United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby wants 1,000 daily flights from Chicago O'Hare

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said he wants United to operate 1,000 scheduled flights a day at Chicago O'Hare, up from about 650 daily departures now, and add 15 international destinations. The FAA has capped scheduled operations at O'Hare through October 2027 to prevent widespread delays. O'Hare is in a multiyear expansion project intended to add terminal capacity and gates.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said he wants United to grow at Chicago O'Hare to 1,000 scheduled flights a day, from roughly 650 daily departures now, and add 15 international destinations.

Speaking on the "Office Hours: Business Edition" podcast, Kirby said the target is part of his goal for O'Hare to become the top airport in the world.

"I have a vision ... not just for United, but for the city of Chicago ... we'll be a thousand flights a day in Chicago, we'll have another 15 international destinations," Kirby said.

Kirby also said United planes would have about 20% more seats per departure on average. "Our airplanes, by the way, will have, on average, probably 20% more seats per departure. So ... it'll be the No. 1 airport in the world. And I think that vision is going to become reality," he said.

The airline's target would add about 350 daily flights at O'Hare. That growth depends on runway capacity, terminal gates and air traffic control, an area where federal regulators have recently limited operations.

The FAA has capped scheduled operations at O'Hare amid air traffic control and operational constraints. In July, the FAA extended those limits through October 2027, saying they were necessary to prevent widespread delays.

The FAA cap applies to scheduled operations, the category of flights Kirby wants to increase. The agency's limits therefore restrict United's proposed growth at O'Hare.

Illinois officials and airlines have pushed back against the restrictions. Kirby's expansion goals conflict with the federal government's current effort to keep flight volumes within the airport's operating limits.

O'Hare is already in a multiyear expansion project designed to add terminal capacity and gates. The expansion work could add gate space, but airlines also need approval and enough air traffic control capacity to operate more flights.

Mayor Brandon Johnson has repeatedly touted O'Hare's growth and his desire for the airport to reclaim its title as the world's busiest in terms of passengers.

The airport ranks as the most connected airport in the U.S. and the fifth-most connected international hub in the world, according to OAG's 2026 rankings.

O'Hare tied for last among the 20 mega airports in J.D. Power's latest customer satisfaction survey.

The survey compared large airports on the traveler experience, while OAG's ranking measured connectivity.

Nearly 11% of O'Hare flights were delayed by at least an hour in 2025, according to an AirAdvisor analysis. The analysis ranked that rate among the highest for major U.S. airports.

Delays have been a persistent issue for O'Hare, and the FAA has cited operational constraints as a reason for the flight limits.

United treats O'Hare as a major part of its network. The airline has called O'Hare its home base, and its schedule there connects domestic trips and international routes through Chicago.

Kirby described the 1,000-flight level as a future goal, not a current schedule.

The plan would add departures, international options and, if United adds the 20% seat increase Kirby described, larger planes. O'Hare is also dealing with delays and a low customer satisfaction ranking.

The FAA flight cap remains in place through October 2027.