CHICAGO: ORD & MDW discussion

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Checking for next summer (perhaps there will be more announced later):

London has 3 daily from each of UA/AA (6 total)
Frankfurt has 2 daily from UA
Dublin, Paris, Athens, Rome, have 1 daily from each of UA/AA (2 total)
Madrid, Naples have 1 daily from AA
Reykjavik (if it counts), Shannon, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Brussels, Munich, Zurich, Milan have 1 daily from UA..

So that's 15/16 cities and 25/26 flights, if I counted correctly.

I know there is also a direct United ORD-Barcelona flight.

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by nomarandlee

I know there is also a direct United ORD-Barcelona flight.

Doh, I saw that (there's an AA one too!) but forgot to write it here...

[F1 Tommy]

EgyptAir applies for two new U.S. routes.
• Cairo (CAI) to Chicago (ORD) planned to commence in June 2026
• Cairo (CAI) to Los Angeles (LAX) planned to commence in May 2026

[twister244]

Originally Posted by F1 Tommy

EgyptAir applies for two new U.S. routes.
• Cairo (CAI) to Chicago (ORD) planned to commence in June 2026
• Cairo (CAI) to Los Angeles (LAX) planned to commence in May 2026

Nice!!!! Do you have a source?

[Chicagoguy]

EgyptAir Plans Cairo To Chicago & Los Angeles Flights In 2026

“ EgyptAir has filed with the Department of Transportation (DOT), requesting permission to launch flights to Los Angeles (LAX) as of May 2026, and Chicago (ORD) as of June 2026.”

https://onemileatatime.com/news/egyptair-chicago-los-angeles-flights/

[twister244]

Originally Posted by Chicagoguy

EgyptAir Plans Cairo To Chicago & Los Angeles Flights In 2026

“ EgyptAir has filed with the Department of Transportation (DOT), requesting permission to launch flights to Los Angeles (LAX) as of May 2026, and Chicago (ORD) as of June 2026.”

https://onemileatatime.com/news/egyptair-chicago-los-angeles-flights/

Outstanding. If this goes through, it would be yet another Star Alliance carrier over in T5.

[nomarandlee]

Very cool. As far as I'm aware, O'Hare has never had a North African carrier at the airport.

I guess Egypt wants to get in on the MENA airhub game. Good for them. I'd rather see them have success over the Sheikdoms.

[Planeboy17]

Well, guess it depends on geographical opinion but they currently have Ethiopian Airlines.

[k1052]

This makes sense as Egypt has been aggressively, and successfully, courting increased tourism as southern Europe becomes even more expensive and overwhelmed. Of course helps they have some of the most famous historical sites on the planet. Real opportunities for North African nations on the med if they can swing it.

[r18tdi]

I bit off topic, but interesting nonetheless: I saw this article about the newly completed Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) terminal, and I see a lot of similarities between its interior and Gang's design for the ORD Global Terminal -- especially in the ceiling and supporting columns.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by r18tdi

I bit off topic, but interesting nonetheless: I saw this article about the newly completed Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) terminal, and I see a lot of similarities between its interior and Gang's design for the ORD Global Terminal -- especially in the ceiling and supporting columns.

Agreed, but I am hoping what sets the ORD terminal apart is attention to everything else besides the columns and ceilings. I'm also not going to make any anticipations for what I think the Global Terminal looks like until we see an updated design...... I'm keeping my bar low.

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by r18tdi

I bit off topic, but interesting nonetheless: I saw this article about the newly completed Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) terminal, and I see a lot of similarities between its interior and Gang's design for the ORD Global Terminal -- especially in the ceiling and supporting columns.

I'll always be a bit sad that Foster's design didn't get selected. Anyway....

While Ok, I find Pittsburgh's wood ceilings to be rather meh from the photos. Hopefully, the window slats of Gang's design will not be VE out, as those will be critical in giving T2 a distinguishable and refined aesthetic.

At least from the photos, I think I hold the updated modernist style of the outside of the new Pittsburgh terminal in higher regard than the inside.

[Chicagoguy]

Air France Lounge Chicago O’Hare Opens: Priority Pass Members Rejoice!

“On October 17, 2025, Air France opened a new lounge at Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD), which is the first time that the SkyTeam airline has had its own lounge at the airport. The 470 square meter (5,060 square foot) lounge is located in Terminal 5, and has seating for 105 guests.

The lounge is open daily from 5AM until 11:30PM. Between the hours of 12PM and 5PM, it’s primarily open to Air France and KLM passengers, leading up to the departure of those flights. During those hours, the lounge follows standard SkyTeam lounge access requirements, and is open to SkyTeam business class passengers as well as SkyTeam Elite Plus members.

However, over other hours, the lounge acts as a contract lounge, and is even open to Priority Pass members.”

https://onemileatatime.com/news/air-france-lounge-chicago-airport/

[twister244]

Originally Posted by Chicagoguy

Air France Lounge Chicago O’Hare Opens: Priority Pass Members Rejoice!

“On October 17, 2025, Air France opened a new lounge at Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD), which is the first time that the SkyTeam airline has had its own lounge at the airport. The 470 square meter (5,060 square foot) lounge is located in Terminal 5, and has seating for 105 guests.

The lounge is open daily from 5AM until 11:30PM. Between the hours of 12PM and 5PM, it’s primarily open to Air France and KLM passengers, leading up to the departure of those flights. During those hours, the lounge follows standard SkyTeam lounge access requirements, and is open to SkyTeam business class passengers as well as SkyTeam Elite Plus members.

