Overview
- United CEO Scott Kirby pledged to add as many flights as needed in 2026 to keep the airline’s gate count at O’Hare from slipping to American.
- Kirby said United made about $500 million in Chicago in 2025 and predicted American could lose about $1 billion in 2026, claims American called inconsistent and unsubstantiated.
- American announced five new routes: Chicago–Allentown and Chicago–Columbia starting May 21, seasonal Chicago–Maui from Dec. 17, and daily Los Angeles flights to Dulles and Cleveland from April 7.
- United plans nearly 650 daily O’Hare departures this summer, while American says it will top 500 after adding roughly 100 peak-day flights.
- A late-2025 city reallocation gave United five additional gates and reduced American by four, and United says American is expected to be awarded three gates later in 2026 under an allocation review.