The History Behind Chicago O'hare's Airport Code: Ord

Chicago O'Hare International Airport is one of the world's busiest airports, serving Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its IATA airport code is ORD, which is derived from its former name, Orchard Field Airport, which opened in 1945. The airport was renamed in 1949 to honour Edward Butch O'Hare, a World War II naval aviator and the U.S. Navy's first flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient.

Chicago's O'Hare Airport was previously called Orchard Field Airport

Orchard Field Airport was a commercial airfield, which opened in the mid-1940s. It was previously the site of an aircraft factory, a manufacturing plant for Douglas C-54 Skymasters during World War II. The site was chosen for its easy access to the workforce of the nation's second-largest city, as well as its railroads and distance from enemy threat. The plant produced over half of all C-54s made, and the airfield, known as Douglas Airport, had four 5,500-foot runways.

In 1945, Chicago Mayor Edward Kelly established a board to choose the site of a new airport to meet future demand. The board decided on Orchard Field, and most of the federal government property was acquired in March 1946. The military retained a small parcel of the property and the right to use 25% of the airfield's operating capacity for free.

In 1949, the airport was renamed O'Hare Airport to honour Edward "Butch" O'Hare, a World War II naval aviator and the U.S. Navy's first flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient. O'Hare was from St. Louis and never lived in Chicago, although his father was an important figure in the city, helping the IRS put Al Capone in jail.

O'Hare Airport officially opened to commercial air traffic in 1955, serving 176,902 passengers in its first year. It has since become one of the busiest airports in the world, with non-stop flights to 249 destinations worldwide as of Summer 2024.

Orchard Field Airport was renamed in 1949

The Chicago City Council officially changed the name of the airport to O'Hare International Airport, though its IATA code, ORD, remained unchanged. This makes O'Hare one of the few IATA codes that does not bear a direct connection to the airport's name or metropolitan area.

Before becoming O'Hare International Airport, the site had a short history as Orchard Field Airport, also known as Orchard Place. The airport came into existence in the mid-1940s when it was renamed from Douglas Airport, which had served a Douglas manufacturing plant during World War II. The plant produced Douglas C-54 Skymasters and was located in what became the northeast corner of the airport.

The choice of the new name in 1949, O'Hare, was significant not only because it honoured a war hero but also because of O'Hare's Chicago connections. Although O'Hare himself was from St. Louis, his father was an important figure in Chicago who helped the IRS put Al Capone behind bars.

The airport was renamed after Lt. Cmdr. Edward Butch O'Hare

O'Hare's father was also a prominent figure in Chicago. He helped the IRS put Al Capone behind bars, and young Butch was often in town before the war. The airport was originally named Orchard Field Airport due to its location on the site of Orchard Place, a small German-American farming community. The IATA code "ORD" was derived from "Orchard."

In 1949, the Chicago City Council officially renamed the airport to honor O'Hare, and it became known as O'Hare International Airport. Despite the name change, the airport code "ORD" remained unchanged, making it one of the few IATA codes that do not directly correspond to the airport's name or location.

The decision to rename the airport after O'Hare was also influenced by his remarkable achievements in aviation. O'Hare Airport, which opened to commercial air traffic in 1955, became famous during the jet age and has since become one of the busiest airports in the world.

O'Hare was a World War II naval aviator

Chicago O'Hare International Airport is one of the world's busiest airports. Its airport code, ORD, is a nod to its history. The airport was built on a site called Orchard Field, also known as Orchard Place.

O'Hare was honoured in 1949 when Orchard Field was renamed O'Hare International Airport by the Chicago City Council. The airport officially opened to commercial air traffic in 1955 and served 176,902 passengers in its first year.

O'Hare was an innovative airport, pioneering concepts such as concourses, direct highway access to the terminal, jet bridges, and underground refuelling systems. It became famous during the jet age, holding the distinction as the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic from 1963 to 1998.

Today, O'Hare remains one of the busiest airports in the world, with non-stop flights to 249 destinations across the globe. It is the most connected airport in the US and the fifth most connected airport worldwide.

O'Hare is one of the busiest airports in the world

O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, is one of the busiest airports in the world. In 2022, it was the fourth busiest airport in the world, serving 68.3 million passengers. O'Hare has non-stop flights to 249 destinations across the globe, including North America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the North Atlantic region.

O'Hare's status as one of the world's busiest airports is due in part to its role as a major hub for several airlines. It is a hub for American Airlines and United Airlines, and an operating base for Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines. The airport has eight runways, the most of any civilian airport in the world, and offers scheduled flights from around 50 airlines. O'Hare also has the most gates of any airport in the world, with 213 gates across four numbered passenger terminals.

The airport's efficient design contributes to its high volume of traffic. O'Hare was the first major airport planned after World War II and pioneered concepts such as concourses, direct highway access to the terminal, jet bridges, and underground refuelling systems. The airport also benefits from its location, with easy access to the workforce and railroads of Chicago, the nation's second-largest city at the time of its construction.

O'Hare's history as a busy airport dates back to its early years. It opened to commercial air traffic in 1955 and served 176,902 passengers in its first year. By the 1960s, O'Hare had become famous during the jet age, holding the distinction as the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic from 1963 to 1998.

Today, O'Hare remains a vital transportation hub, offering a wide range of domestic and international flight options to millions of passengers each year.

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