O'Hare International Airport
Encyclopedia
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport
located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago
, Illinois
, United States, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of the Chicago Loop
. It is the primary airport serving the Chicago area, with Chicago Midway International Airport, about 10 miles (16 km) closer to the Loop, serving as a secondary airport for domestic flights.
United Airlines
(including United Express) is the largest airline at O'Hare, carrying over 45% of passengers. O'Hare is the largest hub for United Airlines
but will become the second-largest United hub in terms of flight operations after Houston-Bush
following the merger with Continental. American Airlines
(including American Eagle) has the second largest operation at O'Hare, carrying 37.08% of passengers. O'Hare is its second-largest hub after Dallas/Fort Worth.
Prior to 2005, O'Hare was the world's busiest airport
in terms of takeoffs and landings. Mainly due to limits imposed by the federal government to reduce flight delays at O'Hare, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
became the busiest by that metric in 2005. O'Hare is now the third busiest airport
in the world with 66,665,390 passengers passing through the airport in 2010, a +3.3% change from 2009. It is the world's second busiest airport in terms of aircraft movements. In 2008, the airport had 881,566 aircraft operations, an average of 2,409 per day (64% scheduled commercial, 33% air taxi, 3% general aviation and <1% military). O'Hare has a strong international presence, with flights to more than 60 foreign destinations: it is the fourth busiest international gateway in the United States behind John F. Kennedy International Airport
in New York City, Los Angeles International Airport
and Miami International Airport
.
O’Hare has been voted the "Best Airport in North America" for 10 years by two separate sources: Readers of the U.S. Edition of Business Traveler Magazine (1998–2003) and Global Traveler Magazine (2004–2007). Travel and Leisure magazine's 2009 "America's Favorite Cities" ranked Chicago's Airport System (O'Hare and Midway) the second-worst for delays, New York City's airport system (JFK, Newark Liberty, and LaGuardia) being the first. O'Hare currently accounts for over a sixth of the nation's total flight cancellations.
It is operated by the City of Chicago Department of Aviation, associated with an umbrella regional authority. Most of O'Hare Airport is in Cook County
, but a section of the southwest part of the airport is in DuPage County
. The Cook County portion is located within a section of the city of Chicago contiguously connected to the rest of the city via a narrow strip of land about 200 feet (61 m) wide, running along Foster Ave. from the Des Plaines River
to the airport. This land was annexed into the city limits in the 1950s to assure the massive tax revenue associated with the airport being part of the city. The strip is bounded on the north by Rosemont
and the south by Schiller Park
.
The airport is named after Edward O'Hare
, the U.S. Navy's first flying ace and Medal of Honor
recipient in World War II
.
C-54
s during World War II
. The site was chosen for its proximity to the city and transportation. The two million square-foot (180,000 m²) factory needed easy access to the workforce of the nation's then-second-largest city, as well as its extensive railroad infrastructure. Orchard Place
was a small nearby farming community.
Douglas Company's contract ended in 1945 and though plans were proposed to build commercial aircraft, the company ultimately chose to concentrate production on the west coast. With the departure of Douglas, the airport took the name Orchard Field Airport,
the source of its three-letter IATA code ORD.
In 1945, the facility was chosen by the city of Chicago as the site for a facility to meet future aviation demands. Matthew Laflin Rockwell (1915–1988) was the director of planning for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and responsible for the site selection and design of O'Hare International Airport. He was the great grandson of Matthew Laflin
, a founder and pioneer of Chicago. The airport was renamed to "O'Hare International Airport" in 1949.
began to develop O'Hare as the main airport for Chicago's future.
Commercial passenger flights started in 1955 and by the following year O'Hare was served by American, BOAC, Braniff, Capital, Delta, Eastern, North Central, Pan Am, TWA and United, along with freight airlines Riddle and Slick. O'Hare also opened a $1 million "Skymotive" terminal for corporate aircraft in 1955, the first of its kind.
Growth was slow at first. By 1957 Chicago had invested over $25 million in O'Hare, but Midway remained the world's busiest airport and airlines were reluctant to relocate all of their services to O'Hare until better highway access and other capital improvements were completed. The April 1957 Official Airline Guide shows 10 weekday departures on United, 9 on American, 6 on Capital, 3 Eastern, 3 TWA, 2 Delta, 2 North Central, and 1 Braniff. Also three weekly Pan Am and one weekly BOAC (Air France and Lufthansa were at Midway). O'Hare's first dedicated international terminal opened in August 1958. By April 1959 the airport had expanded to 7200 acres (29.1 km²) with new hangars, terminals, parking and other facilities. The expressway link to downtown Chicago was completed in 1960.
All fixed-wing scheduled airline service in Chicago moved from Midway to O'Hare by July 1962. President John F. Kennedy
attended a dedication ceremony in 1963. The arrival of Midway's former traffic quickly made O'Hare the world's busiest airport, serving 10 million passengers annually. Within two years that number would double, with more people passing through O'Hare in 12 months than Ellis Island
had processed in its entire existence. In late 1972, Chicago city officials reached an agreement with airlines to shift some services back to Midway in order to ease the overcrowding at O'Hare. Despite this, O'Hare remained the world's busiest airport through the 1970s and 1980s. In the late 1970s Midway was nearly abandoned; it enjoyed a revival after startup carrier Midway Airlines
began low-cost service there in 1979-80.
in 1978, a number of major airlines had focused operations at O'Hare.
American Airlines
, United Airlines
and Trans World Airlines
operated numerous routes to the West Coast, Northeast and Midwest, and TWA also served Europe nonstop from Chicago. Northwest Orient Airlines
offered flights to the Northeast, Pacific Northwest, Florida and Hawaii, as well as service through Alaska to Japan and the Far East. Delta Air Lines
served destinations in the Southeast and Midwest.
During this era, Terminal 1 was used for international flights. Terminal 2 (concourses D, E and F) served United, Ozark, Braniff, Eastern, Northwest, Continental and Piedmont. In Terminal 3, Concourse G served TWA and Air Canada, and Concourses H and K served American, Delta and North Central (later merged into Republic Airlines).
in 1986.
United and American both established nationwide hubs at the airport in the 1980s which continue to operate today. United developed a new Terminal 1 designed by Helmut Jahn
, which was built between 1985 and 1987 on the site of the old international terminal. American renovated its existing facilities in Terminal 3 by 1990. Delta maintained a Chicago hub for some time, and opened a new Concourse L in Terminal 3 (initially known as the "Delta Flight Center") in 1983, but ultimately closed its Chicago hub in the 1990s.
Due to the construction of Terminal 1 for United, international flights were relocated to a temporary Terminal 4 from 1984 until 1993. Terminal 4 was located on the ground floor of the main parking garage; international passengers would check in there and be taken directly to their aircraft by bus. A new Terminal 5 opened in 1993 to handle all international arrivals and many international departures. Since the opening of Terminal 5, Terminal 4 has been changed into the airport's facility for CTA
buses, hotel shuttles, and other ground transportation; the T4 designation may be used again in the future as new terminals are developed. The CTA Blue Line
was extended to the airport in 1984.
Total annual passenger volume at O'Hare reached 30 million in 1968, 40 million in 1976, 60 million in 1990 and 70 million in 1997.
Delta moved from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2 in 2009 in order to align its operations with merger partner Northwest Airlines. Continental moved from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 in 2010 as part of its merger with United Airlines.
The original Douglas Aircraft C-54 Skymaster
transport manufacturing plant on the northeast side of the airport became a United States Air Force
Air National Guard
and Air Force Reserve
facility after World War II. It was used by the USAF from 1947 until 1999 as O'Hare Air Reserve Station, making the airport a joint civil-military airfield during this period.
The 1993 Base Realignment and Closure
(BRAC) Commission recommended the closure of O'Hare Air Reserve Station as proposed by the municipal government of the City of Chicago and the transfer of both the Illinois Air National Guard
's 126th Air Refueling Wing
(126 ARW) and its KC-135 aircraft, and the Air Force Reserve Command
's 928th Airlift Wing (928 AW) and its C-130 aircraft to new facilities to be constructed at Scott AFB, Illinois. The 126 ARW moved from the former O'Hare Air Reserve Station at O'Hare International Airport to Scott AFB, Illinois in 1999 as recommended by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission's Report to Congress in conjunction with the closure of the Air Force Reserve Command
and Air National Guard
facilities at O'Hare. Instead of moving to Scott AFB, subsequent BRAC action directed that the 928 AW be inactivated and its C-130 aircraft reallocated to other Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units.
