9 Things To Know About American Airlines' New Gates at Chicago O'Hare
Update 5/11/2018: American Airlines cut the ribbon to open these new gates at a ceremony on Friday, May 11. The project cost $78 million and lasted 20 months.
While at Chicago O'Hare (ORD) touring the brand new Flagship Lounge, I got a chance to tour American Airlines' operations at the airport. One of the more fascinating aspects of the visit was being able to tour the construction of the new American Airlines "L Stinger" gates. (More later on this unusual name.)
Whether you pass through ORD infrequently or every week, here are some quick takeaways about the new "stinger" concourse:
1. First new gates at O'Hare in over 20 years
That's right. No new gates have been constructed at ORD in two decades. With fierce competition for gates at one of the busiest airports in the world, American Airlines is having to build new gates in order to expand. The L Stinger's five new gates will bring the airline's total gates at ORD up to 71.
2. It's going to be a long walk
Probably the most important takeaway is that these gates aren't going to be convenient for connecting flights. They're being squeezed into a part of ORD's Terminal 3 that hadn't been developed yet for a reason. The walkway between Terminal 3's security area and the first L Stinger gates squeezes between the end of the existing concourse L gates and the road leading away from the terminal. This walkway is so narrow that the plans couldn't even fit a moving walkway in the connector. These gates likely aren't going to be any further away from security than those at the end of concourses H/K. However, connecting passengers might work up a sweat connecting to or from these L Stinger gates.
3. It seems the "L Stinger" name is going to stick
While practically its own concourse, these gates will be numbered as part of the L concourse that they back up to. Ever since the announcement of the approval of their construction in March 2016 (caution: pdf link), these gates have been referred to as the "L Stinger Gates." In the blueprints and construction materials on-site, everything refers to them by this same name.
Why not Concourse M? Well, Concourse M is already taken at the international Terminal 5. So, in the absence of a better name (i.e. "Concourse N"), it seems the gates will continue to be referred to as the L Stinger gates.
4. There's a new Admirals Club nearby
To relieve the congestion from the packed Admirals Clubs in concourse H/K and G, American Airlines renovated an old Delta SkyClub into a new Admirals Club near concourse L in late 2016. While this club may be out of the way currently, it's going to be conveniently located for those going to or from the L Stinger gates.
5. Only regional jets will fit
American Airlines squeezed these gates into a place where no one has tried to squeeze gates in before. And, there's not much space. So, only regional jets will be able to operate in and out of them.
6. The gates will open in spring 2018
While we don't have an exact opening date, the airline plans to have construction complete and the new gates open before the slower winter schedule ends. Which is good because...
7. They will allow up to 45 new daily flights
While five new gates might not seem like a lot, they will allow American Airlines to add up to 45 new daily flights from ORD. This would be on top of AA's current 498 daily flights to 122 destinations across 12 countries out of O'Hare. Although, after listing this stat, the American Airlines spokesperson followed-up to say that AA won't likely add all 45 new flights. That's because...
8. No more regional jets in H/K gates
Right now, American Airlines will park regional jets at concourse H and K gates. The new L Stinger will allow AA to schedule all regional jets out of the L Stinger and concourse G gates. This will allow the airline to more efficiently use its centrally located concourse H and K gates for mainline traffic. I was curious about how AA would fit mainline aircraft in the narrow nooks and crannies of H and K. An AA spokesperson mentioned that they'll get "creative with painting" gate lines... or there might still be a few American Eagle flights operating out of these gates.
What does this mean for the "45 new daily flights?" If AA only utilized these gates for American Eagle flights without moving regional flights over from H/K, the airline would easily be able to add 45 new daily flights, as the American Eagle flights can be turned quickly. However, by relocating the regional jets to solely L/G, AA will be able to add a both regional and mainline flights — perhaps even new international routes. And these international flights take a lot longer to turn. That means that the actual number of new flights is likely to be smaller than the potential 45 daily.
9. There's a reason for the lack of windows
While the original construction plans called for glass the entire way, the airport forced a change of plans. There's a "fuel pit" between the main concourse L gates and the L Stinger gates. In case something goes horribly wrong, the airport requires non-glass siding in a certain radius around the pit area.
While the construction still has a ways to go, it's exciting to see that American Airlines will soon be able to expand operations out of O'Hare for the first time in over 20 years. The AA spokesperson who gave the tour teased that this will allow the airline to expand beyond its current 122 destinations and serve even more than 27 million passengers per year out of its Chicago hub.
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.