O'Hare speeds up new concourse plan as United and American outgrow gates

Chicago O'Hare International Airport is adjusting the construction sequence of its multibillion-dollar ORDNext redevelopment program to speed delivery of new gate capacity, as United Airlines and American Airlines continue expanding operations at the airport.

According to the report, the airport will break ground later in 2026 on the first phase of a new Concourse E. The plan calls for 14 gates to open in 2030, with an additional ten gates following by 2034, bringing the concourse to 24 gates in total.

The change in sequencing reflects growing strain on O'Hare's existing gate infrastructure. Both United and American have been increasing flying at the airport, which serves as a major hub for each carrier, and the airport apparently determined that earlier phases of the redevelopment needed to be reprioritized to keep pace with demand.

No further details were given on the cost implications of the resequencing or how it affects other elements of the broader ORDNext program, which has been underway as part of a long-term effort to modernize the airport's terminals and runways.

O'Hare remains one of the busiest airports in the world, and gate availability has long been a point of contention between airlines and the city, which owns and operates the facility. The accelerated timeline suggests airport officials see gate constraints as an increasingly urgent issue rather than one that can wait for later phases of construction.