Following the closure of the O'Hare Air Reserve Station, the former USAF facilities were redeveloped for air cargo and general aviation. Today, Signature Flight Support services private aircraft in this area.
O'Hare has four numbered passenger terminals with nine lettered concourses and a total of 182 aircraft gates. Two or more additional terminal buildings are envisioned; there is the possibility of a large terminal complex for the west side of the field, with access from I-90 and/or the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway
, if the runway reconfiguration is completed and passenger numbers require additional terminals.
Note: All international arrivals at O'Hare (except flights from destinations with border preclearance
) are handled at Terminal 5.
and departures for some of its Star Alliance
partners. It has 53 gates on two concourses:
Concourses B and C are linear concourses located in separate buildings parallel to each other. Concourse B is adjacent to the airport roadway and houses passenger check-in, baggage claim and security screening on its landside and aircraft gates on its airside. Concourse C is a satellite concourse with gates on all sides. Passengers transit between the two concourses via a pedestrian tunnel under the tarmac and are treated to a neon light show and music while riding on moving walkways.
United Airlines runs a post-security shuttle service between Concourse C (Gate C-9) and Concourses E & F (Gate E-2A) in Terminal 2. United operates three United Clubs in Terminal 1 (two in Concourse B, one in Concourse C) as well as a United First International Lounge and United Arrivals Suite in Concourse C.
Terminal 1 houses All Nippon Airways
's Chicago office.
and Delta Air Lines
. United Express
also operates a number of flights from Terminal 2, but check-in for these flights is conducted in Terminal 1. Terminal 2 has 38 gates on two concourses:
United Airlines runs a United Club in Concourse F near gate F4A, while Delta has a SkyClub on Concourse E.
hub, as well as departing flights for certain oneworld
alliance carriers and unaffiliated domestic low-cost carriers. Terminal 3 has 80 gates on four concourses:
Concourse G primarily houses American Eagle operations, while concourses H and K house American mainline operations, and concourse L, the previous home of Delta, now primarily houses low-cost carrier operations. Terminal 3 has two American Airlines Admirals Clubs and a Flagship Lounge.
) are processed at Terminal 5, which also handles most non-US carriers and certain domestic low-cost carriers. Terminal 5 has 21 gates on one concourse (Concourse M).
Terminal 5 houses a number of airline lounges including the Aer Lingus Gold Circle Club, Air France Lounge, Alitalia Sala Freccia Alata, British Airways Lounge, Korean Air Lounge, SAS Business Lounge and Swiss Lounge.
^- Delta check in for the flight to Paris-CDG is in Terminal 2 but the flight will depart from the International Terminal 5.
Drive.
Two satellite cargo areas have warehouse and build-up/tear down facilities, but aircraft do not park at these. Freight is trucked to/from aircraft on other ramps. The South Cargo Area is along Mannheim Road. The East Cargo Area, adjacent to Terminal 5, was formerly the airport's only cargo section but has now mostly evolved into an airport support zone.
The Southwest Cargo Area partially lies in the path of one of the new runways (10C/28C). The redevelopment of the airfield will entail moving/replacing this primary cargo hub.
With the opening of new runway 9L/27R in November 2008, there are now seven primary air carrier runways, arranged tangentially in three parallel sets. The largest is Runway 10–28, 13,001′ x 150′. Runways 9L, 10, 14L, 14R, 27L, 27R and 28 have Category III instrument landing system
s (ILS), allowing trained aircrews to conduct landings with as little as 600 feet (182.9 m) of horizontal visibility. All other runway approaches except 4L have full Category I ILS. Due to its location and prevailing winds, runway 4L is seldom used for landings. Therefore, it is equipped with a localizer, the horizontal guidance component of an ILS system, but does not have a glideslope, the vertical component.
Originally, all runways at O'Hare intersected each other with the exception of 4R/22L. This creates problems in times of inclement weather, congestion at the airport, or high winds. There have been several aircraft near-collisions at O'Hare in recent years. The ongoing redevelopment, which essentially eliminates active runway intersections, is intended to alleviate collision hazards and delays at O'Hare.
Three of the original 1943 airfield's four runways (14L/32R, 9R/27L, and 4L/22R) have been upgraded to modern standards. Runway 14R/32L was added in 1955, 9R/27L (now designated 10/28) in 1968, 4R/22L in 1971 and the new 9L/27R in 2008. In 2003, the fourth original runway (18/36) was permanently closed; its short length, lack of use, and problematic placement no longer justified continued certification. Runway 18/36 is now shown as taxiway WT on current airport charts.
The ongoing redevelopment, when completed, will remove the two northwest–southeast runways (14/32 L/R), construct four additional east–west runways (10C/28C, 10R/28L, 9L/27R, and 9C/27C), and extend the 2 existing east–west runways (9R/27L and 10L/28R, shown on current charts as 10/28). The two existing northeast–southwest (4/22 L/R) runways will be retained. Currently, one of the four new runways has been constructed (9L/27R), and one of the two extensions (10/28) has been completed. The second new runway (10C/28C) is currently under construction.
In the original airfield configuration, runway 32L was often used for departures in a shortened configuration. Planes accessed the runway from its intersection at taxiway T10 (common) or taxiway M (not common). This shortened the effective length of the runway but allowed operations on runway 10/28 to continue without restriction. The full length of the runway was available upon request, though with the extension of 10/28 it was usually not needed. As part of the ongoing reconfiguration, in May 2010 runway 14R/32L was permanently shortened to 9685 feet (2,952 m), and it now starts at taxiway M.
O'Hare has a voluntary nighttime (2200–0700) noise abatement program in place.
The runway reconfiguration program at O'Hare will also improve the airport for the A380 Super-Jumbo aircraft. As part of the runway reconfiguration program, on July 5, 2007, the runway previously designated 9R-27L became runway 10–28, and on August 30, 2007, runway 9L/27R became 9R/27L.
On September 25, 2008, a 2857 feet (870.8 m) extension to 10/28 was opened.
Access within the airport complex can be accomplished using O'Hare's Airport Transit System (ATS), a 2.5 mi (4 km) long automated people mover
system that operates 24 hours a day, connecting all four terminals and the remote parking lots. The system began operation on May 6, 1993, and will be soon undergoing a US $
90 million enhancement to add 24 new cars and to extend the line to a new remote parking garage.
The hangar area has multiple buildings capable of fully enclosing aircraft up to the size of the Boeing 747
.
The new North Terminal Air Traffic Control Tower was designed by AECOM
(design principal Jose Luis Palacios).
City management has committed to a $6 billion capital investment plan to increase the airport's capacity by 60% and decrease delays by an estimated 79 percent. This plan was approved by the FAA
in October 2005 and will involve a reconfiguration of the airfield and addition of terminal space. The plan includes the addition of four runways, the lengthening of two existing runways, and the decommissioning of two existing runways in order to give the airfield six parallel runways in a configuration similar to that in Dallas and other large modern hub airports. This plan was very controversial as the added improvements, at the time they were proposed, were expected to increase the airport's air traffic capacity only slightly, given existing FAA rules. Additionally, the southernmost new runway would require the city acquire additional land, which was extremely controversial as residents did not want to move.
The Modernization Plan is now being implemented; an additional runway and Air Traffic Control Tower were commissioned on November 20, 2008. The new north runway, designated 9L/27R, initially served as a foul weather arrival runway, addressing one of O'Hare's primary causes of delay, but now serves as one of three runways that can be used simultaneously for landings. An extension of Runway 10/28 (formerly 9R/27L) to 13001 feet (3,962.7 m) was opened in September, 2008, facilitating the shortening and eventual closure of the 13000 feet (3,962.4 m) Runway 14R/32L. At the same time, the FAA redesigned departure routes for both O'Hare and Chicago Midway International Airport, increasing the number from three shared by both airports to five from each airport. With the new runway's opening, O'Hare's maximum aircraft arrival capacity increased from 96 planes per hour to 112 planes per hour; United Airlines
's senior vice president of operations, Joseph Kolshak, told The Wall Street Journal
that within a month of the runway's opening, "they were consistently hitting that."
