American Airlines plans to return to 500 daily departures from Chicago-O’Hare
There is a real battle brewing between American Airlines and United Airlines at ORD.
American Airlines, which has lost four gates at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) following the latest allocation process, said that it aims to return to 500 daily departures at the airport, with recent AAdvantage signups in Chicago being a promising sign.
During the airline’s Q3 2025 earnings call following its results’ announcement that included a $114 million net loss (adjusted: $111 million), Robert Isom, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of American Airlines, first noted that during the quarter, AAdvantage enrollments were up 20% year-on-year (YoY) in Chicago.
Isom, who highlighted that AAdvantage members “generate a higher yield versus non-members,” said that in 2025, the airline was focused on growing at ORD, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), and New York, which includes John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA).
In the past few months, ORD has been a hot topic for American Airlines and United Airlines, which also has a hub at the airport, after the Chicago Department of Aviation, based on its airline use and lease agreement from 2018, reallocated gates at the airport.
Despite an attempt to rectify the loss of four gates at ORD in court, American Airlines was ultimately unsuccessful. Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines, previously estimated that American Airlines is losing $800 million annually at ORD, hinting that you have to know when to close a hub, perhaps indirectly sharing suggestions with its rival airline, according to Cranky Flier.
Still, American Airlines’ executives are hopeful that it could recover its footing at ORD. During the earnings call, Isom said that the airline is planning to take advantage of the AAdvantage customer base in Chicago, and that the carrier is anticipating that ORD “will return to its rightful place as one of our largest and more [sic] profitable hubs.” Quite the gap to close, if Kirby’s $800 million estimate is right.
Rytis Beresnevicius
Isom stated that ORD should return to 500 daily flights. Cirium’s Diio Mi showed that in October, its daily domestic departures from the airport are scheduled to peak at 459 on Fridays, while domestic and international departures should peak at 482, also on Fridays.
Compared to October 2024, American Airlines’ weekly departures from ORD are up 25.7% YoY, or 678 per week. Looking forward, June 2026 weekly departures from the airport should grow by 2.7% YoY, and just short of 500 daily departures, averaging 486.7 per day during a week in June 2026.
Questioned whether ORD can support two hub carriers, Isom answered that the airport “has been doing it forever,” with American Airlines serving the airport for almost 100 years. The CEO reiterated that ORD will be its third-largest hub, and that ORD is “critically important to our customers,” including those originating at the airport and those who connect at ORD. The 500 daily departure goal will ensure that there is “competitive service” from/to the airport.
“Really excited about Chicago and what is coming up in 2026 and beyond.”
Cirium’s Diio Mi indicated that the last time American Airlines had peak daily departures of 500 or more from ORD was between May and October 2019. (Barring the off-peak days, such as Saturdays.)
On some days, the carrier’s daily takeoffs from the airport were more than 530, even going as high as more than 540.
In comparison, United Airlines’ daily departures from ORD had peaked at more than 600 on some days between May and October 2019. In October 2025, the airline’s daily departures from the airport range between 539 (Saturday) and 608 (Monday and Thursday).
On October 23, Patrick Quayle, the Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances at United Airlines, announced that the airline is adding 10 routes, some of which are returning, as well as additional frequencies on six routes, from ORD. These, including the new and growing-frequency routes, are displayed below.
“We’re investing big in Chicago because we believe in Chicago. […] And United has recently been awarded 5 additional gates at ORD because of our investment in the airport, enabling more flights to more destinations.”
Quayle concluded that the carrier is Chicago’s hometown airline.
For someone who has never been to Chicago, apart from the huge metal bean, I will always associate the city with the Bulls. They play at the United Center, which is a year older than me, and I have always been a huge basketball fan. The point I am trying to make here is that, subjectively, I would find it hard to argue against Quayle’s conclusion of which carrier is Chicago’s hometown airline.
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