The airline dynamic at Chicago O’Hare International Airport has seen some significant changes in recent years. Southwest launched service to the airport a few years ago and United has been stuffing American in a locker when it comes to gate space, routes, and frequencies.
Now American is fighting back, adding 100 new daily flights to more than 75 destinations from its Chicago hub. It’s worth noting that these are new frequencies, not necessarily new routes.
American Bolsters its Presence in Chicago in Time for Spring Break
American announced its largest spring schedule on record from Chicago in 2026 as it looks to stave off an advance from United in what is becoming a rapidly developing turf war. The Fort Worth based carrier is adding 100 additional flights to provide passengers more choices and connecting opportunities.
American is increasing service in over 75 markets including additional frequencies to places like Boston (BOS), Cincinnati (CVG), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Fort Myers (RSW) and Orlando (MCO). American is also doubling its service to popular Spring Break destinations like Las Vegas (LAS), Panama City, FL (ECP), and Sarasota, FL (SRQ).
These additions push American’s Chicago hub to more than 500 daily departures this spring, making the airport the third largest hub in the airline’s network. Steve Johnson, American’s Vice Chair and Chief Strategy Officer, said this about the additional frequencies and the carrier’s position in Chicago:
“We’re committed to rebuilding our Chicago hub to be stronger and more compelling for our customers, and our 2026 plans are both emblematic of that objective and an exciting way to end a year defined by bold growth and investment at ORD. Our continued focus on Chicago during the next year — a year that we celebrate the centennial of American and our 100th year of service at ORD — will make our network even more attractive and continue to enhance the travel experience, improve reliability and introduce more premium options for our customers. Strategic investments at O’Hare in 2025 set the stage for a record-breaking 2026, reflecting our unwavering commitment to our customers, team members and the Chicagoland communities we serve, as well as our long-standing legacy to Chicago and O’Hare — and to our shared future.”
American Looks to Become the most Attractive Legacy Carrier in Chicago
After years of moving downmarket by removing onboard IFE and de-emphasizing traditional business hubs like Chicago and New York-JFK, American announced earlier this year that it was pivoting back towards being a more premium carrier.
United, the other major airline in Chicago, has been moving to a more premium offering for years, leaving American with a lot of catching up to do. The carrier has made some impressive strides on that front though, at least in Chicago, over the past year.
In June 2025, American began offering two-cabin service on every flight from Chicago-O’Hare, something that certainly appeals to business and premium passengers (Imagine flying Business Class from London to Chicago and getting thrown on a CRJ-200 for the final leg of your trip).
American has further emphasized Chicago by placing its flagship Boeing 787-9P on the Chicago-London route. These planes feature American’s newest interiors and Business Class product. While I haven’t seen these in person, the photos look quite nice.
My Thoughts
As a former American frequent flier that left the carrier for Delta and United after years of loyalty, I’m glad to see American focusing on premium travel once again. Being based in Austin, it is very unlikely that I’ll fly through Chicago with any regularity but hopefully this is a sign of things to come from the airline. I just hope it’s not too little, too late.
Summary
American Airlines is adding 100 daily flights from its Chicago O’Hare hub in Spring 2026. This will push the airline’s hub operation to more than 500 daily departures and provide additional connectivity options for passengers.