Design efforts are underway for the remainder of the program, which includes three runway projects, a new western terminal complex and an automated people mover system. The O'Hare Modernization Program submitted an application to the Federal Aviation Administration to use approximately $180 million in Passenger Facility Charges to fund design work, which began in early 2009.
The second new 10,800 by 200 foot runway (10C/28C) is currently under construction.
The modernization plan has required the acquisition of 126 acres (51 ha) of land in Des Plaines
, Illinois
; construction of runway 27R and the control tower cost $457 million and involved the rerouting of a creek and 14000000 cubic yards (10,703,768 m³) of fill to build up an embankment.." 2,800 residents had to be relocated, as well as a cemetery with 900 known graves. The program ultimately is expected to expand the airport's capacity to over 3,800 operations per day, up from the present capacity of 2,700, and will vastly increase passenger throughput. It will also improve the ability of very large aircraft such as the A380
to operate.
Flight caps in place since 2004 expired on October 31, 2008. Ironically, American Airlines eliminated over 60 daily flights at O'Hare because of soaring fuel prices. United announced similar cutbacks. Recent worldwide economic difficulties further complicate the forecasts for airport demand.
After initially opposing the Modernization plan, DuPage County has endorsed the plan citing the creation of jobs, commercial development, and the ability of O'Hare to regain the status as busiest airport.
and Elk Grove Village
have been centers of resistance to the expansion plan due to their proximity to the airport and because some of their residents and businesses will be required to relocate. Bensenville and Elk Grove Village formed the Suburban O'Hare Commission to fight the expansion. So far, they have not had much success. The commission did receive a temporary injunction against portions of the city's expansion project; however, it was soon overturned. The Suburban O'Hare Commission has also been instrumental in pushing for a third regional airport in south suburban
Peotone
, which it claims would alleviate congestion at O'Hare. However, no airline has committed to the proposed airport, and planning efforts moved very slowly during 2007–08. In 2008 Elk Grove Village ended resistance. They received assurance that a proposed highway would not be built through their business park. In November 2009, Bensenville officially ended all resistance to the expansion, ceasing all legal challenges against the city of Chicago. They received 15 million dollars. It should also be noted that the city of Chicago is facing an issue with a historical cemetery located in the space of their planned runway expansion. Up until recently, the city was removing graves. This stopped when a state court stepped in on behalf of the buried's kin.
In 1995, the Chicago/Gary Airport Compact was signed by the cities of Chicago and Gary, Indiana
, creating a new administration for the Gary/Chicago International Airport
just across the state line. While markedly smaller than the proposed Peotone site, this airport already has more land and a longer main runway than Midway Airport. Gary is also many miles closer than Peotone to downtown Chicago. In addition public transportation is already in place to the Loop via the South Shore Line. Indiana and the FAA have provided significant funding for a Gary runway expansion, currently under construction.
Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) in Rockford, Illinois
has also marketed itself as an alternative for congestion at O'Hare. However, it is at least a 1-1/2 hour trip to Rockford from the Chicago Loop. Currently there is no direct transportation service from downtown Chicago or O'Hare to the Chicago Rockford International Airport, but airline service at the airport continues to grow. Larry Morrissey
, the current mayor of Rockford, has pushed for a high-speed rail
connection between the two airports to make the Rockford airport a more convenient alternative to O'Hare.
General Mitchell International Airport
(MKE) in Milwaukee has consistently attempted to increase its usage by Chicago and Northern Illinois customers. There is a direct Amtrak
rail service connecting Chicago with Mitchell Airport. The trains operate seven round trips each day, taking under 75 minutes from the Chicago loop.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of the Chicago Loop
Chicago Loop
The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago...
. It is the primary airport serving the Chicago area, with Chicago Midway International Airport, about 10 miles (16 km) closer to the Loop, serving as a secondary airport for domestic flights.
United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
(including United Express) is the largest airline at O'Hare, carrying over 45% of passengers. O'Hare is the largest hub for United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
but will become the second-largest United hub in terms of flight operations after Houston-Bush
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59...
following the merger with Continental. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
(including American Eagle) has the second largest operation at O'Hare, carrying 37.08% of passengers. O'Hare is its second-largest hub after Dallas/Fort Worth.
Prior to 2005, O'Hare was the world's busiest airport
World's busiest airport
The definition of the world's busiest airport has been specified by the Airports Council International in Geneva, Switzerland. The ACI defines and measures the following three types of airport traffic:...
in terms of takeoffs and landings. Mainly due to limits imposed by the federal government to reduce flight delays at O'Hare, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
became the busiest by that metric in 2005. O'Hare is now the third busiest airport
World's busiest airports by passenger traffic
The world's busiest airports by passenger traffic are measured by number of total passengers . One passenger is described as someone who arrives in, departs from, or transfers through the airport on a given day...
in the world with 66,665,390 passengers passing through the airport in 2010, a +3.3% change from 2009. It is the world's second busiest airport in terms of aircraft movements. In 2008, the airport had 881,566 aircraft operations, an average of 2,409 per day (64% scheduled commercial, 33% air taxi, 3% general aviation and <1% military). O'Hare has a strong international presence, with flights to more than 60 foreign destinations: it is the fourth busiest international gateway in the United States behind John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
in New York City, Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
and Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
.
O’Hare has been voted the "Best Airport in North America" for 10 years by two separate sources: Readers of the U.S. Edition of Business Traveler Magazine (1998–2003) and Global Traveler Magazine (2004–2007). Travel and Leisure magazine's 2009 "America's Favorite Cities" ranked Chicago's Airport System (O'Hare and Midway) the second-worst for delays, New York City's airport system (JFK, Newark Liberty, and LaGuardia) being the first. O'Hare currently accounts for over a sixth of the nation's total flight cancellations.
It is operated by the City of Chicago Department of Aviation, associated with an umbrella regional authority. Most of O'Hare Airport is in Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, but a section of the southwest part of the airport is in DuPage County
DuPage County, Illinois
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 916,924, White Americans made up 77.9% of Dupage County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 70.5% of the population. Black Americans made up 4.6% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.3% of Dupage County's population...
. The Cook County portion is located within a section of the city of Chicago contiguously connected to the rest of the city via a narrow strip of land about 200 feet (61 m) wide, running along Foster Ave. from the Des Plaines River
Des Plaines River
The Des Plaines River is a river that flows southward for through southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois in the U.S. Midwest, eventually meeting the Kankakee River west of Channahon to form the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi River....
to the airport. This land was annexed into the city limits in the 1950s to assure the massive tax revenue associated with the airport being part of the city. The strip is bounded on the north by Rosemont
Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States located immediately northwest of Chicago. The village was incorporated in 1956, though it had been settled long before that...
and the south by Schiller Park
Schiller Park, Illinois
Schiller Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,850 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Schiller Park is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
.
The airport is named after Edward O'Hare
Edward O'Hare
Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry “Butch” O’Hare was an Irish-American naval aviator of the United States Navy who on February 20, 1942 became the U.S. Navy's first flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. Butch O’Hare’s final action took place on the night of November 26, 1943,...
, the U.S. Navy's first flying ace and Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
World War II
The airport was constructed in 1942–43 as a manufacturing plant for DouglasDouglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas...
C-54
C-54 Skymaster
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
s during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The site was chosen for its proximity to the city and transportation. The two million square-foot (180,000 m²) factory needed easy access to the workforce of the nation's then-second-largest city, as well as its extensive railroad infrastructure. Orchard Place
Orchard Place, Illinois
Orchard Place, Illinois was a small farming community in Cook County, Illinois, just west of Chicago. Settled by German immigrants in the 1840s, Orchard Place became a stop on the Wisconsin Central Railroad in 1887 and received its name at that time...
was a small nearby farming community.
Douglas Company's contract ended in 1945 and though plans were proposed to build commercial aircraft, the company ultimately chose to concentrate production on the west coast. With the departure of Douglas, the airport took the name Orchard Field Airport,
the source of its three-letter IATA code ORD.
In 1945, the facility was chosen by the city of Chicago as the site for a facility to meet future aviation demands. Matthew Laflin Rockwell (1915–1988) was the director of planning for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and responsible for the site selection and design of O'Hare International Airport. He was the great grandson of Matthew Laflin
Matthew Laflin
Matthew Laflin was an American manufacturer of gunpowder, businessman, philanthropist, and an early pioneer of Chicago, Illinois.-Early life and ancestors:...
