The Federal Aviation Administration has extended flight restrictions at Chicago O’Hare International Airport for another year, limiting the busy hub to 2,708 arrivals and departures per day through the end of October 2027.
The move effectively keeps a 10% flight cut in place as the FAA attempts to reduce congestion, delays and operational pressure at one of the busiest airports in the United States.
United Airlines and American Airlines had planned major schedule expansions that could have pushed O’Hare to around 3,080 daily operations this summer — roughly 15% higher than last year. Those plans were scaled back after the FAA imposed the capacity limit.
The agency has previously pointed to intense competitive scheduling between O’Hare’s two largest airlines as a factor behind overscheduling at the airport.
The risks became clear last summer, when only about 56% of departures and 58% of arrivals operated on time as congestion and construction disrupted operations.
Despite the current flight cuts, O’Hare has continued to experience significant delays in recent weeks due to runway construction and weather-related issues.
Both American and United welcomed the FAA’s decision. American called it a “prudent decision” that should improve reliability and reduce delays, while United said the restrictions would support operational stability as airport construction progresses.
For now, O’Hare’s airline capacity race has a firm ceiling: 2,708 flights a day.
