United Airlines has completed a deal with the Chicago Department of Aviation to acquire five additional gates at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. This expansion comes as O'Hare prepares for a busy summer season with expected record numbers of flights and travelers.
With this agreement, United will operate 95 gates at O'Hare following its traffic growth in 2024. However, American Airlines, which currently holds 59 gates at the airport, is challenging this development. According to Marisa Rodriguez from WGN-TV, American Airlines has filed a lawsuit attempting to block United's gate acquisition.
United plans to introduce several new flights from O'Hare this autumn, adding to what it describes as its busiest flight schedule of the year. The airline aims to operate over 72,000 seats in October and reach a peak of 71,000 seats in July. New international routes will include destinations in Mexico, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic alongside domestic routes to Phoenix, Austin, and Orlando.