Renowned as the globe’s “most connected airport“, this hub boasts an unparalleled record of eight runways and a helipad.
Spanning 7,627 acres or 11.9 miles the behemoth US site facilitates three simultaneous landings with its six parallel and two crosswind runways.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) ranks as the fourth busiest in the USA and claims the title of the seventh busiest globally. From 1963 until 1998, it reigned supreme as the world’s preeminent hub and today still clings to the ninth position, hot on the heels of LAX.
The year 2019 witnessed a groundbreaking 919,704 aircraft movements at ORD, averaging an astounding 2,520 daily, topping the global charts thanks mainly to a heavy roster of regional connections.
In 2023, O’Hare saw traffic of over 73 million passengers, connecting non-stop to 249 destinations worldwide.
Since the 1980s, O’Hare has been plagued by escalating delays owing to its outdated runway configuration; its airfield has seen no upgrades since its last new airstrip was introduced back in 1971.
Launched in 2001 by the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), the ambitious O’Hare Modernisation Plan (OMP) became entangled in numerous legal disputes, which included objections from surrounding suburbs worried about noise and concerns from individuals who have family buried in a cemetery earmarked for relocation.
In addition, the O’Hare Modernization Program (OMP) faced delays due to the 2008 financial crisis, which reduced traffic and pushed back its completion.
The construction of the sixth and final parallel runway began in 2016 and was finished by 2020, with an additional runway extension concluding the project in 2021.
In a bold move, the airport launched “O-Hare 21” in 2018, an ambitious Terminal Area Plan aiming to construct two new concourses and expand terminals 2 and 5, enhancing gates, lounges, and overall operations.
Initially budgeted at an eye-watering $8.5 billion – over £6.8 billion – the project’s costs have since skyrocketed, prompting calls from American Airlines and United Airlines for a scale-back or cancellation as of 2023.
Earlier this year, the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and its partners celebrated a significant achievement: the placement of the final beam in Terminal 5’s new six-story car park.
This “topping-off” ceremony marked a key milestone in the city’s ongoing mission to revamp O’Hare, promising to double the parking capacity for the terminal with 2,600 new spaces.