, a founder and pioneer of Chicago. The airport was renamed to "O'Hare International Airport" in 1949.
Commercial development
By the early 1950s Chicago Midway International Airport, Chicago's primary airport since 1931, had become too crowded despite multiple expansions and could not handle the planned first generation of jets. The city of Chicago and the FAAFederal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
began to develop O'Hare as the main airport for Chicago's future.
Commercial passenger flights started in 1955 and by the following year O'Hare was served by American, BOAC, Braniff, Capital, Delta, Eastern, North Central, Pan Am, TWA and United, along with freight airlines Riddle and Slick. O'Hare also opened a $1 million "Skymotive" terminal for corporate aircraft in 1955, the first of its kind.
Growth was slow at first. By 1957 Chicago had invested over $25 million in O'Hare, but Midway remained the world's busiest airport and airlines were reluctant to relocate all of their services to O'Hare until better highway access and other capital improvements were completed. The April 1957 Official Airline Guide shows 10 weekday departures on United, 9 on American, 6 on Capital, 3 Eastern, 3 TWA, 2 Delta, 2 North Central, and 1 Braniff. Also three weekly Pan Am and one weekly BOAC (Air France and Lufthansa were at Midway). O'Hare's first dedicated international terminal opened in August 1958. By April 1959 the airport had expanded to 7200 acres (29.1 km²) with new hangars, terminals, parking and other facilities. The expressway link to downtown Chicago was completed in 1960.
All fixed-wing scheduled airline service in Chicago moved from Midway to O'Hare by July 1962. President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
attended a dedication ceremony in 1963. The arrival of Midway's former traffic quickly made O'Hare the world's busiest airport, serving 10 million passengers annually. Within two years that number would double, with more people passing through O'Hare in 12 months than Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
had processed in its entire existence. In late 1972, Chicago city officials reached an agreement with airlines to shift some services back to Midway in order to ease the overcrowding at O'Hare. Despite this, O'Hare remained the world's busiest airport through the 1970s and 1980s. In the late 1970s Midway was nearly abandoned; it enjoyed a revival after startup carrier Midway Airlines
Midway Airlines
Midway Airlines was the name of two different, defunct airlines:*Midway Airlines , airline based in Chicago, Illinois and operating out of Chicago Midway International Airport between 1976 and 1991...
began low-cost service there in 1979-80.
| Midway | O'Hare | |
|---|---|---|
| 1958 | 337421 | 66205 |
| 1959 | 345170 | 82417 |
| 1960 | 298582 | 163351 |
| 1961 | 187978 | 235908 |
| 1962 | 46873 | 331090 |
| 1963 | 19054 | 358266 |
| 1964 | 19017 | 389640 |
| 1965 | 16716 | 443026 |
| 1966 | 5090 | 478644 |
| 1967 | 4427 | 573506 |
| 1968 | 26941 | 628632 |
| 1969 | 31394 | 632030 |
| 1970 | 43553 | 598973 |
| 1971 | 51734 | 565826 |
Pre-deregulation service
Prior to airline deregulationAirline deregulation
Airline deregulation is the process of removing entry and price restrictions on airlines affecting, in particular, the carriers permitted to serve specific routes. In the United States, the term usually applies to the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978...
in 1978, a number of major airlines had focused operations at O'Hare.
American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
and Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines was an American airline that existed from 1925 until it was bought out by and merged with American Airlines in 2001. It was a major domestic airline in the United States and the main U.S.-based competitor of Pan American World Airways on intercontinental routes from 1946...
operated numerous routes to the West Coast, Northeast and Midwest, and TWA also served Europe nonstop from Chicago. Northwest Orient Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
offered flights to the Northeast, Pacific Northwest, Florida and Hawaii, as well as service through Alaska to Japan and the Far East. Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
served destinations in the Southeast and Midwest.
During this era, Terminal 1 was used for international flights. Terminal 2 (concourses D, E and F) served United, Ozark, Braniff, Eastern, Northwest, Continental and Piedmont. In Terminal 3, Concourse G served TWA and Air Canada, and Concourses H and K served American, Delta and North Central (later merged into Republic Airlines).
Post-deregulation developments
In the 1980s, after deregulation, TWA replaced Chicago with St. Louis as its main mid-continent hub. Northwest likewise shifted to a Minneapolis and Detroit-centered network by the early 1990s following its acquisition of Republic AirlinesRepublic Airlines (1979-1986)
Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
in 1986.
United and American both established nationwide hubs at the airport in the 1980s which continue to operate today. United developed a new Terminal 1 designed by Helmut Jahn
Helmut Jahn
Helmut Jahn is a German-American architect, well known for designs such as the US$800 million Sony Center on the Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, the Messeturm in Frankfurt and the One Liberty Place, formerly the tallest building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Suvarnabhumi Airport, an international...
, which was built between 1985 and 1987 on the site of the old international terminal. American renovated its existing facilities in Terminal 3 by 1990. Delta maintained a Chicago hub for some time, and opened a new Concourse L in Terminal 3 (initially known as the "Delta Flight Center") in 1983, but ultimately closed its Chicago hub in the 1990s.
Due to the construction of Terminal 1 for United, international flights were relocated to a temporary Terminal 4 from 1984 until 1993. Terminal 4 was located on the ground floor of the main parking garage; international passengers would check in there and be taken directly to their aircraft by bus. A new Terminal 5 opened in 1993 to handle all international arrivals and many international departures. Since the opening of Terminal 5, Terminal 4 has been changed into the airport's facility for CTA
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago Transit Authority, also known as CTA, is the operator of mass transit within the City of Chicago, Illinois and some of its surrounding suburbs....
buses, hotel shuttles, and other ground transportation; the T4 designation may be used again in the future as new terminals are developed. The CTA Blue Line
Blue Line (Chicago Transit Authority)
The Blue Line consists of a long trunk line in the Chicago Transit Authority's rapid transit system which extends through Chicago's Loop from O'Hare International Airport at the far northwest end of the city, through downtown via the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway, and across the West Side to its...
was extended to the airport in 1984.
Total annual passenger volume at O'Hare reached 30 million in 1968, 40 million in 1976, 60 million in 1990 and 70 million in 1997.
Delta moved from Terminal 3 to Terminal 2 in 2009 in order to align its operations with merger partner Northwest Airlines. Continental moved from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 in 2010 as part of its merger with United Airlines.
United States Air Force use
- See: O'Hare Air Reserve StationO'Hare Air Reserve StationO'Hare Air Reserve Station is a former United States Air Force base, located at O'Hare International Airport. It was located west-northwest of Chicago, Illinois...
The original Douglas Aircraft C-54 Skymaster
C-54 Skymaster
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster was a four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces and British forces in World War II and the Korean War. Besides transport of cargo, it also carried presidents, British heads of government, and military staff...
transport manufacturing plant on the northeast side of the airport became a United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
and Air Force Reserve
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
facility after World War II. It was used by the USAF from 1947 until 1999 as O'Hare Air Reserve Station, making the airport a joint civil-military airfield during this period.
The 1993 Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
(BRAC) Commission recommended the closure of O'Hare Air Reserve Station as proposed by the municipal government of the City of Chicago and the transfer of both the Illinois Air National Guard
Illinois Air National Guard
The Illinois Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Illinois. It is, along with the Illinois Army National Guard, an element of the Illinois National Guard...
's 126th Air Refueling Wing
126th Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 126th Air Refueling Wing is a Illinois Air National Guard air refueling wing located at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois....
(126 ARW) and its KC-135 aircraft, and the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
's 928th Airlift Wing (928 AW) and its C-130 aircraft to new facilities to be constructed at Scott AFB, Illinois. The 126 ARW moved from the former O'Hare Air Reserve Station at O'Hare International Airport to Scott AFB, Illinois in 1999 as recommended by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission's Report to Congress in conjunction with the closure of the Air Force Reserve Command
Air Force Reserve Command
The Air Force Reserve Command is a major command of the U.S. Air Force with its headquarters at Robins AFB, Georgia.It stood up as a major command of the Air Force on 17 February 1997....
and Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
facilities at O'Hare. Instead of moving to Scott AFB, subsequent BRAC action directed that the 928 AW be inactivated and its C-130 aircraft reallocated to other Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard units.
