Find KORD charts, the O’Hare airport diagram, ATIS frequencies and weather sources, then combine them into a reliable flight-planning check.
For KORD flight planning in Aviation & Real-World Flying, use our KORD chart page for the airport diagram, instrument approaches, departures, arrivals, runway data and radio frequencies. Obtain the active ATIS by tuning its published frequency, then check the METAR, TAF, winds and hazards through an aviation weather briefing source or the simulator.
For simulator use, the simulator’s ATC and weather feed determine what it will reproduce. For real-world dispatch or piloting, treat our pages as study aids and verify every chart, NOTAM and weather product through an approved operational source with the correct effective date.
Where do I get KORD charts and the airport diagram?
The best single starting point is our KORD charts and airport information page. It brings together the Chicago O’Hare airport diagram, instrument procedures, runway information, radio frequencies and the published ATIS frequency.
O’Hare has numerous parallel runways and a dense taxiway system, so an approach plate alone is not enough. Keep the airport diagram available from pushback until parking, and use the full runway designator: at KORD, a number such as 27 or 28 is incomplete without its left, centre or right suffix.
| Chart or data | What it provides | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Airport diagram | Runways, taxiways, holding positions, ramps and hotspots | Departure and arrival taxi briefing |
| Airport data and remarks | Runway dimensions, lighting, frequencies and operational notes | Performance and communications planning |
| SID or departure procedure | Initial routing, altitude restrictions and transitions | Before programming the departure |
| STAR | Arrival routing, constraints and transitions | Before descent |
| Approach plate | Frequencies, courses, altitudes, minima and missed approach | Approach briefing |
If the taxiway labels, holding symbols or hotspots are unfamiliar, our guide to interpreting aerodrome charts explains how to turn the diagram into a usable taxi plan.
How do I find and use KORD ATIS?
Find the KORD ATIS frequency in the airport information, but obtain the actual message by tuning that frequency in the simulator or operational radio environment. A chart can publish the frequency; it cannot contain the changing broadcast.
ATIS normally gives the observation time, wind, visibility, cloud, temperature, altimeter setting, active approaches and runways, plus operational remarks and an information letter. Large airports may provide separate arrival and departure broadcasts, so use the service label shown with the frequency rather than assuming that one ATIS covers both.
If tuning produces silence, check that the frequency is in the active COM window, the correct COM receiver is selected on the audio panel, and radio volume is up. Some simulator ATC systems, weather engines and scenery databases use different airport data; in that case, use the ATIS belonging to the ATC environment controlling the flight. Our airport-frequency setup guide covers COM selection and the roles of ATIS, ground, tower and approach.
Is KORD ATIS the same as METAR weather?
No. A METAR is a coded airport weather observation, while ATIS combines operational information with weather derived from an observation. Neither replaces the TAF or the wider weather briefing needed to judge conditions at departure time and ETA.
- METAR or SPECI: Check the latest observed wind, visibility, cloud, temperature, dew point and altimeter setting.
- TAF: Examine forecast changes covering the planned departure or arrival time, especially temporary reductions in ceiling or visibility.
- Weather charts and advisories: Check fronts, thunderstorms, turbulence, icing and winds across the route rather than looking only at O’Hare.
- NOTAMs and field conditions: Review temporary runway or taxiway closures, approach outages and contamination reports. These are operational products, not part of the METAR.
For a structured sequence, use our weather-chart flight-planning workflow. At KORD, pay particular attention to crosswind components, low ceilings, thunderstorms, snow or ice, and any runway restriction that changes the expected airport configuration.
How should I combine KORD charts, ATIS and weather?
Work from broad planning information towards live operational information, updating the plan whenever the ATIS or weather changes.
- Confirm chart validity. Check the effective date and ensure the airport layout in the chart matches the operation you are planning.
- Review the METAR, TAF and route hazards. Identify wind, ceiling, visibility, icing or convective conditions that affect runway, approach, fuel and alternate choices.
- Select the procedure set. Gather the appropriate departure, arrival and approach charts, including transitions that connect them to the route.
- Plan a likely runway. Offline, use wind, aircraft performance, available approaches and runway restrictions. Under ATC, treat this only as a provisional choice until a runway or approach is assigned.
- Brief the airport diagram. Trace the expected taxi route, runway crossings, holding positions and hotspots. Do not assume the shortest line is an authorised taxi route.
- Obtain ATIS. Tune it before departure and again before descent, record the information letter, and revise the runway, approach or taxi briefing if necessary.
- Cross-check the clearance. A STAR does not automatically include an instrument approach, and an approach clearance does not authorise a runway crossing on the ground.
A mistake we see constantly is mixing live charts with outdated simulator scenery. If taxiway names or runway geometry disagree, real-world flying requires the approved operational chart; in a simulator, the installed scenery determines what is physically modelled. Another common mismatch occurs when injected weather differs from built-in ATIS—use the weather and ATC source governing that simulated session, while keeping the discrepancy in mind for performance calculations.