Overview
- Federal regulators on Thursday ordered a summer cap at O’Hare of 2,708 takeoffs and landings per day, in effect from May 17 through Oct. 24.
- The cap trims more than 300 peak‑day flights from a schedule that had swelled to about 3,080 daily operations for summer 2026.
- Capacity will be allocated using each airline’s approved summer 2025 schedule, a step meant to check recent growth tied to a gate race between United and American.
- The FAA cited safety and reliability risks from construction and limited controller staffing, and set half‑hour limits with penalties up to $75,000 for any flight over the cap.
- American said it supports the move and has enough flights to run its hub, while United said it is reviewing the order; passengers whose flights are canceled or significantly changed can request cash refunds under DOT rules.