Following the closure of the O'Hare Air Reserve Station, the former USAF facilities were redeveloped for air cargo and general aviation. Today, Signature Flight Support services private aircraft in this area.
Accidents and incidents
1057 fatalities have occurred as a result of accidents en route to or from Chicago O'Hare.- On September 2, 2010, American Airlines Flight 1487 to Reno, Nevada was struck by lightning and forced to return. No one was hurt.
- On the afternoon of November 7, 2006, a group of United Airlines workers reported seeing an unidentified flying object2006 O'Hare International Airport UFO sightingThe Chicago O'Hare UFO sighting occurred on November 7, 2006, when people at Chicago O'Hare International Airport reported seeing a saucer or disc-shaped UFO.-The sighting:...
near gate C-17. - On October 8, 2001, on American AirlinesAmerican AirlinesAmerican Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
Flight 1238, en route from Los Angeles to Chicago, a psychoticPsychosisPsychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
passenger stormed the cockpit 40 minutes before landing in Chicago, causing the plane to drop sharply and spark panic. In light of the fear ignited by 9/11, flight crew and passengers were quickly able to wrestle the man to the ground and subdue him. Additionally, a distress signalDistress signalA distress signal is an internationally recognized means for obtaining help. Distress signals take the form of or are commonly made by using radio signals, displaying a visually detected item or illumination, or making an audible sound, from a distance....
was sent by the pilots, causing two F-16F-16 Fighting FalconThe General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
s to race at supersonicSupersonicSupersonic speed is a rate of travel of an object that exceeds the speed of sound . For objects traveling in dry air of a temperature of 20 °C this speed is approximately 343 m/s, 1,125 ft/s, 768 mph or 1,235 km/h. Speeds greater than five times the speed of sound are often...
speeds to intercept and escort the aircraft to O'Hare International Airport. This caused a sonic boomSonic boomA sonic boom is the sound associated with the shock waves created by an object traveling through the air faster than the speed of sound. Sonic booms generate enormous amounts of sound energy, sounding much like an explosion...
in Chicago's northwest suburbs, startling millions of residents. - On April 1, 1999, a near-miss occurred on the intersection on Runways 14 right and 27 left between Korean Air Flight 36 and Air China 9018, both Boeing 747s. The Korean Air 747-400 pilot took evasive action by applying maximum power, rotating earlier than planned, and rolling slightly left once airborne to avoid the Air China Boeing 747 freighter. The aircraft missed each other by an estimated 75 feet (22.9 m). The actions of the Korean Air flight crew are credited with saving everyone on board both aircraft. 7 years later, on July 23, 2006, another near-miss occurred between Giant 6972, an Atlas Air Boeing 747 and United Airlines Flight 1015, a Boeing 737, who missed each other by 35 feet (10.7 m).
- On February 9, 1998, American Airlines Flight 1340 crashed upon landing in Chicago from Kansas City International Airport injuring 22 passengers.
- On October 31, 1994, American Eagle Flight 4184American Eagle Flight 4184American Eagle Flight 4184 was an American Eagle ATR 72 that crashed after flying into unknown icing conditions on October 31, 1994. Control was lost and all aboard were killed.-History:...
crashed over northwestern Indiana en route to Chicago, killing all 68 people on board. - On September 8, 1994, USAir Flight 427USAir Flight 427US Air Flight 427 was a scheduled flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Pittsburgh, with a final destination of West Palm Beach, Florida...
crashed on approach to Pittsburgh, PAPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, after departing O'Hare, killing all 132 people on board. - On July 19, 1989, United Airlines Flight 232United Airlines Flight 232United Airlines Flight 232 was a scheduled flight from Stapleton International Airport in Denver, Colorado, to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, with continuing service to Philadelphia International Airport...
, en route to Chicago from Denver, crash-landed in Sioux City, IowaSioux City, IowaSioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
, killing 111 people on board. - On August 10, 1986, American Trans Air Flight 131 exploded on the tarmac at O'Hare, destroying the plane.
- On March 19, 1982, a USAFUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
KC-135KC-135 StratotankerThe Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
crashed upon approach to O'Hare 40 miles (64.4 km) northwest of the city (near Woodstock), killing 27 people on board. - On May 25, 1979, American Airlines Flight 191American Airlines Flight 191American Airlines Flight 191 was a regularly scheduled passenger flight in the United States from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles International Airport. On May 25, 1979, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 operating the route crashed moments after takeoff from Chicago....
crashed just after takeoff on runway 32R from Chicago en route to Los Angeles International AirportLos Angeles International AirportLos Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, killing all 271 people on board and two people on the ground. The crash remains the deadliest single-aircraft crash in United States history, and the worst aviation disaster in the nation before September 11, 2001. - On March 28, 1977, Douglas C-47A N57131 of Emery WorldwideEmery WorldwideEmery Worldwide was a cargo airline, once one of the leading carriers in the cargo airline world. Its headquarters were located in Redwood City, California....
was destroyed by fire following a taxiing accident. The aircraft was due to operate a cargo flight. - On December 20, 1972, North Central Airlines Flight 575 crashed upon takeoff, killing 10 passengers.
- On December 27, 1968, North Central Airlines Flight 458North Central Airlines Flight 458On December 27, 1968, North Central Airlines Flight 458 crashed into a hangar while attempting a night landing in poor weather at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. Of the 41 passengers and 4 crew, only 17 passengers and one crew member survived...
crashed into a hangar at O'Hare, killing 27 onboard and one on the ground. - On March 21, 1968 United Airlines Flight 9963 a Boeing 727Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
overran runway 09R on take off. None of the 3 crew on board were killed but injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. - On August 16, 1965, United Airlines Flight 389United Airlines Flight 389United Airlines Flight 389 was a scheduled flight from LaGuardia Airport, New York City, New York, to O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois. On August 16, 1965, at approximately 21:21 EST, the Boeing 727 crashed into Lake Michigan east of Fort Sheridan, near Lake Forest, while descending...
crashed 30 miles (48.3 km) east of O'Hare while on approach, killing all 30 onboard. - On September 17, 1961, Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 706Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 706Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 706, registration N137US, was a Lockheed L-188 Electra aircraft which crashed on take-off from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport September 17, 1961. All 37 on board were killed in the accident....
had a mechanical failure in control surfaces and crashed upon takeoff at Chicago O'Hare killing all 37 onboard.
Terminals
Elgin-O'Hare Expressway
The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is an Interstate-standard freeway in northeast Illinois, United States. Contrary to its given name, the expressway does not enter either Elgin or O'Hare International Airport, giving it a somewhat infamous reputation as a "road to nowhere"...
, if the runway reconfiguration is completed and passenger numbers require additional terminals.
Note: All international arrivals at O'Hare (except flights from destinations with border preclearance
United States border preclearance
The United States operates border preclearance facilities at a number of ports and airports in foreign countries. They are staffed and operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. Travelers pass through Immigration and Customs, Public Health, and Department of Agriculture inspections...
) are handled at Terminal 5.
Terminal 1
Terminal 1 houses the hub of United AirlinesUnited Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
and departures for some of its Star Alliance
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
partners. It has 53 gates on two concourses:
- Concourse B - 23 gates
- Concourse C - 30 gates
Concourses B and C are linear concourses located in separate buildings parallel to each other. Concourse B is adjacent to the airport roadway and houses passenger check-in, baggage claim and security screening on its landside and aircraft gates on its airside. Concourse C is a satellite concourse with gates on all sides. Passengers transit between the two concourses via a pedestrian tunnel under the tarmac and are treated to a neon light show and music while riding on moving walkways.
United Airlines runs a post-security shuttle service between Concourse C (Gate C-9) and Concourses E & F (Gate E-2A) in Terminal 2. United operates three United Clubs in Terminal 1 (two in Concourse B, one in Concourse C) as well as a United First International Lounge and United Arrivals Suite in Concourse C.
Terminal 1 houses All Nippon Airways
All Nippon Airways
, also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...
's Chicago office.
Terminal 2
Terminal 2 houses US AirwaysUS Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. United Express
United Express
United Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
also operates a number of flights from Terminal 2, but check-in for these flights is conducted in Terminal 1. Terminal 2 has 38 gates on two concourses:
- Concourse E - 16 gates
- Concourse F - 22 gates
United Airlines runs a United Club in Concourse F near gate F4A, while Delta has a SkyClub on Concourse E.
