No longer a bridesmaid, O’Hare clinches busiest U.S. airport award

After seven years of second best, O’Hare International Airport once again holds the title of the nation’s busiest airport.

Preliminary federal data posted Tuesday shows 857,392 flights at O’Hare in 2025 compared with arch-rival Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s 807,625 operations.

That represents a nearly 10.5% climb from 2024, when 776,036 flights landed and departed at O’Hare.

“This is more than a statistic, it’s a statement about Chicago’s momentum,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement.

“From the runways of O’Hare to the neighborhoods across our city, Chicago is building, growing, and leading. We are open for business, open to the world, and once again setting the pace for the nation.”

The last time O’Hare came first was in 2019.

“Every one of those flights represents jobs, commerce, tourism, and opportunity,” Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Michael McMurray said.

Other top facilities ranked in order were Dallas Fort Worth International Airport with 741,286 operations, then Denver International Airport with 707,268 and Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas with 586,821.

The milestone comes as the city constructs a $1.3 billion 19-gate new Concourse D, which will open its doors in late 2028.