O'Hare Flight Cuts: Chicago Pushes Back as FAA Weighs Summer Limits

Chicago officials are urging the Federal Aviation Administration to keep daily flight operations at O'Hare International Airport at no fewer than 2,800 — warning that deeper reductions would trigger widespread disruptions across the national airspace. The city made its position clear on Thursday, framing any steeper cuts as both unwarranted and potentially damaging to air travel nationwide.

The FAA initially proposed capping O'Hare at 2,800 daily flights for the summer — a step down from the 3,080 originally planned but still higher than last summer's 2,680. However, reports indicate the agency has since pushed for more aggressive reductions, with figures ranging from 2,400 to 2,550 flights per day still being negotiated. A follow-up scheduling meeting is expected next week to finalize the limits.

The surge in proposed flights stems from an intensifying rivalry between United Airlines and American Airlines, the two dominant carriers at O'Hare. Both airlines have ramped up their schedules largely to secure additional gate rights for 2027. United is currently operating around 780 daily flights from Chicago this month, a steep climb from its 541 daily average last year. American, meanwhile, boosted spring departures by roughly 30% compared to 2025 and plans to increase summer departures from 484 to 526 per day.

The FAA has cautioned that current scheduling would make this the busiest summer in O'Hare's history, placing serious strain on runways, terminals, and air traffic control infrastructure. United's CEO Scott Kirby publicly claimed American could lose close to $1 billion on its Chicago operations this year, while American has accused United of reckless scheduling that risks cascading delays systemwide.

With negotiations ongoing and no final agreement reached, the outcome will significantly shape summer travel at one of the country's busiest airports.