Terminal 3
Terminal 3 houses the American AirlinesAmerican Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
hub, as well as departing flights for certain oneworld
Oneworld
Oneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
alliance carriers and unaffiliated domestic low-cost carriers. Terminal 3 has 80 gates on four concourses:
- Concourse G - 26 gates
- Concourse H - 21 gates
- Concourse K - 22 gates
- Concourse L - 11 gates
Concourse G primarily houses American Eagle operations, while concourses H and K house American mainline operations, and concourse L, the previous home of Delta, now primarily houses low-cost carrier operations. Terminal 3 has two American Airlines Admirals Clubs and a Flagship Lounge.
Terminal 5 (International Terminal)
All international arrivals at O'Hare (excluding flights from destinations with U.S. border preclearanceUnited States border preclearance
The United States operates border preclearance facilities at a number of ports and airports in foreign countries. They are staffed and operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. Travelers pass through Immigration and Customs, Public Health, and Department of Agriculture inspections...
) are processed at Terminal 5, which also handles most non-US carriers and certain domestic low-cost carriers. Terminal 5 has 21 gates on one concourse (Concourse M).
Terminal 5 houses a number of airline lounges including the Aer Lingus Gold Circle Club, Air France Lounge, Alitalia Sala Freccia Alata, British Airways Lounge, Korean Air Lounge, SAS Business Lounge and Swiss Lounge.
Airlines and destinations
- - Although Concourses E and F are part of Terminal 2, check-in and baggage claim for all United flights are in Terminal 1.
^- Delta check in for the flight to Paris-CDG is in Terminal 2 but the flight will depart from the International Terminal 5.
Traffic and statistics
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  London (Heathrow), United KingdomLondon Heathrow Airport London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe... |
1,108,513 | American, British Airways, United, Virgin Atlantic |
| 2 |  Frankfurt, GermanyFrankfurt Airport Frankfurt Airport may refer to:Airports of Frankfurt, Germany:*Frankfurt Airport , the largest airport in Germany*Frankfurt Egelsbach Airport, a general aviation airport*Frankfurt-Hahn Airport , a converted U.S... |
919,448 | Lufthansa, United |
| 3 |  Toronto (Pearson), CanadaToronto Pearson International Airport Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population... |
747,713 | Air Canada, American, United |
| 4 |  Tokyo (Narita), JapanNarita International Airport is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama.... |
651,643 | All Nippon, American, JAL, United |
| 5 |  Cancún, MexicoCancún International Airport Cancún International Airport is located in Cancún, Quintana Roo, on the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It is Mexico's second busiest airport, after Mexico City International Airport in Mexico City, but the biggest in Mexico and Latin America for International passengers... |
400,424 | American, United, USA3000 |
| 6 |  Paris (Charles de Gaulle), France |
346,940 | Air France, American, United |
| 7 | Montréal (Trudeau), Canada Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport or Montréal-Trudeau, formerly known as Montréal-Dorval International Airport, is located on the Island of Montreal, from Montreal's downtown core. The airport terminals are located entirely in Dorval, while the Air Canada headquarters complex... |
345,384 | Air Canada, American, United |
| 8 | Munich, Germany |
318,762 | Lufthansa, United |
| 9 | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City International Airport Benito Juárez International Airport , in Venustiano Carranza, one of the sixteen boroughs into which Mexico's Federal District is divided, is a commercial airport that serves Mexico City, the capital of Mexico... |
318,063 | Aeroméxico, American, United |
| 10 | Shanghai (Pudong), China Shanghai Pudong International Airport Shanghai Pudong International Airport is the primary international airport serving Shanghai, China, and a major aviation hub in Asia. The other major airport in Shanghai, Hongqiao, mainly serves domestic flights... |
299,351 | American, United |
| 11 |  Seoul (Incheon), South KoreaIncheon International Airport Incheon International Airport is the largest airport in South Korea, the primary airport serving the Seoul national capital area, and one of the largest and busiest airports in the world... |
294,037 | Asiana, Korean Air |
| 12 |  Dublin, IrelandDublin Airport Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon... |
263,427 | Aer Lingus, American |
| 13 | Vancouver, Canada Vancouver International Airport Vancouver International Airport is located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, about from Downtown Vancouver. In 2010 it was the second busiest airport in Canada by aircraft movements and passengers , behind Toronto Pearson International Airport, with non-stop flights daily to... |
260,341 | United |
| 14 |  Amsterdam, the Netherlands |
256,461 | KLM, United |
| 15 |  Istanbul (Ataturk), TurkeyAtatürk International Airport Atatürk International Airport is the major international airport in Istanbul, Turkey. Opened in 1924 and located in Yeşilköy, on the European side of the city, it is west of the city centre. In 1980, the airport was renamed to Atatürk International Airport in honor of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the... |
238,282 | Turkish Airlines |
| 16 |  Hong KongHong Kong International Airport Hong Kong International Airport is the main airport in Hong Kong. It is colloquially known as Chek Lap Kok Airport , being built on the island of Chek Lap Kok by land reclamation, and also to distinguish it from its predecessor, the closed Kai Tak Airport.The airport opened for commercial... |
234,867 | United, Cathay Pacific |
| 17 |  Rome (Fiumicino), Italy |
216,653 | Alitalia, American |
| 18 | Beijing (Capital), China Beijing Capital International Airport Beijing Capital International Airport, is the main international airport serving Beijing, China. It is located northeast of Beijing's city center in an enclave of Chaoyang District that is surrounded by rural Shunyi District. The airport is owned and operated by the Beijing Capital... |
208,202 | American, United |
| 19 | Ottawa, Canada Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport Ottawa/Macdonald-Cartier International Airport or Macdonald-Cartier International Airport , in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada is named after Sirs John A. Macdonald and George-Étienne Cartier... |
180,892 | American, United |
| 20 |  Brussels, BelgiumBrussels Airport Brussels Airport is an international airport northeast of Brussels, Belgium. The airport is partially in Zaventem and partially in the Diegem area of Machelen, both located in the Flemish Region of Belgium.Brussels Airport currently consists of 54 contact gates, and a total of 109 gates... |
178,380 | American, United |
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  New York (LaGuardia), New YorkLaGuardia Airport LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally... |
1,261,000 | American, Delta, United |
| 2 |  Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually... |
1,075,000 | American, Spirit, United, Virgin America |
| 3 | San Francisco, California San Francisco International Airport San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO... |
950,000 | American,United, Virgin America |
| 4 |  Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas |
884,000 | American, Spirit, United |
| 5 |  Boston, MassachusettsLogan International Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways... |
786,000 | American, JetBlue, Spirit, United |
| 6 |  Minneapolis/St. Paul, MinnesotaMinneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:... |
727,000 | American, Delta, United |
| 7 |  Washington (National), D.C.Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located south of downtown Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia. It is the commercial airport nearest to Washington, D.C. For many decades, it was called Washington National Airport, but this airport was renamed in 1998 to... |
701,000 | American, United |
| 8 |  Denver, ColoradoDenver International Airport Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel... |
698,000 | American, United |
| 9 |  Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia International Airport Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania... |
665,000 | American, United, US Airways |
| 10 |  Atlanta, Georgia |
664,000 | American, Delta, United |
Cargo carriers
There are two main cargo areas at O'Hare that have warehouse, build-up/tear-down and aircraft parking facilities. The Southwest Cargo Area, adjacent to Irving Park Road, accommodates over 80% of the airport's all-cargo flights, divided among 9 buildings in two tiers. The North Cargo Area, which is a modest conversion of the former military base (the 1943 Douglas plant area), also receives air freighters. It is adjacent to the northern portion of Bessie ColemanBessie Coleman
Elizabeth “Bessie” Coleman was an American civil aviator. She was the first female pilot of African American descent and the first person of African American descent to hold an international pilot license.-Early life:...
Drive.
Two satellite cargo areas have warehouse and build-up/tear down facilities, but aircraft do not park at these. Freight is trucked to/from aircraft on other ramps. The South Cargo Area is along Mannheim Road. The East Cargo Area, adjacent to Terminal 5, was formerly the airport's only cargo section but has now mostly evolved into an airport support zone.
The Southwest Cargo Area partially lies in the path of one of the new runways (10C/28C). The redevelopment of the airfield will entail moving/replacing this primary cargo hub.
