Flying alone? No idea what to do!!

Flying alone? No idea what to do!!?
I'm nineteen and I have flown before but I was always with my family and now I am going by myself. I am leaving from the Madison Regional Airport (Wisconsin) and stopping at the O'Hare Airport (Chicago). I have a 47 minute layover to get to my next flight which leaves for the Roanoke Airport (Virginia). One of my questions. Is 47 minutes enough to catch my next flight? This is one of my concerns. And if I don't make the connecting flight to Roanoke, what do I do then? Do I go to the ticket counter and ask them to change my flight? Or? Any guidance would be helpful. Another one of my concerns/questions. After I land at the O'Hare Airport in Chicago, where do I go? Do I immediately go looking for my next gate/flight to Roanoke? Is there any reason I would have to go back to a ticket counter? Information that might be useful. I booked my flight tickets online and I will be printing off the confirmation tickets/itinerary email the airline sent to me, but I don't have actual paper tickets. So do I bring that confirmation email to the United counter (which is the airline for all of my flights) and then they will give me a boarding pass for all my flights, right then and there? Sorry for all of the questions at once! But my flight is in ten days and I am extremely nervous/anxious. If anyone can provide some information to lessen my nerves I would appreciate it! Any information would be useful!
Air Travel - 5 Answers
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1 :
The first time flying is always a little stressful, but no worries. When you check in, you will be given boarding passes for both legs of your flight from Madison to Roanoke, so you will not need to go to the ticket counter at O'Hare. 47 minutes should be enough time for you to get from one gate to another at O'Hare, but it may not be enough time for any checked baggage to be transferred from one plane to another. If you can fit all your stuff in a small rolling suitcase and a backpack, you will not need to check any luggage. (Harder to do, though, now that it is so cold.) If you do need to check a bag, make sure to bring a change of clothes, toothbrush, etc. with you on the plane because your luggage may arrive on a later flight. I have a short lay-over in Salt Lake City every Christmas ... half the time my luggage is on the same flight, half the time it comes the next day. Also, before you leave, make sure to check the Transportation Security Administration website (http://www.tsa.gov/) to find out what identification you need, what types of items are allowed on the plane, and what to expect at the security checkpoints. For example, any liquids and gels (toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, etc.) must be no more than 3 ounces each and must be put in a one-quart clear ziplock-type bag. With that freak trying to blow up the plane to Detroit on Christmas, TSA may implement additional limitations. As far as what you do when you get to Chicago, your gate number for the flight from Chicago to Roanoke will be printed on the boarding pass you receive when you check in at the Madison airport. When you get off the plane, confirm that the gate printed on your boarding pass has not been changed. There are monitors throughout the airport that list the gate numbers for each flight. Look for the monitors that say Departures, then look for Roanoke (the cities are usually in alphabetical order). O'Hare is a big airport and they start boarding the plane 30 minutes before departing, so go right to your gate. Hope you have a great first flight! :)
2 :
Don't worry. You'll be fine. Print off your tickets and you can either take it to the Airline ticket counter or use one of the automated kiosks to get your boarding passes. Be sure you have a picture I.D. with you like a passport or a driver's license (you don't need both, though). Get there 1 1/2 hours early due to increased security. Most airlines charge for baggage check now so take extra money if you have more than a carryon bag. If you change planes in Chicago, then go to your new gate right away to be sure you don't miss your connecting flight. There is a link to a diagram of the O'Hare airport in Chicago below. Locate the gate you'll land at and the new gate you need to find for the flight to Roanoke. Good luck!! ; )
3 :
Robin is right on, just be sure you bring the right ID and when you get to O Hare, go to the gate and when you see an agent at that gate let them know you are there and are connecting on that flight. I have seen many people loose their seat on a flight because they didn't check in. After you check in and they know you are there for the connection you can go to a shop or food stand, but be quick you wont have a bunch of time.
4 :
What I would add to the other answers: - You can probably check in online and print your own boarding pass at home 24 hours before you fly. Then you only need to drop off your bag at the check-in if you have more than hand baggage. - Otherwise when you checkin the only thing you need is the confirmation code (it's usually 6 numbers and letters) and you enter that at the check-in kiosk or give it to the agent, and then yes, they give you the boarding passes for all flights. - 47 minutes is enough, even with checked bags, but don't hang about in the airport. Go straight to the gate and stay there. You don't need another ticket counter. Then if there are any changes you will hear the announcement. Generally for short connections on the same airline the gates are close together. You may only need to walk a few yards. - If for any reason you miss your flight, go to the agent at the gate, or if they have already gone go to another gate, and ask them to help you. Generally they will put you on the next flight and give you your new boarding pass. Don't go back out through security to the outside ticket counter. There's no need, everything can be done inside the secure area, and you will just have to wait in line and get scanned again to get back in.
5 :
You should bring all the information you have with you. 47 minutes should be enough time. If you do miss your flight, you can go to a United Airlines counter to reschedule yourself. Once you get off the aircraft, look for the domestic/U.S connections sign and follow it. Just keep on looking for your gate. If you have any questions or concers, ask a person that works for the airport/United Airlines