American is suing the city of Chicago over the allotment, saying it is part of a plan to marginalize the airline.
A United Boeing 767-300 at O’Hare (Photo: Shutterstock | MKPhoto12)
United is taking over five more gates at its main hub at Chicago O’Hare International Airport despite complaints from one of its top competitors.
The Chicago Department of Aviation awarded United the gates this week based on the number of flights the airline flew to and from O’Hare in 2024. As a result, United will have a total of 95 gates at the airport.
It was not immediately clear which gates will switch to United’s control. Officials did say the airlines that currently operate those gates have until Oct. 1 to give them up.
“The CDA’s gate reallocation process, established as part of the 2018 lease agreement, was designed to promote healthy competition among the airlines by rewarding those who fly the most in Chicago and utilize their existing gates efficiently,” United said in a statement provided to WGN-TV. “We are pleased that United’s strong growth and long-standing commitment to our hometown hub of O’Hare has been rightfully recognized through this process, and we look forward to utilizing the new gates we earned today.”
United also noted that it will fly more seats from Chicago this summer than at any point in the last 20 years.
American, which has 59 gates at O’Hare, sued the city of Chicago last month over the new allocation, when it looked like the CDA would hand United six gates.
The carrier accused the city of attempting to marginalize its operations in violation of its lease agreement.
“I don’t think there’s any place like O’Hare where you have two global network carriers that both operate big connecting hubs in the same airport,” American senior vice president Stephen Neuman told WGN at the time. “Frankly, it would be harmful to the city and harmful to the citizens and businesses if there was anything done to erode that dual hub, especially at a time when American Airlines is growing significantly.”
United countered that it had made substantial investments at O’Hare since the COVID-19 pandemic, while American had prioritized its network in the southern U.S.
United announced last week that it is expanding and extending service this fall between Chicago and numerous warm-weather destinations, including Austin, Texas; Orlando; Phoenix; Cozumel, Mexico; Saint Martin; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. In October, the airline is expected to fly up to 592 flights per day from O’Hare, surpassing its summer schedule.
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