEEE SC, the Chicago Auto Show, and the rest of the McCormick Place slate. They fly the hub carriers into T1 and T3, and international exhibitors into T5. One 28-day period covering show week is the natural buy; arrival-side bag claim, soffit wraps, and Terminal 5 after customs do the inbound day.
About 14.8 million international passengers in 2025. Long-haul arrivals clear primarily through Terminal 5. Public advertising reaches them after federal inspection at bag claim and the curb, not at the gate. Departure-side units in T1 and T3 reach outbound long-haul and domestic connectors, not the inbound customs path.
The Loop and suburban corporate corridors use ORD as the weekly departure door for finance, consulting, manufacturing, healthcare, and professional services. Recruiting, employer brand, healthcare, and wealth campaigns live on the departure side in T1 and T3.
University of Chicago, Northwestern, UIC, DePaul, Loyola, and IIT send and receive students every August, January, and May. Out-of-state programs recruit here; alumni campaigns hit the same terminals. Education brands EAM has placed in airports include Wharton, BYU, the University of Michigan, the University of Pittsburgh, and UT Dallas.
Terminals 1–3 connect airside for many domestic connections. Terminal 5 is reached by the Airport Transit System or transfer bus; international arrivals who are ending the trip exit after customs to bag claim and ground transportation. Connecting passengers on United typically stay in Terminal 1; American connectors stay in Terminal 3. Public advertising at bag claim and the curb does not reach those banks.
Who advertises
Industrial and packaging brands around PACK EXPO, healthcare and imaging around RSNA and AHA, universities recruiting and alumni, financial and wealth brands on the United and American departure side, conference exhibitors on arrival weeks, destination and hospitality catching Loop and Near South visitors, and arrival-moment services at bag claim. The spine's two audiences — resident branding and McCormick Place inbound — lead the plan.
| Objective | Who buys it | Who it reaches at ORD | What the buy usually looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conference inbound | Exhibitors and sponsors at PACK EXPO, RSNA, AHA, Auto Show trade days | Their industry, arriving into T1/T3/T5 | One 28-day period covering show week; bag claim + soffits; T5 after customs for international attendees |
| Account-based / B2B presence | SaaS, cybersecurity, industrial, professional services | United and American hub corporate travelers | T1 tunnel LEDs and premier digital; multi-period; T3 lit fabric for AA-heavy accounts |
| Recruiting and employer brand | Healthcare systems, manufacturers, consultancies, corporate HQ corridor | Metro workforce departing; candidates flying in | Departure-side T1/T3 fabric and digital; semester and always-on |
| Universities and executive education | UChicago, Northwestern, UIC, DePaul, out-of-state programs | Students, parents, alumni, working professionals | Departure weight at semester peaks; peer brands already use airports |
| Healthcare and specialty care | Chicago and regional health systems, device and imaging brands | Residents, RSNA/AHA/ACEP inbound, visiting families | Always-on digital + show-week arrivals |
| Financial and wealth | Banks, wealth managers, fintech, exchanges | Hub frequent flyers; convention decision makers | T1/T3 premium dwell; Admirals-adjacent and lounge-path units |
| Destination and attractions | Choose Chicago, museums, sports, hospitality | O&D leisure and cultural visitors | Arrivals path, holidays, Marathon week |
| Arrival-moment services | Hotels, ride-hail, rental cars, CTA Blue Line / ground transport | Arriving O&D deciding how to reach the Loop or McCormick Place | Bag claim and curb; always-on |
| International inbound | Airlines, telecom, retail, destination brands | Long-haul arrivals after customs at T5 | T5 fabric and post-customs path; summer and holidays |
| Launch or brand moment | Product launch, new route, headquarters announcement | Full building for a period | Overhead LEDs + hub fabric + arrivals package |
On the hub vs. the city. Decision makers who live or work in Chicago: overweight bag claim, Terminal 5 after customs, and the curb. United's or American's connecting network: concourse frequency is fine, knowing a share of impressions never enter the city. Say which brief you have before picking units.
On Midway. Southwest-heavy leisure and point-to-point traffic concentrates at Midway (~19 million passengers in 2025). When the brief is that audience, ORD is the wrong primary airport. When the brief is hub corporate, international inbound, or McCormick Place, ORD is the buy. EAM scopes both when a Chicago plan needs both.
