United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby says he wants 1,000 daily flights from O'Hare
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said he wants the carrier to grow from about 650 daily departures at O'Hare to 1,000, add 15 international destinations and fly larger planes. The FAA has capped scheduled operations at the airport through October 2027.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said he wants the airline to grow from about 650 daily departures at Chicago O'Hare to 1,000, add 15 international destinations and fly larger planes.
Speaking on the "Office Hours: Business Edition" podcast, Kirby said the goal is to make O'Hare the world's No. 1 airport.
"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.
He added that United's airplanes at O'Hare would carry, on average, about 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," Kirby said.
United is based at O'Hare, where it is one of the dominant carriers. Mayor Brandon Johnson has said he wants O'Hare to grow and to reclaim its title as the world's busiest airport in terms of passengers.
O'Hare is in the middle of a years-long expansion project to add terminal capacity and gates.
O'Hare is the most connected airport in the U.S. and the fifth-most connected international hub globally, 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.
Nearly 11% of O'Hare flights were delayed by at least an hour in 2025, according to an analysis by AirAdvisor. That rate is among the highest for major U.S. airports.
The Federal Aviation Administration has capped scheduled operations at O'Hare because of 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 restrictions have drawn pushback from Illinois officials and airlines, who argue they limit the airport's ability to grow.
