United Airlines Eclipses American With Huge Buildup At Chicago O'Hare

Core Insights - United Airlines is increasing its summer departures schedule to a record 750 at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, positioning itself for dominance against American Airlines [2][3] Group 1: Departure Schedule and Market Position - United's Chicago hub will become the world's third largest single airline hub, with 750 daily departures, trailing only Atlanta and Dallas [3] - The airline will have 170 more daily departures than in 2025 and 200 more than American Airlines [3] - United will operate nonstop flights from O'Hare to 222 destinations, including 47 international and 175 domestic [4] Group 2: Competitive Dynamics - United's CEO stated that American Airlines lost $500 million at O'Hare in 2025 and is projected to lose $1 billion this year [6] - United captures 50% of passengers originating in Chicago, compared to American's 31%, and leads corporate travelers with 65% versus American's 27% [7] - United's revenue per available seat mile exceeds American's by 14% [8] Group 3: Operational Strategy - United plans to add flights during less busy times, as O'Hare is tightly scheduled, increasing its flight banks from nine to ten [10] - The airline will have aircraft available due to new restrictions on Newark flying, allowing for strategic cancellations of less profitable routes [11] - United does not aim to operate hubs as large as Atlanta and Dallas, preferring a more interconnected approach among its major hubs in Chicago, Denver, and Houston [12]