An airport meet-and-greet means your chauffeur parks, walks into the terminal, and meets you at baggage claim holding a name sign, then helps with your bags out to the car. Curbside pickup means the chauffeur pulls up to the arrivals curb and you walk out to a waiting car. Both get you the same vehicle and the same chauffeur; the only real difference is where you connect.
If you are arriving from an international flight, traveling with a group, kids, or older relatives, or landing somewhere you do not know, meet-and-greet removes the guesswork. If you are a frequent domestic flyer with a carry-on who knows exactly which door to walk out of, curbside is faster and simpler. This guide walks through what each includes, how they play out at O’Hare and Midway, and how to pick for the trip in front of you.
What does an airport meet-and-greet include?
A meet-and-greet is an inside-the-terminal pickup: your chauffeur parks the car, walks to the arrivals area or baggage claim, and waits for you holding a sign with your name on it. You step off the jet bridge, follow the signs to baggage claim, and there is a person standing there ready for you, not a curb you have to find.
From there the chauffeur takes your bags, walks you to the vehicle in the garage or pickup lane, and you are on your way. Because we track your flight, the chauffeur is already inside and in position when you land, even if you came in early or late. For an arrival, that means no app, no phone calls, no scanning the lane for a license plate while travelers stack up behind you. It is the calmest possible way to land in a new city, which is exactly why it suits international arrivals and first-time visitors. You can read how this fits into the wider service on our airport transfers page.
What does curbside pickup include?
Curbside pickup means the chauffeur brings the car to the arrivals curb and you walk out to meet it once you have your bags. You text or call when you reach the door, or simply head to the agreed pickup point, and the vehicle is there waiting for you at the curb.
It is the quicker option when you already know the airport. There is no walk back to the garage and no parking, so the handoff at the curb takes a minute. We still track your flight and time the pull-up to your actual landing, and the same vetted chauffeur and vehicle are assigned to your trip. The trade-off is that arrivals curbs are busy and tightly policed, so cars cannot sit and wait indefinitely; the timing has to line up with you being outside and ready. For a traveler who packs light and knows the layout, that is rarely a problem.
How each plays out at O'Hare vs Midway
The right choice often comes down to the airport: O’Hare’s size and multiple terminals make meet-and-greet far more valuable, while Midway’s single, compact terminal makes curbside easy.
O’Hare (ORD) spreads across four domestic terminals plus the international Terminal 5, connected by the ATS train and long walkways. If you land at T5 from overseas, you clear customs, collect bags, and emerge into an unfamiliar hall — a chauffeur waiting with a name sign turns that into a simple, guided walk to the car. Even between the domestic terminals, the distances and the famously busy arrivals lanes make an inside pickup the relaxed option. Our O’Hare car service guide goes deeper on the terminal layout.
Midway (MDW) is the opposite: one terminal, one baggage claim, one short walk to the door. The arrivals curb is steps from the carousels, so a frequent flyer can be in the car within minutes of landing. Curbside shines here. Meet-and-greet is still available and welcome for guests, groups, or anyone who would rather be met — it is just less essential than at O’Hare’s sprawl.
When meet-and-greet is worth it
In all of these cases the value is the same: someone is responsible for finding you, not the other way around. After a red-eye or a transatlantic leg, that small certainty is worth a great deal.
When curbside is perfectly fine
Curbside is the right call when you know the drill: a frequent domestic flyer, light bags, and a clear idea of which door you are walking out of.
If you fly the same route regularly, you already know whether your bag rides in the cabin or the hold and exactly which exit puts you at the pickup lane. There is no need to be met inside when you can be at the car in a couple of minutes. Curbside also tends to be the quicker handoff at Midway, and for short turnarounds — a day trip, a quick business hop — it keeps things moving. The same flight tracking and the same chauffeur apply; you are just choosing to meet at the curb instead of the carousel.
Meet-and-greet vs curbside: a side-by-side comparison
Both options deliver the same car and the same vetted chauffeur. What changes is where you connect and how much help you get with the arrival itself. Here is how they line up on the things that matter when you land.
Frequently asked questions
