CHICAGO: ORD & MDW discussion - Page 198

N830MH · #**3941** Posted **Dec 22, 2025, 2:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by twister244

According to Urbanize - A tower crane permit is in!

It'll be fun to watch new terminal space go up next year on the airfield.

What new terminal? There's no new terminal, but it just only S2 satellite concourse. They are going to start construction sometime next year.

twister244 · #**3942** Posted **Dec 22, 2025, 3:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by N830MH

What new terminal? There's no new terminal, but it just only S2 satellite concourse. They are going to start construction sometime next year.

Sorry - Meant for Concourse D

Chicagoguy · #**3943** Posted **Dec 31, 2025, 6:24 PM**

American revs up its O'Hare schedule again in United battle

“American Airlines says it will increase the number of flights from O’Hare International Airport even more than previously planned, a sign of the intensifying competition between the two big carriers at Chicago’s largest airport.

The Fort Worth-based airline says it will offer 21% more flights than originally planned. American's peak schedule from O’Hare during spring break will exceed 500 flights a day, a target that previously wasn’t expected until summer...

…The airline will add 100 more daily flights than previously planned to its peak schedule this spring, increasing service to a wide range of cities, including Boston, Las Vegas, Dallas and Orlando. San Francisco, for example, will get three more daily flights, boosting the schedule to as many as five flights on peak days.“

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/airlines...its-ohare-international-airport-schedule

Chicagoguy · #**3944** Posted **Feb 11, 2026, 1:12 AM**

United moves to buy 2 O'Hare gates from Spirit

“United Airlines says it plans to acquire two gates at O’Hare International Airport from Spirit Airlines.

The move follows American Airlines’ decision in December to acquire two gates in Terminal 3 from Spirit, which is restructuring under bankruptcy protection…

The Spirit gates that United hopes to acquire are in Terminal 3, where American is the dominant carrier. United, which operates primarily from Terminals 1 and 2, also has a handful of gates in Terminal 3. United also expects to acquire some support space in Terminal 2…

After Kirby said United was "drawing a line in the sand" at O'Hare to maintain its gates there, the airline announced it would fly a record 750 flights out of Chicago this summer.”

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/airlines-airports/united-airlines-buy-2-ohare-gates-spirit

F1 Tommy · #**3945** Posted **Feb 11, 2026, 2:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicagoguy

United moves to buy 2 O'Hare gates from Spirit

“United Airlines says it plans to acquire two gates at O’Hare International Airport from Spirit Airlines.

The move follows American Airlines’ decision in December to acquire two gates in Terminal 3 from Spirit, which is restructuring under bankruptcy protection…

The Spirit gates that United hopes to acquire are in Terminal 3, where American is the dominant carrier. United, which operates primarily from Terminals 1 and 2, also has a handful of gates in Terminal 3. United also expects to acquire some support space in Terminal 2…

After Kirby said United was "drawing a line in the sand" at O'Hare to maintain its gates there, the airline announced it would fly a record 750 flights out of Chicago this summer.”

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/airlines-airports/united-airlines-buy-2-ohare-gates-spirit

Massive ATC delays coming this summer at ORD. Be prepared for long, long taxies. But airline ticket prices will be the best in the nation for many routes..

twister244 · #**3946** Posted **Feb 11, 2026, 6:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by F1 Tommy

Massive ATC delays coming this summer at ORD. Be prepared for long, long taxies. But airline ticket prices will be the best in the nation for many routes..

Yep - They are going to close the A/B taxiways back down across the Western half of the airfield....... With record air traffic, it's gonna be a doozy.

But.... As you said, this cage match between UA and AA is serving the consumer well! Plus, we do have a new concourse actually being built finally - So I won't complain.

N830MH · #**3947** Posted **Feb 14, 2026, 5:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by F1 Tommy

Massive ATC delays coming this summer at ORD. Be prepared for long, long taxies. But airline ticket prices will be the best in the nation for many routes..

Yeah, I'm aware of that. Because the ticket prices are so expensive. There's no cheap price in a long time.

So yes, I know what's going on at ORD. They will be delays due to ATC during in this summer. We have to avoid O'Hare. We won't able to be there.

F1 Tommy · #**3948** Posted **Feb 18, 2026, 4:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by N830MH

Yeah, I'm aware of that. Because the ticket prices are so expensive. There's no cheap price in a long time.

So yes, I know what's going on at ORD. They will be delays due to ATC during in this summer. We have to avoid O'Hare. We won't able to be there.

Load factors will also be very high, due to competition and great pricing. You may find yourself at ORD no matter if you like it or not. ATC still better than EWR and NYC most of the time.

Chicagoguy · #**3949** Posted **Feb 19, 2026, 5:23 PM**

Porter Airlines Adds Austin To Network, Grows Chicago Service

Porter has been offering turboprop service between YTZ and Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) since 2008. The carrier will shift the route to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and bump up frequencies from 1X-daily currently to 3X-daily from Sept. 1. The airline said the move to ORD will allow for more flights to Chicago and increased connectivity opportunities for passengers.

https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/a...dds-austin-network-grows-chicago-service

Steely Dan · #**3950** Posted **Feb 19, 2026, 6:25 PM**

^ A mild bummer that Porter will be leaving MDW for ORD.