However, over other hours, the lounge acts as a contract lounge, and is even open to Priority Pass members.”

https://onemileatatime.com/news/air-france-lounge-chicago-airport/

I think it's safe to say Terminal 5 is now the nicer of the ORD terminals at the moment. T5 used to be garbage with the lack of good lounge options, but with the new build outs, new lounges (Delta, LOT, Air France), along with new quality restaurants (Bar Siena, Butcher and the Burger, Hampton Social, The Dearborn) - I would much rather fly out of there now than any of the other terminals. That will change once Concourse D is completed, but for now - T5 has really stepped up its game and they have done a good job over there.

*Looks at Emirates, Air France, and Turkish flight prices*........

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by twister244

I think it's safe to say Terminal 5 is now the nicer of the ORD terminals at the moment. T5 used to be garbage with the lack of good lounge options, but with the new build outs, new lounges (Delta, LOT, Air France), along with new quality restaurants (Bar Siena, Butcher and the Burger, Hampton Social, The Dearborn) - I would much rather fly out of there now than any of the other terminals. That will change once Concourse D is completed, but for now - T5 has really stepped up its game and they have done a good job over there.

*Looks at Emirates, Air France, and Turkish flight prices*........

Which is why I'll always be hard-pressed to understand why connecting T5 and T3 airside, effectively making two airports into one, with a permanent airside train, is not a higher priority. I understand the build-outs of T2 and the new satellites need to take priority, but with T5 set to become a more 24-hour operation, hopefully, such a connection will sneak into the final stages of the O'Hare 21 program.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by nomarandlee

Which is why I'll always be hard-pressed to understand why connecting T5 and T3 airside, effectively making two airports into one, with a permanent airside train, is not a higher priority. I understand the build-outs of T2 and the new satellites need to take priority, but with T5 set to become a more 24-hour operation, hopefully, such a connection will sneak into the final stages of the O'Hare 21 program.

I could see that option coming up down the line if ORD ever decides to rebuild T3. I know it's on some diagrams showing long-term plans, but that's way beyond the scope of the current ORD21 plan.

Also, any connections airside are gonna be expensive as they will either need to tunnel under existing taxiways, or build over them. Granted, that's all totally doable, but there would need to likely be a people mover given the distance.

Just comes down to money and getting parties to agree to it. We're lucky if we get all three terminals built out under the current plans, let alone anything beyond that. The only unexpected surprises have been the federal funding that is being used to expand the T5 headhouse starting later this Fall.

[Kngkyle]

Originally Posted by nomarandlee

Which is why I'll always be hard-pressed to understand why connecting T5 and T3 airside, effectively making two airports into one, with a permanent airside train, is not a higher priority. I understand the build-outs of T2 and the new satellites need to take priority, but with T5 set to become a more 24-hour operation, hopefully, such a connection will sneak into the final stages of the O'Hare 21 program.

I think the money would be better spent further expanding to the West with additional satellite concourses, allowing all of Star Alliance and Oneworld to be in the core terminals and the unaffiliated and Skyteam in T5. That would remove almost every use case for someone needing to travel between the core and T5. You could probably build a whole new satellite concourse for the cost of extending the (future) underground train between OGT and T5.

[Chicagoguy]

UNITED AIRLINES ADDS TEN NEW ROUTES FROM CHICAGO O’HARE AFTER SECURING MORE GATES (FULL LIST)

“This week, United announced ten new destinations will launch from O’Hare in 2026, including several markets where the carrier will have exclusive nonstop service.

Daily service begins next spring to:
Eugene, Oregon (EUG)
Lynchburg, Virginia (LYH)
Marquette, Michigan (MQT)
Paducah, Kentucky (PAH)
Rochester, Minnesota (RST)
Santa Barbara, California (SBA)
Wausau, Wisconsin (CWA)

Next summer, United will also add Saturday-only flights to:
Idaho Falls, Idaho (IDA)
Monterey, California (MRY)
St. George, Utah (SGU)

In addition, several seasonal or weekend-only routes will become daily next summer, including:
Aruba (AUA)
Hilton Head, South Carolina (HHH)
Halifax, Nova Scotia (YHZ)
Nassau, Bahamas (NAS)
Sun Valley, Idaho (SUN)

United Keeps Growing At ORD

United attributed the new gate allocation to its “record-breaking performance” at O’Hare, noting it accounted for 99% of the airport’s total seat growth this year compared to 2019. The airline recently hired more than 2,000 local employees and plans to add 5,400 more by 2027, bringing its Chicagoland workforce to over 18,000.“

https://liveandletsfly.com/united-airlines-new-routes-gates-chicago-ohare/

[Steely Dan]

^ Damn.

UA not playing around at ORD.

AA gonna need to answer this if they wanna stay co-hubbers.

[F1 Tommy]

Originally Posted by Chicagoguy

Air France Lounge Chicago O’Hare Opens: Priority Pass Members Rejoice!

“On October 17, 2025, Air France opened a new lounge at Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD), which is the first time that the SkyTeam airline has had its own lounge at the airport. The 470 square meter (5,060 square foot) lounge is located in Terminal 5, and has seating for 105 guests.

The lounge is open daily from 5AM until 11:30PM. Between the hours of 12PM and 5PM, it’s primarily open to Air France and KLM passengers, leading up to the departure of those flights. During those hours, the lounge follows standard SkyTeam lounge access requirements, and is open to SkyTeam business class passengers as well as SkyTeam Elite Plus members.

However, over other hours, the lounge acts as a contract lounge, and is even open to Priority Pass members.”

https://onemileatatime.com/news/air-france-lounge-chicago-
airport/

With Delta loosing gates at ORD this does not surprise.