United unveils 5-route Chicago enlargement, extra flying on 80 routes

Lower than every week in the past, United Airways CEO Scott Kirby vowed to “draw a line within the sand” in opposition to American Airways. American is United’s prime competitor at Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD), and it has been quickly including flights on the Midwest hub since final summer time.

The very subsequent day, American added three extra routes from the Windy Metropolis.

And United is not standing by.

The Chicago-based provider on Tuesday introduced plans to fly its largest schedule ever from O’Hare in 2026, with 750 each day departures as soon as the height summer time season arrives.

It is the newest in a collection of “one-ups” by the 2 carriers, which have been going forwards and backwards throwing shade and including flights for months.

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Included in United’s newest ORD enlargement are 5 new and returning routes to smaller Midwest cities: Lansing and Kalamazoo, Michigan; La Crosse, Wisconsin; and the Illinois metro areas of Champaign-Urbana and Bloomington-Regular.

Plus, United mentioned it will add further each day flights to 80 cities, nationally, that it already flies to from O’Hare.

“Locations like Los Angeles, but in addition Lexington, Kentucky. Locations like Dallas, Texas. But in addition locations like Dayton Ohio,” United’s prime community planner Patrick Quayle mentioned on a name discussing the airline’s plans.

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O’Hare takes heart stage in airline turf struggle

For months, O’Hare has been house to arguably the airline business’s most hotly contested turf struggle.

United has clearly been the airport’s prime provider, particularly after the pandemic when American — which additionally has an O’Hare hub — was gradual to ramp up its flight schedule. (American as a substitute opted to focus its consideration on Solar Belt hubs like Dallas and Charlotte.)

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However beginning in mid-2025, American started rapidly bolstering its capability at ORD.

That is persevering with into 2026: Through the first half of this 12 months, the Fort Value-based provider is about to develop its complete seats out of the airport by almost 23% versus a 12 months in the past, in response to knowledge from aviation analytics agency Cirium.

American additionally not too long ago gained entry to a number of Chicago gates at United’s expense.

No extra, Kirby mentioned of United. “We’ll add as many flights as are required to make it possible for we hold our gate rely the identical in Chicago,” he vowed final week on the corporate’s earnings name.

United’s 5-route Chicago enlargement

United did not wait lengthy.

Here is the rundown of the 5 routes the provider added to its O’Hare lineup — all regional service aboard United Categorical jets:

Maybe not coincidentally, America at the moment flies all of these are routes from Chicago.

United had already been on observe to develop its strong Chicago schedule in 2026; previous to Tuesday’s announcement, the provider’s seats from O’Hare within the first half of this 12 months have been set to rise 12% over final 12 months, per Cirium.

Kirby final week famous the airline doesn’t plan to hunt further gates on the airport — but it surely does intend to dam its prime Chicago competitor from successful any extra at its expense.

Tuesday’s enlargement on the airport is clearly a part of that push.

Large-picture

United has vociferously claimed it now holds a large lead amongst Chicagoland customers in terms of airline choice.

“Persons are selecting to fly United,” Quayle mentioned, forward of Tuesday’s announcement. “And selecting to fly United’s premium merchandise at a a lot increased fee than that of American.”

Final spring, Airports Council Worldwide ranked ORD because the fourth-busiest U.S. hub, primarily based on 2024 passenger site visitors.

However O’Hare had extra scheduled departures final 12 months than some other U.S. airport final 12 months, in response to Cirium knowledge. That is thanks largely to United and American’s race so as to add flights on the hub.

Usually talking, extra competitors is nice for purchasers, because it means extra flight choices and sometimes results in decrease fares, on common. Stiffer competitors is mostly much less welcome, after all, inside airline C-suites.

Not misplaced on this Chicago showdown: Southwest Airways additionally has a serious base within the area, at close by Halfway Airport (MDW).

Trying forward

Count on American to have loads to say about its personal Chicago technique on Tuesday morning, when the airline holds its newest earnings name.

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