Facing pressure in Chicago, American touts O'Hare growth
American Airlines wants you to know it is committed to Chicago.
Asked at an investor conference on Thursday about the carrier’s plans in the Windy City, Chief Financial Officer Devon May emphasized Chicago’s importance to American. Chicago's O’Hare International Airport (ORD) was — and is — its third-largest hub, he said repeatedly.
Up until 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, the carrier operated some 500 daily departures out of the Midwest airport.
“This year, we’re growing back Chicago,” May said. “We have a huge customer base there… [and] we feel really good about the growth opportunities.”
American recently unveiled seven new or returning routes from Chicago O’Hare, including to Curacao International Airport (CUR), Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) in Virginia, and St. Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM). That’s on top of long-haul additions this summer like Naples International Airport (NAP) in Italy.
The airline will operate an average of 468 daily departures from O’Hare in June, July and August, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows.
A longtime hub
American has long boasted a hub at O’Hare. Since the early 1980s, it has competed fiercely with hometown United Airlines for dominance at the airport (and in the city), including playing a prominent role in the iconic Chicago holiday movie, Home Alone.
But recent months have seen the airline's executives be especially vocal about the its Chicago presence — it was a prominent topic on the carrier's most recent earnings call.
Prior to the pandemic, American was focused on growing three hubs, none of which were O'Hare.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) — remember “DFW 900” and "Charlotte 700 plus"? — and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) were, as executives said at the time, the airline's most profitable bases. Growth in those cities would benefit the entire airline more than adding flights elsewhere, the thinking went.
Rarely did American executives mention Chicago in those pre-pandemic days.
Fighting back
Now, though, American faces a physical threat at O’Hare: it could lose up to six gates later this year under the terms of an agreement it signed with the Chicago Department of Aviation in 2018. That agreement, which United also signed, distributes gates based primarily on departures during the prior year.
That means American’s gate count at O’Hare in 2026 could be set by its schedule in 2024. Cirium schedules show it flew an average of 349 daily departures last year, and 388 departures during the peak summer months of June, July and August. For comparison, United flew an average of 481 daily departures from O’Hare in 2024, and 496 departures during the summer months of June, July and August, Cirium data shows.
United, which stands to gain gates at O'Hare next year, has advertised around the city that it is "Chicago's #1 Airline" and offered MileagePlus status matches to other carriers' frequent flyers.
May on Thursday said American’s recovery at O’Hare was hindered by the pilot shortage that slowed the recovery of its regional partners after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It came later than we would have liked,” he said of rebuilding American's O'Hare hub.
While May declined to comment specifically on the gate allocation process, he did say American plans to “fully utilize” its “assets” — or gates — at O'Hare and grow there in the future.
American has sued to stop Chicago from redistributing gates at O’Hare later this year. The case is pending.
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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.