Ruth Haines
Chicago O'Hare International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, serving Chicago, Illinois, United States. In 2019, O'Hare had 919,704 aircraft movements, averaging 2,520 flights per day, with a large number of regional flights. O'Hare's unique runway design allows takeoffs into the wind but has been ranked as one of the worst-performing airports for delayed flights. The airport is undergoing expansion with new satellite concourses, additional gates, and improved facilities, aiming to enhance the travel experience for the millions of passengers it serves annually.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | O'Hare International Airport |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| IATA | ORD |
| ICAO | KORD |
| FAA LID | ORD |
| Busiest airport | Ranked as one of the busiest airports in the world |
| Aircraft movements | 919,704 (in 2019) |
| Average daily aircraft movements | 2,520 (in 2019) |
| Passengers | 10 million annually (when it became the world's busiest airport) |
| Runways | Three pairs of angled runways |
| Performance | Ranked as one of the worst-performing airports in the US based on delayed flights (in the 1990s) |
| Terminals | 5 |
| Satellite concourses | 2 (planned) |
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What You'll Learn
- O'Hare International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world
- Runway design causes inefficiencies and delays
- O'Hare 21 expansion plan to increase gates, lounges, and improve facilities
- ORD serves Chicago, Illinois, located 17 miles northwest of the Loop business district
- O'Hare became the world's busiest airport in 1962
O'Hare International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world
O'Hare has been the world's busiest airport since 1962 when the last fixed-wing scheduled airline flight in Chicago moved from Midway to O'Hare. Serving 10 million passengers annually, O'Hare's traffic quickly surpassed Midway's when United returned in July 1964, leaving Midway's only scheduled airline as Chicago Helicopter Airways.
To accommodate O'Hare's high volume of flights and passengers, the city and airlines committed to Phase I of a new Terminal Area Plan in 2018, dubbed O'Hare 21. The plan includes the construction of two new satellite concourses to the southwest of Concourse C and the expansion of Terminals 2 and 5 with additional gates and lounges. These updates will enable same-terminal transfers between international and domestic flights, faster connections, improved facilities, and much larger landside amenities such as shopping and restaurants.
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Runway design causes inefficiencies and delays
Chicago O'Hare International Airport is the primary international airport serving Chicago, Illinois, United States. O'Hare's runway design has been a significant factor contributing to inefficiencies and delays, impacting its performance and ranking as one of the worst-performing airports in the country in terms of delayed flights.
The airport initially featured three pairs of angled runways, which were intended to facilitate takeoffs into the wind. However, this intersecting runway configuration proved to be both dangerous and inefficient. The intersecting runways created challenges in safely managing the high volume of air traffic, resulting in increased delays.
To address these issues, the O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP) was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2005. The program aimed to improve the airport's infrastructure and reduce delays by replacing the intersecting runways with parallel runways. This included constructing four new runways, lengthening two existing runways, and decommissioning three old runways, ultimately providing O'Hare with six parallel runways and two crosswind runways.
The implementation of the OMP faced several obstacles, including legal battles with surrounding communities concerned about noise implications and the relocation of a cemetery. These factors, along with the economic downturn of the Great Recession, delayed the completion of the modernization program. Despite the challenges, the construction of the sixth and final parallel runway commenced in 2016, marking a significant step toward enhancing the airport's efficiency and reducing delays.
In summary, the original runway design at O'Hare International Airport contributed to delays and inefficiencies due to its intersecting layout. The subsequent modernization program, focused on transitioning to parallel runways, was a crucial step in addressing these issues. While the project encountered delays, it demonstrated a commitment to improving the airport's performance and reducing the percentage of delayed flights.
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O'Hare 21 expansion plan to increase gates, lounges, and improve facilities
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is undergoing a major multi-phase infrastructure improvement project called O'Hare 21. The project aims to replace aging infrastructure, improve terminal facilities, enhance passenger amenities, and increase gate capacity. O'Hare 21 is a generational capital investment in O'Hare's facilities, expected to take approximately 15 years to complete.
The expansion plan includes three signature projects: Terminal 5 Expansion and Modernization, the Terminal Area Plan, and the completion of Runway 9C-27C. The Terminal 5 Expansion and Modernization project, with a budget of $8.5 billion, began in 2020 and is expected to upgrade and improve services and amenities. The expansion will add more than 350,000 square feet to the terminal and renovate over 750,000 square feet of existing space. It will also add 10 new gates, a 25% expansion of aircraft parking space, to accommodate larger aircraft and reduce gate delays.
