The Federal Aviation Administration intends to cap daily flights this summer at Chicago O’Hare International airport, a move coming as airlines prepare to add hundreds of daily flights there.
The agency intends to prohibit carriers from operating more than roughly 2,800 flights daily at O’Hare this summer – which is about how many they now operate, the FAA says in a regulatory notice released by the US government on 27 February.
“The [FAA] administrator has determined… that scheduled operations at [O’Hare] must be limited to address over-scheduling,” the notice says.
The FAA on 4 March intends to discuss its plan with airlines during a “scheduling reduction meeting” chaired by FAA administrator Bryan Bedford or a deputy. The meeting will give airlines an opportunity to propose flight schedules.
Carriers wishing to participate should register by 2 March, the FAA says. Following the meeting, the FAA intends to publish a final order that “may restrict service during peak hours by all carriers” at O’Hare, it says.
It is unclear if the FAA’s proposal will derail airlines’ expansion plans.
American Airlines and United Airlines are now battling at O’Hare, with each planning significant flight increases.
In December, American said it will rebuild its O’Hare operation with 100 additional daily flights there this year, after having slashed its O’Hare flights during the Covid-19 pandemic. The changes will bring American’s O’Hare operation to more than 500 departing flights on some days.
American does not respond to a request for comment.
Chicago-based United has not rolled over, revealing in January plans to increase its O’Hare operation to 750 departing flights daily this summer. The airline operated an average 541 flights departing O’Hare daily in 2025.
United declines to say how the FAA’s proposed caps could affect its expansion plans. But the airline says it commits to running a “reliable operation” at O’Hare and looks forward “to a collaborative discussion” with the FAA.
If unchecked, airlines are on track to operate more than 3,080 O’Hare flights on some days this summer, up from 2,680 on peak summer days last year, according to the FAA.
“This proposed increase is significant and would stress the runway, terminal and air traffic control systems at the airport,” the agency’s notice says, adding that O’Hare’s operation will be further stressed by construction projects underway.
The FAA calls the airport’s current operation – about 2,800 daily lights, roughly 100 hourly – “manageable”.
It proposes ”these same limits throughout the summer 2026 scheduling season”, which runs from 29 March through 25 October.
The FAA’s 4 March meeting will only address US airlines’ flight schedules. Non-US carriers schedule their US flights following a process defined by trade group IATA. The FAA will, “if necessary”, work with IATA to adjust those airlines’ schedules also, it says.