Runways
Instrument Landing System
An instrument landing system is a ground-based instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to an aircraft approaching and landing on a runway, using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during instrument...
s (ILS), allowing trained aircrews to conduct landings with as little as 600 feet (182.9 m) of horizontal visibility. All other runway approaches except 4L have full Category I ILS. Due to its location and prevailing winds, runway 4L is seldom used for landings. Therefore, it is equipped with a localizer, the horizontal guidance component of an ILS system, but does not have a glideslope, the vertical component.
Originally, all runways at O'Hare intersected each other with the exception of 4R/22L. This creates problems in times of inclement weather, congestion at the airport, or high winds. There have been several aircraft near-collisions at O'Hare in recent years. The ongoing redevelopment, which essentially eliminates active runway intersections, is intended to alleviate collision hazards and delays at O'Hare.
Three of the original 1943 airfield's four runways (14L/32R, 9R/27L, and 4L/22R) have been upgraded to modern standards. Runway 14R/32L was added in 1955, 9R/27L (now designated 10/28) in 1968, 4R/22L in 1971 and the new 9L/27R in 2008. In 2003, the fourth original runway (18/36) was permanently closed; its short length, lack of use, and problematic placement no longer justified continued certification. Runway 18/36 is now shown as taxiway WT on current airport charts.
The ongoing redevelopment, when completed, will remove the two northwest–southeast runways (14/32 L/R), construct four additional east–west runways (10C/28C, 10R/28L, 9L/27R, and 9C/27C), and extend the 2 existing east–west runways (9R/27L and 10L/28R, shown on current charts as 10/28). The two existing northeast–southwest (4/22 L/R) runways will be retained. Currently, one of the four new runways has been constructed (9L/27R), and one of the two extensions (10/28) has been completed. The second new runway (10C/28C) is currently under construction.
In the original airfield configuration, runway 32L was often used for departures in a shortened configuration. Planes accessed the runway from its intersection at taxiway T10 (common) or taxiway M (not common). This shortened the effective length of the runway but allowed operations on runway 10/28 to continue without restriction. The full length of the runway was available upon request, though with the extension of 10/28 it was usually not needed. As part of the ongoing reconfiguration, in May 2010 runway 14R/32L was permanently shortened to 9685 feet (2,952 m), and it now starts at taxiway M.
O'Hare has a voluntary nighttime (2200–0700) noise abatement program in place.
The runway reconfiguration program at O'Hare will also improve the airport for the A380 Super-Jumbo aircraft. As part of the runway reconfiguration program, on July 5, 2007, the runway previously designated 9R-27L became runway 10–28, and on August 30, 2007, runway 9L/27R became 9R/27L.
On September 25, 2008, a 2857 feet (870.8 m) extension to 10/28 was opened.
Access to airport
- Road vehicles enter and exit via I-190Interstate 190 (Illinois)Interstate 190 is an intrastate Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Illinois. I-190 runs west from I-90 to O'Hare International Airport. This is a distance of . Interstate 190 is the westernmost leg of the Kennedy Expressway...
, which branches off I-90Interstate 90 in IllinoisIn the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 90 runs roughly northwest through the northern end of the state, from the Indiana border to Wisconsin. I-90 traverses a variety of settings, from farmland west of the Fox River Valley to medium-density suburban west of O'Hare International Airport, to the...
(the Kennedy Expressway)Kennedy ExpresswayThe John F. Kennedy Expressway is a long highway that travels northwest from the Chicago Loop to O'Hare International Airport. The expressway is named for the 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy. The Interstate 90 portion of the Kennedy is a part of the much longer I-90...
leading to downtown Chicago. Cars may also access the airport locally from Mannheim RoadMannheim RoadMannheim Road is a north–south major thoroughfare in the near-western suburbs of Chicago. It carries U.S. Routes 12 and 45 between Des Plaines and La Grange and carries U.S. Route 20 between Lake Street and LaGrange. In LaGrange and points to the south, it is known as LaGrange Road...
, the airport's eastern boundary. Aside from cargo access on its south side, all airport traffic travels through the east side of the airport. Local residents sometimes refer to I-190 as "the world's busiest Cul-de-sacCul-de-sacA cul-de-sac is a word of French origin referring to a dead end, close, no through road or court meaning dead-end street with only one inlet/outlet...
" as a result of the one way access. - Subway trains from the Blue LineBlue Line (Chicago Transit Authority)The Blue Line consists of a long trunk line in the Chicago Transit Authority's rapid transit system which extends through Chicago's Loop from O'Hare International Airport at the far northwest end of the city, through downtown via the Milwaukee-Dearborn subway, and across the West Side to its...
of the Chicago Transit Authority's 'L'Chicago 'L'The L is the rapid transit system serving the city of Chicago and some of its surrounding suburbs. It is operated by the Chicago Transit Authority...
depart the terminal from an underground stationO'Hare (CTA)O'Hare is the 'L' station at the northwestern terminus of the CTA's Blue Line. It is a subway station with two island platforms serving three tracks, located at O'Hare International Airport, 17 miles northwest of the Chicago Loop. Trains are scheduled to depart from O'Hare roughly every 2-7...
that opened on September 3, 19841984 in rail transport-April events:* 9 April - Saltaire station is reopened in West Yorkshire, England, by the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive nearly twenty years after it was closed by British Railways....
. - Commuter trains from the MetraMetraMetra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
North Central ServiceNorth Central ServiceThe North Central Service is a commuter rail line provided and operated by Metra in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the North Central Service line are printed in light "Soo...
stop at the O'Hare Transfer stationO'Hare Transfer (Metra)O'Hare Transfer is a commuter railroad station along Metra's North Central Service that serves Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. The station is away from Union Station, the southern terminus of the line...
, which is connected to the Airport Transit SystemAirport Transit SystemThe Airport Transit System is an automated people mover system at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The system began its operation on May 6, 1993, and can accommodate up to 2,400 passengers per hour.- Service :...
via a shuttle bus.
Intra-airport transportation
People mover
A people mover or automated people mover is a fully automated, grade-separated mass transit system.The term is generally used only to describe systems serving relatively small areas such as airports, downtown districts or theme parks, but is sometimes applied to considerably more complex automated...
system that operates 24 hours a day, connecting all four terminals and the remote parking lots. The system began operation on May 6, 1993, and will be soon undergoing a US $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
90 million enhancement to add 24 new cars and to extend the line to a new remote parking garage.
Other facilities
A large air cargo complex on the southwest side of the field was opened in 1984, replacing most of the old cargo area, which stood where Terminal 5 now exists. This complex sits right in the middle of the footprint for new runway 10C/28C, and is to be replaced by a new facility.The hangar area has multiple buildings capable of fully enclosing aircraft up to the size of the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
.
The new North Terminal Air Traffic Control Tower was designed by AECOM
AECOM
AECOM Technology Corporation is a professional technical and management support services firm. The company is ranked as the number one design firm for 2010 and 2011 by Engineering News-Record and number one by Architectural Record. It provides services in the areas of transportation, planning,...
(design principal Jose Luis Palacios).
Statistics
| Passenger volume | Change over previous year | Aircraft operations | Cargo tonnage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 72,144,244 | 0.64% | 908,989 | 1,640,524.1 |
| 2001 | 67,448,064 | 6.51% | 911,917 | 1,413,834.4 |
| 2002 | 66,565,952 | 1.31% | 922,817 | 1,436,385.7 |
| 2003 | 69,508,672 | 4.40% | 928,691 | 1,601,735.5 |
| 2004 | 75,533,822 | 8.67% | 992,427 | 1,685,808.0 |
| 2005 | 76,581,146 | 1.38% | 972,248 | 1,701,446.1 |
| 2006 | 76,282,212 | 0.30% | 958,643 | 1,718,011.0 |
| 2007 | 76,182,025 | 0.15% | 926,973 | 1,690,741.6 |
| 2008 | 70,819,015 | 7.03% | 881,566 | 1,480,847.4 |
| 2009 | 64,397,782 | 9.07% | 827,899 | 1,198,426.3 |
| 2010 | 67,026,191 | 3.83% | 950,119 | 1,577,047.8 |
| Source: O'Hare International Airport | ||||
Modernization plan
O'Hare's high volume and crowded schedule can lead to long delays and cancellations that, due to the airport being a major hub, can affect air travel across North America. Official reports rank O'Hare as one of the least punctual airports in the United States based on percentage of delayed flights. In 2004, United Airlines and American Airlines agreed to modify their schedules to help reduce congestion caused by clustered arrivals and departures. Because of the air traffic departing, arriving, and near the airport, air traffic controllers at O'Hare and its nearby facilities are among the leaders in the world in terms of number of controlled flights per hour.City management has committed to a $6 billion capital investment plan to increase the airport's capacity by 60% and decrease delays by an estimated 79 percent. This plan was approved by the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
in October 2005 and will involve a reconfiguration of the airfield and addition of terminal space. The plan includes the addition of four runways, the lengthening of two existing runways, and the decommissioning of two existing runways in order to give the airfield six parallel runways in a configuration similar to that in Dallas and other large modern hub airports. This plan was very controversial as the added improvements, at the time they were proposed, were expected to increase the airport's air traffic capacity only slightly, given existing FAA rules. Additionally, the southernmost new runway would require the city acquire additional land, which was extremely controversial as residents did not want to move.
