While the airport’s accessibility is stellar, its usability is anything but. It has 168 gates, a sprawling mass of barely intelligible corridors, abysmal shopping, hugely long security queues and – worst of all – almost inevitable delays. My advice? Make absolutely sure you buy a fully flexible, premium class ticket – this will enable you to use the security fast track, the premium lounges and, even better, change your flight at short notice. Or avoid O’Hare altogether. If you’re flying within the US, try to fly into Midway or Rockford – they’re much smaller and significantly less hasslesome.

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There are plenty of taxis outside the airports and, for those who were brought up watching 'To The Manor Born', you can book a limo to whisk you to your 5-star hotel suite in comfort (as in most US cities, Carey are the best provider). But public transport is probably your best ticket. Chicago is in fact, very unusually for the US, thoroughly served by public networks of buses and trains. The El Al, a rather spiffing elevated train, is the quickest and cheapest mode of transportation between O’Hare, Midway and The Loop.

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BMI fly direct to Chicago from Manchester. Don't forget regional airports when flying abroad - when you take into account heavier congestion around the London airports, it may prove to be quicker to fly from the regions.

www.flybmi.com

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It is quicker and cheaper to prebook a town car or limo to get from the airport to downtown. Some taxi drivers charge up to $80 while a town car costs only $55.

Nightstar limos is a good one. www.nightstarlimo.com

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This journey takes two and half days - 2600 miles - through Illinois, Missouri, crossing the Mississippi twice, wheatfields, missions and pueblos, mountains and deserts. On to Colorado - carving through canyon passages only a few feet wider than the train - then on to New Mexico and Arizona where the scenery is spectacular - and finally arriving at Union Station Los Angeles which is a spectacle in itself. It was a great journey, and we met lots of people from many different states. The train was very comfortable with airline type seats, it was very easy to sleep. The dining car was a great experience too. Will always have memories of Native Americans selling trinkets on the station at Albuquerque, New Mexico.

We booked through STA Travel and the train cost only £65 each. We got a lot of useful tips from a book: Railway Journeys in USA, available in Waterstones. Not worth checking baggage in as you have to wait for it at other end, most people took it on board. The train is very full during summer months but we had lots of space and the price is like the low cost airlines, cheaper when empty. Spent the rest of the holiday in sunny California playing golf and catching up with friends, then flew back to Manchester with BMI via Chicago.

www.amtrak.com

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