I flew from KDEN to KORD last week. The departure and cruise were uneventful. I flew United on one of their B737-800NG's, which I presume came from CO before the merger. Unfortunately they had no sound system installed for passengers (at least on coach where I was), so I was unable to tell whether this arrival taxi to the gate was just one big ground clearance or a modification part-way into the taxi for other traffic, etc. But I did have a window seat and was able to see and record the taxi path, as well as having a current airport diagram with me to trace our route. (You ever want to be seen as a nerd, pull out aviation charts during your flight!). For those who normally fly into KORD, this ground clearance may be normal- I am very familiar with KDEN, but due to it's massive physical size and the fact that it can support 6 totally independent runways in a converging configuration, taxi clearances are somewhat boring.....

 

As I'm sure any pilot will tell you, the taxi phase is perhaps the most difficult (at times) of the flight, and controllers are very unforgiving if you screw up- at least in the air they might ask you to "check altitude".

 

We arrived into OHare airspace on the MCW.BULLZ3.LOMEZ arrival, crossed VULCN, HIMGO AND LOMEZ at what seemed like 4,000' as charted (interesting to see aircraft departing on 04L/R below us, possibly cleared to 2,000' until clear of our path). We did a visual descent to 27R. We landed taking full length of 27R.

 

The taxi route (if you have an airport diagram you will appreciate this more, but if you're "brave" (the word would be something else in real flying :) ) you could try taxying without a diagram, just looking for taxiway markers. From 27R, we exited at C!. The route was:

 

C1 C E Z T W J A6 to gate B6. This also involved a long taxi around terminal C on A to get us into the northerly entrance between terminals B and C. My traveling partner (a non and pilot and totally uninterested) commented that we were doing a tour of the airport.... :).

 

Anyway, I thought I would share this with everyone.

 

Thanks, Bruce.

Worst I've seen was at Beijing Captial Airport. We landed on the 3rd RWY, which is the furtherest from everything. We taxied at least 30 minutes before finally getting to the other side where the gate was.

Like driving to your destination....