FAA orders summer flight reduction at O'Hare, citing safety, efficiency

Citing safety and efficiency concerns, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Thursday it will cut the daily flight volume at O’Hare International Airport this summer by more than 300 flights.

The reduction comes as airlines had planned an increase in flights for this summer compared to last year. That includes the airport’s two largest airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines, which have been battling for gate space at O’Hare, the country’s busiest airport.

The FAA will limit O’Hare’s daily flights to 2,708 between from May 17 through Oct. 24.

That is down from the 3,080 daily flights that airlines had planned for this summer.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the original summer schedule was “unrealistic” and would have “dramatically” exceeded what the airport’s infrastructure and air traffic controllers could handle. The initial summer 2026 schedule would have been a 15% peak-day increase from last summer, the FAA said.

“Our number one priority is the safety of the flying public, and that means ensuring airline schedules reflect what the system can safely handle,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement.

Less than 60% of flights at O'Hare were on time last summer, according to the FAA.

The FAA worked with the airlines and officials at O’Hare to reach a compromise between reducing operations and meeting the airlines’ needs.

United Airlines said the reduction is a “solution that makes sense for everyone who cares about O’Hare’s success.”

A spokesperson for American Airlines said the company is “pleased to have secured a sufficient level of flights through the FAA’s process to operate a successful hub at O’Hare this summer.”

“We are grateful to Secretary Duffy, Administrator Bedford, and their leadership teams for acting swiftly to ensure that Chicagoans and all consumers continue to benefit from sensible competition and to help minimize flight disruptions during the busy summer season,” American Airlines said.

A spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Aviation called the FAA’s order a “thoughtful approach” to ensure the limitations do not extend past the summer and that flight operations aren’t less than last year.

Last year, the FAA targeted O’Hare for flight cuts during a government shutdown. It led to controller shortages and dozens of daily flight cancellations.