When we once did the return leg via Chicago our flight from Orlando arrived early but we were waiting almost an hour for a free stand. We were meet off the flight by airport staff and taken through to our outgoing flight by them using shortcuts which were not normally available to passengers. They also held the flight. It turned out that we were not the last passengers to board and we had to wait around 30 mins for another incoming flight to arrive with more late passengers. I think they would rather hold the international flight then have to pay for overnight accommodation and expenses to stranded passengers.