FAA cuts more than 370 daily flights at O’Hare this summer, citing safety, efficiency
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a flight cap at O’Hare International Airport for the summer Thursday that cuts operations at less drastic levels than the agency previously considered.
The original summer schedule called for 3,080 daily flights on peak days, but the FAA is setting a maximum of 2,708, or 372 fewer, citing concerns about safety and efficiency.
The FAA said its order, scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on April 20, benefits the public by “improving airspace and airfield safety and efficiency, reducing surface movement in the constrained taxiway environment, mitigating the substantial inconvenience to the traveling public caused by excessive flight delays at the airport.”
Regulators said they took action because of ongoing construction at O’Hare and the spike in flights compared to summer 2025, which topped out at 2,680. Originally, the FAA had recommended scaling back to 2,608 daily flights but changed course after lengthy meetings with airlines.
“If you book a ticket, we want you and your family to have the certainty that you’ll fly without endless delays and cancellations,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement.
“We successfully turned Newark Liberty International into the most on-time airport in the Tri-State Area by fixing telecoms issues at record speed and reducing overcapacity. Applying that same strategy at O’Hare — where unrealistic schedules were set to dramatically exceed what they could handle — will reduce delays and make this busy summer travel season a little easier,” he commented.
The decision comes as rivals United Airlines and American Airlines are adding flights and destinations to their summer rosters.
FAA officials said the scheduling limit would prevent “widespread operational disruption at O’Hare and throughout the National Airspace System” between May 17 to Oct. 24.
Although the order curtails what would have been a blockbuster summer at O’Hare, United and American both issued positive statements thanking Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford.
“We are pleased to have secured a sufficient level of flights through the FAA’s process to operate a successful hub at O’Hare this summer and satisfy American’s strategic objectives,” American officials said. “Once implemented, the FAA’s action will improve reliability and reduce delays for customers traveling from, to, and through O’Hare this summer, and ensure O’Hare retains its longstanding dual-hub structure.”
United leaders applauded “a solution that makes sense for everyone who cares about O’Hare’s success. We are reviewing the FAA order and will share additional information, including any next steps, as soon as our review is complete.”
Chicago Department of Aviation officials said the agency “appreciates the FAA’s thoughtful approach to proposed flight limits at O’Hare, ensuring they do not extend beyond summer 2026 and do not fall below 2025 actual operations.”
“CDA remains committed to preserving O'Hare's status as the world's busiest airport by aircraft operations and the nation's leading dual-hub airport.”
Duffy noted the FAA is committed to boosting air traffic controller staffing, a move that’s supported by Illinois U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin, who called this week for more workers at O’Hare.