The Terminal Area Plan includes the construction of two satellite concourses and the O'Hare Global Terminal, which will replace Terminal 2. Satellite Concourse 1, designed by SOM, Ross Barney Architects, and Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects, will serve both international and domestic passengers and add 19 new gates that can accommodate different aircraft sizes. It will be connected to O'Hare via a concourse topped with an oculus. The O'Hare Global Terminal, with a cost of $2.2 billion, will more than double the space of the existing Terminal 2 and will feature arrival gates, state-of-the-art baggage systems, and new immigration and customs facilities.
The expansion plan also includes improvements to gate lounges, featuring column-free expanses for easy wayfinding, high ceilings for optimized views, and a daylighting strategy to align with the body's natural rhythms, enhancing the overall travel experience. Additionally, O'Hare 21 aims to increase economic opportunities for the City of Chicago by offering the largest concessions offering in a decade, with 10 locations comprising over 10,000 square feet of space to serve the increasing passenger traffic.
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ORD serves Chicago, Illinois, located 17 miles northwest of the Loop business district
Chicago O'Hare International Airport, often referred to by its IATA code ORD, is the primary international airport serving Chicago, Illinois. Located on the city's Northwest Side, it is situated approximately 17 miles (or 27 km) northwest of the Loop business district.
O'Hare is one of the busiest airports in the world, ranking highly according to Airports Council International. In 2019, the airport recorded 919,704 aircraft movements, averaging 2,520 flights per day—the most of any airport globally, partly due to a large number of regional flights. O'Hare's busy status is further evidenced by its historical performance; in 1962, the airport became the world's busiest, serving 10 million passengers annually after the last scheduled fixed-wing airline flight moved from Midway to O'Hare.
The airport's infrastructure comprises three pairs of angled runways designed to facilitate takeoffs into the wind. However, this design has been criticised for its inefficiency and safety concerns, with official reports in the late 1990s ranking O'Hare poorly based on the percentage of delayed flights. To enhance operations and address any challenges, the city and airlines committed to the O'Hare 21 Terminal Area Plan in 2018. This plan includes the addition of two new satellite concourses and the expansion of Terminals 2 and 5 with extra gates and lounges. The expansion will enable same-terminal transfers between international and domestic flights, faster connections, improved facilities, and larger amenities such as shopping and dining options.
O'Hare's location relative to the Loop business district provides convenient access to and from Chicago's central business hub. The airport's proximity to this district, coupled with its ongoing expansion and improvements, contributes to its significance as a major aviation hub for the city and the region.
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O'Hare became the world's busiest airport in 1962
O'Hare International Airport is the primary international airport serving Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located on the city's Northwest Side, approximately 17 miles (27 km) northwest of the Loop business district. O'Hare is considered the most connected airport in the US and is also one of the busiest airports in the world.
O'Hare was designed to be the successor to Chicago's Midway International Airport, which was once known as the "busiest square mile in the world". O'Hare itself began as an airfield serving a Douglas manufacturing plant for C-54 military transports during World War II. In the mid-1940s, it was renamed Orchard Field Airport and was later renamed after aviator Edward "Butch" O'Hare, the first recipient of the U.S. Navy's Medal of Honor during World War II.
Scheduled passenger service at O'Hare began in 1955, but growth was initially slow. Chicago had invested over $25 million in O'Hare, but Midway remained the world's busiest airport, and airlines were reluctant to move until improvements were made. O'Hare's first international terminal opened in August 1958, and the airport expanded to 7,200 acres with new hangars, terminals, parking, and other facilities by April 1959. The expressway link to downtown Chicago, now known as the Kennedy Expressway, was completed in 1960, and new Terminals 2 and 3 opened on January 1, 1962.
The biggest factor driving airlines to relocate their operations from Midway to O'Hare was the jet airliner. In July 1962, the last fixed-wing scheduled airline flight in Chicago moved from Midway to O'Hare, making O'Hare the world's busiest airport by 1963. O'Hare served 10 million passengers annually, a number that doubled within two years. O'Hare remained the world's busiest airport until 1998 when it was surpassed by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Today, O'Hare still ranks as one of the busiest airports globally and continues to accommodate a significant number of flights and passengers each year.
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Frequently asked questions
O'Hare Airport, or Chicago O'Hare International Airport, is the primary international airport serving Chicago, Illinois, United States.
O'Hare Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. In 2019, it had 919,704 aircraft movements, averaging 2,520 per day—the most of any airport in the world. In 2018, the airport served 10 million passengers annually.
O'Hare Airport's flight hours vary depending on the day and the season. On average, there are around 2,500 aircraft movements per day.
O'Hare Airport has historically had issues with delays. At the end of the 1990s, it was ranked as one of the worst-performing airports in the US based on the percentage of delayed flights. However, the airport has undergone various improvements since then, including a new Terminal Area Plan, which aims to improve efficiency and reduce delays.
