A first look at Chicago O'Hare's new satellite concourse as construction continues

Though it is at least four years away from being a reality, travelers recently got a first look at what the Satellite Concourse 1 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD) will look like in 2028, when the airport's expansion and modernization project is completed.

Satellite Concourse 1 will add 19 new gates to the airport's existing Concourse C, the third of four key milestones for the airport's current modernization project. There are plans to build a second satellite concourse as well.

O'Hare International Airport is the country's third-busiest airport. There are plans to expand and modernize the airport through a project known as the O'Hare 21 Terminal Area Plan, which kicked off in 2018. As part of the major renovation, O'Hare will build two satellite concourses, a new O'Hare Global Terminal (which will ultimately replace Terminal 2) and an underground tunnel that will connect the new facilities.

In 2020, a major part of the O'Hare 21 project was completed when Runway 9C-27C, a new, 2.13-mile-long, 200-foot-wide airstrip, was unveiled. It was the final new-build runway in a 16-year, $6 billion project known as the O'Hare Modernization Program, which was spearheaded by the Chicago Department of Aviation. Runway 9C-27C cost $1 billion to construct and was funded through a combination of federal airport improvement grants and airline-backed bonds, per the CDA.

The CDA and a coalition of airlines are now funding the additional components of the program.

"The City of Chicago and 21 airlines agreed to construct the Terminal Area Plan as a part of an approved capital program in conjunction with the 2018 O'Hare Airline Use and Lease Agreement, which has a 15-year term," said a CDA spokesperson. "The budget for the Terminal Area Plan is $6.1 billion in 2018 dollars."If the budget allows, construction on the second satellite concourse will soon follow; it will connect to the first via an underground tunnel. Per the CDA, the first satellite concourse is anticipated to create more than 3,800 construction jobs.

So far, several temporary taxiways and a new roadway have been added, along with three new temporary gates at Concourse C. Taxiway B has also been reconfigured. Construction on the O'Hare Global Terminal is slated to begin in 2026, but plans may change.

"Construction on the TAP began with a series of enabling infrastructure projects in March 2023, and Satellite Concourse 1 is currently scheduled for completion in 2028," said the CDA. "The city will release revised timelines and cost estimates for additional elements of the Terminal Area Plan in the months to come."

A few gate improvement projects were completed in 2023, including a major expansion of O'Hare's international terminal (Terminal 5), which cost $1.3 billion to construct.

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New gates at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD). CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY

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The Terminal 5 expansion added 10 new gates and reconfigured the international arrivals facility, customs and security checkpoints across a newly added 350,000 square feet of building space. A new six-story parking garage will open in October.

Five new baggage screening machines and various food-and-beverage service options were also added, including a few local businesses, such as The Hampton Social and Bar Siena, which both have roots downtown. Lastly, as part of the modernization project, the CDA and the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events launched a $3.5 million public art plan, the city's largest local art acquisition in 30 years.

Related reading:

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• I tried the TSA PreCheck Touchless ID program at O'Hare — and it's a game changer
• The best ways to get from Midway International Airport to downtown Chicago
• Chicago O'Hare vs. Midway: Which Chicago airport should I fly into?