On healthcare and industrial shows. RSNA, AHA, and ANCC Magnet make ORD a recurring healthcare media market; PACK EXPO does the same for industrial packaging. Do not wait for show week if the brief is local talent and reputation among the metro employer base.
For Midwest reach, DTW and MSP add inventory, and EAM buys them as one plan when a brief needs it. That is a scoping conversation, not something this page needs to argue.
How EAM works
One call, one plan, one contract. We follow up to learn who you need to reach and the objective, then come back with current availability and a recommended mix.
Step 01
McCormick Place show or always-on metro; which terminal and airline the audience uses; arrivals, departures, or both; whether connectors count; ORD only or part of a Midwest / dual ORD–Midway plan.
You getThe period, the audience, and the direction
Step 02
Which networks are open for the 28-day period, how crowded the :100 and :60 loops are, whether a twelve-week arrivals package minimum applies, Terminal 5 versus T1/T3 path, and whether category separation within a medium is possible.
You getAvailability and loop position
Step 03
Formats, share of voice, and a range, not a scraped rate card. After we know who you need to reach, we come back with current availability and a plan you can take inside.
You getA quoted plan you can take inside
Step 04
Digital creative is due 14–18 business days before start; static creative 21–28 days before start.
You getOne contract and one spec sheet
Step 05
Confirm posting before the first arrival wave. Deliver proof of posting and play logs after the flight.
You getProof of posting and play logs in one report
EAM Advertising is an independent airport and in-flight media agency, founded in 2015. We specialize in airport and in-flight media and nothing else, and we do not own media assets at ORD or any airport. That independence is why the recommendations hold up. We plan and buy across 125+ airports and 45+ airlines worldwide, which is the leverage and the current-availability knowledge a one-time ORD buyer does not have. Clients include Fortinet, Dynatrace, Rubrik, McGraw-Hill, and Wharton. When the strategy extends beyond Chicago — a roadshow, a multi-city launch, an international push — the same relationship covers the other markets. See the airport advertising hub.
For agencies and consultants
Agencies and consultants bring EAM Advertising in as the airport specialist behind a client’s plan. The client relationship stays with you. We plan, buy, and report under NDA, and can work white-label.
Get our media kitMeasurement
Proof of posting and digital play logs are factual. Delivered impressions are modeled. Brand lift is the only method that speaks to effect, and it has to be fielded before the flight. Direct pipeline attribution is not reliably available. A hub's concourse impressions overstate the local audience; bag-claim and Terminal 5 buys size closer to people actually in Chicago.
| Measure | What It Actually Tells You | When to Set It Up | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proof of posting | Photographic confirmation that every unit ran, in the right place, for the full period. Print: one close-up and one environmental per location within five business days. Digital: same for single units; 10% of locations on packaged networks; photo of each ad in stacked content. | Written into the contract before signing | High — factual |
| Delivered impressions | Modeled audience delivery based on airport traffic and unit position. An estimate built from traffic data, not a count of people who looked. | Requested at proposal stage | Moderate — modeled |
| Digital play logs | Actual spot counts and share of voice on digital networks. The check on whether the loop crowding you planned against actually materialized. | Requested at contracting | High — logged |
| Brand lift study | Survey-based awareness or perception change against a control. The only method that measures effect rather than exposure. | Fielded pre-flight for a baseline | Moderate — needs budget and lead time |
| Direct attribution to pipeline | Not reliably available. Airport media has no click, and the same brands run other touchpoints at the same time. | Low — treat claims here with skepticism |
Delivered impressions at ORD are modeled from traffic (about 6.67–6.69 million monthly passengers) and unit position — audience sizing, not verified views. Play logs check whether the loop crowding you planned against (about 10% on :100 loops, about 17% on the :60 tunnel-approach pair) actually held.
A McCormick Place week gives a defined population for a pre/post attendee survey. A resident program can use a Chicago geo-targeted panel. Concourse-only reporting on a United or American bank counts connectors who never saw the Loop — fine for a network brief, misleading for a city brief. Choose the unit set before the measurement story.
