More here: https://www.muller2.com/projects#oha...al-5-expansion

The new EL Al service is a nice add and fills a big hole. Now we need to get service back to Manchester, UK. At one point in the not so distant past, both UA and AA served MAN.

It's already been upgraded at least once. Originally it have relatively few amenities and was miles behind other INTL terminals, now there are many more retail and food options, and it is sort of place one could spend some time. The lounges tend to be pitiful - IMHO largely because many of the carriers - AA, UA, ANA, LH among others use T 1-3 for departures and have large and modern lounges there. Much of this will be fixed when One World and *Alliance get unified in the new T2.

this looks like me half way though a new town in Sim City

That is correct. Delta will be at entire T5. Once they moved from T2 to T5 in end of 2021.

Does Delta currently operate any international routes out of ORD? It seems like they could be poised to expand their international presence with the move to T5.

Nope.

but some of its skyteam alliance members do, like aeromexico, air france, alitalia, china eastern, KLM, and korean air.

and my understanding is that those skyteam members will stay with delta at T5 once it moves out there, along with the LCCs + alaska.


delta/delta connection only has flights to 8 cities from o'hare: atlanta, detroit, minneapolis, laguardia, salt lake city, seattle, cincinnati, and JFK.

though flights to boston (sept 8) and raleigh (april 2) on delta connection are being added this year.

I’ve never read any expansion of the baggage claim area. Is it in scope? I’m not sure where it’d go, unless they create an “A (existing entrance)” and a new “B” entrance. If there is no new bagge claim area, the existing space will be unmanageable until the Star and One World members can move out. Are there publishing renderings of the T5 expansion other than the one aerial?

These details, AFAIK, have yet to be revealed but a new baggage handling system/upgrades to the existing CBP facility/other land side improvements have been listed at various times. There are some renderings of the new terminal interior floating around but nothing that addresses those nuts and bolts questions.

Delta has operated for Skyteam member Air France during some winter months with a 767-300 over the years. Other than that Delta seems to have no interest in Chicago international routes and very little interest in Chicago in general. They do have Detroit and Minneapolis mini hubs, thus their reasoning.

Stop dreaming about a Delta hub at ORD as it won't happen unless somebody else leaves.

^ yeah, delta hubs the midwest thru DTW and MSP, and united and american hub the midwest thru ORD.

what's interesting to me, though, is that delta moves nearly as many people thru its two midwest hubs as united and american combined move thru ORD.

with southwest at MDW, the chicago market is already a hub for 3 of the "big 4"; a delta hub ain't happening unless american decides to leave for some reason (that seems extremely unlikely to me).

Northwest flew ORD-NRT before AA launched their own ORD-NRT flight😜. Maybe Delta will jump back in as AA is slowly getting out of ORD-Asia; just kidding. I do miss Northwest (DC10s/747s) and Delta (L1011s/767s) at ORD.

Yes, they do. They tried ORD-CDG & ORD-LHR and it didn't workout so well.

I remember the ORD-CDG route that Delta operated. It just seems like Delta could be well positioned to expand their presence at ORD considering so many of their Sky Team partners will be flying into and out of T5 with them. It would make sense that they would increase their domestic presence.

Delta announced ORD-LHR several years ago to fly their own metal on the route and replace Virgin for the winter months I believe. After being open for booking, it was closed and Delta never even flew the route. Shortly after, Virgin closed Chicago for good. This is the 2nd time Virgin has closed their ORD service. My hunch is that they'd try a 3rd time once Delta is in T5 and have added a few more domestic feeder routes. With Brexit concerns, this is several years out at the earliest.

I hope those glass jet bridges make it. And if so, they also better be present at the new T2.

Looks like Jeanne Gang's Studio ORD won the design contest for the O'Hare Global Terminal!

https://www.chicagotribune.com/busin...327-story.html

Studio Gang wins ORD contract

https://www.chicagotribune.com/busin...327-story.html

I was actually hoping they would have picked Gang for the new satellite concourses instead. Still hoping they did since I don't see any mention yet.

no way!! woohoo!!!!

opinions aside, this is so exciting!!