The Modernization Plan is now being implemented; an additional runway and Air Traffic Control Tower were commissioned on November 20, 2008. The new north runway, designated 9L/27R, initially served as a foul weather arrival runway, addressing one of O'Hare's primary causes of delay, but now serves as one of three runways that can be used simultaneously for landings. An extension of Runway 10/28 (formerly 9R/27L) to 13001 feet (3,962.7 m) was opened in September, 2008, facilitating the shortening and eventual closure of the 13000 feet (3,962.4 m) Runway 14R/32L. At the same time, the FAA redesigned departure routes for both O'Hare and Chicago Midway International Airport, increasing the number from three shared by both airports to five from each airport. With the new runway's opening, O'Hare's maximum aircraft arrival capacity increased from 96 planes per hour to 112 planes per hour; United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
's senior vice president of operations, Joseph Kolshak, told The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
that within a month of the runway's opening, "they were consistently hitting that."
Design efforts are underway for the remainder of the program, which includes three runway projects, a new western terminal complex and an automated people mover system. The O'Hare Modernization Program submitted an application to the Federal Aviation Administration to use approximately $180 million in Passenger Facility Charges to fund design work, which began in early 2009.
The second new 10,800 by 200 foot runway (10C/28C) is currently under construction.
The modernization plan has required the acquisition of 126 acres (51 ha) of land in Des Plaines
Des Plaines, Illinois
Des Plaines is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It has adopted the official nickname of "City of Destiny." As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,720. It is a suburb of Chicago, and is next to O'Hare International Airport...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
; construction of runway 27R and the control tower cost $457 million and involved the rerouting of a creek and 14000000 cubic yards (10,703,768 m³) of fill to build up an embankment.." 2,800 residents had to be relocated, as well as a cemetery with 900 known graves. The program ultimately is expected to expand the airport's capacity to over 3,800 operations per day, up from the present capacity of 2,700, and will vastly increase passenger throughput. It will also improve the ability of very large aircraft such as the A380
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
to operate.
Flight caps in place since 2004 expired on October 31, 2008. Ironically, American Airlines eliminated over 60 daily flights at O'Hare because of soaring fuel prices. United announced similar cutbacks. Recent worldwide economic difficulties further complicate the forecasts for airport demand.
After initially opposing the Modernization plan, DuPage County has endorsed the plan citing the creation of jobs, commercial development, and the ability of O'Hare to regain the status as busiest airport.
Resistance and alternatives
The neighboring communities of BensenvilleBensenville, Illinois
Bensenville is a village located primarily in DuPage County, Illinois, with a small section near O'Hare International Airport in Cook County, Illinois, overlapping into the city of Chicago. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 20,703. Bensenville is home to the Edge Ice Arena, home of...
and Elk Grove Village
Elk Grove Village, Illinois
Elk Grove Village is a municipality located in northeastern Illinois adjacent to O'Hare International Airport and the City of Chicago. Elk Grove Village encompasses in land area with located in Cook County and located in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 32,745 at the 2010 census...
have been centers of resistance to the expansion plan due to their proximity to the airport and because some of their residents and businesses will be required to relocate. Bensenville and Elk Grove Village formed the Suburban O'Hare Commission to fight the expansion. So far, they have not had much success. The commission did receive a temporary injunction against portions of the city's expansion project; however, it was soon overturned. The Suburban O'Hare Commission has also been instrumental in pushing for a third regional airport in south suburban
Proposed Chicago south suburban airport
Proposed Chicago south suburban airport, Abraham Lincoln National Airport or Lincoln National Airport is a proposed airport in Peotone, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. There is no official name and two separate plans exist, one known as the South Suburban Airport and another known as Abraham Lincoln...
Peotone
Peotone, Illinois
Peotone is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,385 at the 2000 census. The city is about south of Chicago...
, which it claims would alleviate congestion at O'Hare. However, no airline has committed to the proposed airport, and planning efforts moved very slowly during 2007–08. In 2008 Elk Grove Village ended resistance. They received assurance that a proposed highway would not be built through their business park. In November 2009, Bensenville officially ended all resistance to the expansion, ceasing all legal challenges against the city of Chicago. They received 15 million dollars. It should also be noted that the city of Chicago is facing an issue with a historical cemetery located in the space of their planned runway expansion. Up until recently, the city was removing graves. This stopped when a state court stepped in on behalf of the buried's kin.
In 1995, the Chicago/Gary Airport Compact was signed by the cities of Chicago and Gary, Indiana
Gary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
, creating a new administration for the Gary/Chicago International Airport
Gary/Chicago International Airport
Gary/Chicago International Airport is a public airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of Gary, a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The airport, which serves the Chicago metropolitan area, is 25 miles southeast of the Chicago Loop...
just across the state line. While markedly smaller than the proposed Peotone site, this airport already has more land and a longer main runway than Midway Airport. Gary is also many miles closer than Peotone to downtown Chicago. In addition public transportation is already in place to the Loop via the South Shore Line. Indiana and the FAA have provided significant funding for a Gary runway expansion, currently under construction.
Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) in Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
has also marketed itself as an alternative for congestion at O'Hare. However, it is at least a 1-1/2 hour trip to Rockford from the Chicago Loop. Currently there is no direct transportation service from downtown Chicago or O'Hare to the Chicago Rockford International Airport, but airline service at the airport continues to grow. Larry Morrissey
Larry Morrissey
Lawrence J. "Larry" Morrissey is the Mayor of Rockford, Illinois. As an independent, Morrissey defeated Democratic incumbent Doug Scott in the 2005 mayoral elections after trying in his first run in 2001 with a populist campaign promising road improvements, education reforms, lower property taxes...
, the current mayor of Rockford, has pushed for a high-speed rail
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
connection between the two airports to make the Rockford airport a more convenient alternative to O'Hare.
General Mitchell International Airport
General Mitchell International Airport
General Mitchell International Airport is a county-owned public airport located five miles south of the central business district of Milwaukee, a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States....
(MKE) in Milwaukee has consistently attempted to increase its usage by Chicago and Northern Illinois customers. There is a direct Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
rail service connecting Chicago with Mitchell Airport. The trains operate seven round trips each day, taking under 75 minutes from the Chicago loop.
See also
- Golden CorridorGolden CorridorThe Golden Corridor is a term used to describe the area around the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, formerly known as the Northwest Tollway in the Chicago metropolitan area. It is coined as such since the corridor generates a "gold" mine of economic profit for communities in the area...
, for the region of commerce and industry surrounding O'Hare and extending west, along the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. - Proposed Chicago south suburban airportProposed Chicago south suburban airportProposed Chicago south suburban airport, Abraham Lincoln National Airport or Lincoln National Airport is a proposed airport in Peotone, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. There is no official name and two separate plans exist, one known as the South Suburban Airport and another known as Abraham Lincoln...
External links
- O'Hare International Airport (official web site)
- O'Hare airport Modernization plan
- Comprehensive information about O'Hare Airport
- O'Hare Modernization Program (official web site)
- 41st ward map (official city web site)
- The Northwest Chicago Historical Society's page on O'Hare
- openNav: ORD / KORD charts
- ORD WiFi Internet Service Guide
- An article by urbanologist William Olson discussing the OMP's sustainable design features. Retrieved January 13, 2009