Officials are cutting flights at the country’s busiest airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), this summer to prevent a repeat of last year’s rampant delays and cancellations.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration announced the scheduling reduction at ORD on April 16. Between May 17 and Oct. 24, daily operations will be limited to 2,708 flights.
“Our number one priority is the safety of the flying public, and that means ensuring airline schedules reflect what the system can safely handle,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “We appreciate the airlines working together with us to reach a responsible level of operations that strengthens safety and delivers a more reliable travel experience for the American public.”
Why O’Hare Is Being Capped
O’Hare is considered the busiest airport in the United States by flight volume. Last summer, the Chicago hub saw widespread disruptions, with less than 60% of arrivals and departures on time.
This summer was on pace to be even busier, with over 3,080 daily flights proposed for peak days — a 14.9% increase from summer 2025. Air traffic controllers at ORD have also been navigating constrained gate capacity and taxiway closures from long-term construction projects.
The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), which oversees ORD, said it has worked to address FAA concerns about construction-related delays and expects disruptions to be minimal. The city agency added it will ensure flight limits do not extend beyond the summer nor fall below last summer’s operations.
How It Compares to Newark
The decision echoes what happened at Newark Liberty International Airport in 2025, when air traffic control staffing issues, equipment failures, and runway construction caused a monthlong wave of delays and cancellations. The FAA responded by capping flight operations at Newark last summer.
“We successfully turned Newark Liberty International into the most on-time airport in the Tri-State Area by fixing telecoms issues at record speed and reducing overcapacity,” Duffy said. “Applying that same strategy at O’Hare — where unrealistic schedules were set to dramatically exceed what they could handle — will reduce delays and make this busy summer travel season a little easier.”
What Comes Next
The FAA said it will also add air traffic controllers at ORD to increase bandwidth and optimize routes and airspace around Chicago. Flight operations will be allocated among airlines based on their approved summer 2025 schedules.
The announcement follows a series of March meetings between the FAA, ORD representatives, the City of Chicago, and airlines.
Reporting by Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY.
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