The rapid growth of American Airlines and United Airlines at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is now paused. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has stepped in because the number of flights scheduled exceeds what the airport can handle each day. The FAA wants to avoid major delays and cancellations for passengers.
Currently, the airlines need to reduce their daily operations to no more than 2,800 flights. This is a drop from the 3,080 flights seen on busy days this summer. The change follows an agreement made in 2018 on how to share airport gates. After a break caused by COVID-19, American lost five gates, while United gained the same number in October 2025.
This year, American might gain back three gates. However, United’s CEO Scott Kirby has stated that they will not allow American to gain any more gates in 2026. In response to Kirby’s statements, American introduced three new routes while United quickly announced five new routes and added flights on 80 more.
American’s leaders argue that United is using overscheduling to push American out of O’Hare, a battle that dates back to the 1980s. Despite this, many believe that American will not abandon its hub at O’Hare. The FAA is now meeting with airlines to discuss how to reduce flight schedules, though exact methods are still uncertain.