Honest framing for anyone defending this spend: proof of posting and play logs prove the campaign ran as bought, delivered impressions size the audience, and a lift study is the only line that speaks to effect. A vendor promising attributed pipeline from airport media is overselling. EAM contracts proof of posting and delivery reporting as standard and will say when a proposed approach won't produce a number worth presenting.
Questions
A single unit or network runs $3,500 to $75,000 per 28-day period, depending on format and availability. A two- or three-unit package runs $20,000 to $120,000 per period. A domination-scale mix runs north of $165,000 per period. Production, install, and removal are quoted separately. Those are planning ranges; specific units and periods are quoted against current availability.
In 28-day periods. Digital networks commonly run ten-second spots; loop lengths include :100 on multi-terminal LED and premier packages (about 10% share of voice) and :60 on the Terminal 1 tunnel-approach LED pair (about 17%). Holds expire five business days after confirmation. Digital creative is due 14–18 business days before start; static creative 21–28 days before start. Contracts are non-cancellable once signed. Creative requires airport authority approval. Some arrivals domination packages require a twelve-week minimum.
The one your audience's airlines use. United concentrates in Terminal 1. American concentrates in Terminal 3. Most international arrivals clear through Terminal 5. Terminal 2 holds Air Canada, JetBlue, and mixed feed. Confirm the current airline map at contract — assignments shift.
Yes, on airside concourse, tunnel-approach, and gate-hold units in Terminals 1 and 3 — and that is often most of a United or American bank. Connecting passengers typically never see Terminal 1–3 bag claim exits, Terminal 5 after customs, or the curb. If your brief is people actually in Chicago (McCormick Place attendees, hotel guests, metro residents), weight the O&D path. If your brief is the hub network, airside frequency is the point.
Yes, after federal inspection. International arrivals reach public advertising at Terminal 5 bag claim and the curb, not at the gate. For a long-haul inbound brief, T5 units matter; Terminal 1 and 3 airside units reach international departures and domestic connectors instead.
PACK EXPO (October 18–21, 2026) and RSNA (November 29 – December 3, 2026): plan to hold four to six months out. Mid-tier McCormick Place weeks: eight to twelve weeks is usually enough. Always-on periods are often workable at four to eight weeks.
Yes — as a hub branding buy year-round and as a conference buy when your industry is at McCormick Place. PACK EXPO and RSNA are the marquees on this fall's calendar, with the Auto Show and NeoCon in 2027. Outside show weeks, B2B messages work when they target the metro employer base and United/American corporate traffic, not when they assume every passenger is a local decision maker.
ORD is the hub and international story — United, American, McCormick Place inbound, long-haul arrivals. Midway is the Southwest-heavy leisure and point-to-point story. Many Chicago briefs need ORD; some leisure briefs need Midway or both.
Yes. University of Chicago, Northwestern, UIC, DePaul, Loyola, and out-of-state programs recruiting Chicago students, plus alumni campaigns around commencement and reunion. Education brands EAM has placed in airports include Wharton, BYU, the University of Michigan, the University of Pittsburgh, and UT Dallas. Natural periods are late August, mid-January, and May.
Digital creative is due 14–18 business days before start; static creative 21–28 days before start. Multi-format buys often include wide LED soffits, landscape LCD screens, and large static sizes for fabric or wraps. All creative is subject to airport authority approval before production or posting.
Competitive separation may be possible, but it isn’t guaranteed; ask when booking and write it into the contract. Within a medium, the contract reserves the right to determine separation based on the client's creative and promotion. Competitive separation may be possible, but it isn’t guaranteed; ask when booking and write it into the contract.
Everything after the objective. We check what's open for the week, which loops are crowded and which units will sell out, and where on the arrival path your audience actually walks. We recommend the mix, secure the units, traffic the creative through airport approval, confirm posting on day one, and deliver proof of posting and play logs after. If ORD is one market in a larger plan, the same relationship covers the others.
Independent airport advertising media agency. Est. 2015.
Send your work email for the media kit: formats, planning ranges, and how EAM works. We’ll follow up to learn who you need to reach and when, then come back with current availability and a recommended mix.
Independent since 2015 · 125+ airports · 40+ media vendors
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