Porter's flight to Billy Bishop in Toronto is MDW's lone route to Canada.

Though, the tripling of frequency is certainly a positive.

nomarandlee · #**3951** Posted **Feb 22, 2026, 5:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ A mild bummer that Porter will be leaving MDW for ORD.

Porter's flight to Billy Bishop in Toronto is MDW's lone route to Canada.

Though, the tripling of frequency is certainly a positive.

It is a loaded off-topic conversation, but it sure as heck would be nice to have a downtown airport similar to Toronto or London in the next 20-30 years. A lot of factors and forces are to be factored out. If I had to make a two-sided bet, I'd bet pretty heavily on an exponential increase in smaller regional flights (perhaps spearheaded by EVs) that are conducive to downtown-adjacent airports.

Maybe a reconstitution of Megis could be in play if the need arises? Not sure where else a 4-6k ft runway could be put within 2-3miles of downtown.

Steely Dan · #**3952** Posted **Feb 22, 2026, 5:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nomarandlee

Maybe a reconstitution of Megis could be in play if the need arises?

Not gonna happen.

Now that Northerly Island has been returned to the lakefront parkland it was originally intended to be, Friends of the Parks would tie-up any plan to rebuild an airport there for years/decades, and they would almost certainly prevail in the end because the law is clearly on their side.

jpIllInoIs · #**3953** Posted **Feb 23, 2026, 2:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by nomarandlee

It is a loaded off-topic conversation, but it sure as heck would be nice to have a downtown airport similar to Toronto or London in the next 20-30 years. A lot of factors and forces are to be factored out. If I had to make a two-sided bet, I'd bet pretty heavily on an exponential increase in smaller regional flights (perhaps spearheaded by EVs) that are conducive to downtown-adjacent airports.

Maybe a reconstitution of Megis could be in play if the need arises? Not sure where else a 4-6k ft runway could be put within 2-3miles of downtown.

Chicago Executive Airport serves the needs of corporate and personal private air travel just fine, Yes its 20 miles from the Loop. But it has amenities that are expected from private jet owners and operators. Multiple fueling options, multiple maintenance and repair options, hangar parking, multiple 3rd party jet rentals and several Charter services with planes on site, car rental on site, multiple private lounges and conference facilities, Helicopter Charters with Helos on site. And downtown Chicago has several Vertiports including apparently 3 helipads on the breakwater at South Pier.

Chicagoguy · #**3954** Posted **Feb 26, 2026, 2:28 AM**

EgyptAir Launching Cairo To Chicago & Los Angeles Flights As Of Mid-2026

As of June 21, 2026, the airline will launch 3x weekly flights to Chicago, with the following schedule:

MS947 Cairo to Chicago departing 12:50AM arriving 5:15AM
MS948 Chicago to Cairo departing 10:30AM arriving 5:40AM (+1 day)

The 6,148-mile flight is blocked at 12hr25min westbound and 11hr10min eastbound. It’ll operate in both directions on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

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

Chicagoguy · #**3955** Posted **Feb 26, 2026, 2:33 AM**

Philippine Airlines Plans New Manila To Chicago Route As Of Mid-2026

Philippine Airlines has filed with the Department of Transportation (DOT), requesting permission to launch regularly scheduled service between Manila (MNL) and Chicago (ORD). At 8,132 miles, this will be an ultra long haul flight, probably around the 25th longest flight in the world.

https://onemileatatime.com/news/philippine-airlines-chicago-flights/

nomarandlee · #**3956** Posted **Feb 26, 2026, 5:27 AM**

WOW. Two first-ever time destinations coming to O'Hare? Both serve as a major missing link to regions not currently served by O'Hare. Very cool.

twister244 · #**3957** Posted **Feb 26, 2026, 1:18 PM**

Love seeing new international carriers come to ORD! I've never been to Egypt, so this is a good excuse for me to try a new carrier out and see Egypt next year, assuming they are flying next year as well.

k1052 · #**3958** Posted **Feb 26, 2026, 2:10 PM**

At the rate things are going for international adds I wonder if Singapore shows up again.

F1 Tommy · #**3959** Posted **Feb 26, 2026, 7:05 PM**

Philippine Airlines had a flight to ORD in the late 1980's. They operated a route between Manila and Chicago from 1986 to 1988, offering flights 2 to 3 times weekly on their 747-200 aircraft. Stops in HNL and SFO with "Mabuhay Chicago" decal on there 747 promoting the new Chicago route.

Almost as bad as the Singapore route back in the early 2000's, with stops in Europe.

Qantas and ELAL should be next, but they are dragging their feet. Qantas already buys a lot of cargo space to ORD. Could put most of it on their own aircraft and save money. El Al also used to fly the ORD. Qantas had charters to ORD in the 1990's. I saw it on the T5 hard stand several times. Stopped in SFO.

Bring back the flights and the long haul international routes return. Amazing!!

F1 Tommy · #**3960** Posted **Feb 28, 2026, 6:34 PM**

Well, the people in the industry knew this was coming. The FAA wants to start more slot control at ORD. CBS news already reported it.

ORD was not built for banking schedules, so this is a good thing. Force the airlines to spread out the flights more.