O'Hare International Airport facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chicago O'Hare International Airport
IATA: ORD ICAO: KORD FAA LID: ORD WMO: 72530
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner/Operator	Chicago Department of Aviation
Serves	Chicago metropolitan area
Location	O'Hare, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Opened	February 1944; 81 years ago (1944-02)
Hub for	American Airlines United Airlines
Focus city for	Polar Air Cargo
Time zone	CST (UTC−06:00)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC−05:00)
Elevation AMSL	204 m / 668 ft
Coordinates	41°58′43″N 87°54′17″W / 41.97861°N 87.90472°W / 41.97861; -87.90472
Map
FAA airport diagram
Runway
Runway Length Surface m ft 4L/22R 2,286 7,500 Asphalt 4R/22L 2,461 8,075 Asphalt 9L/27R 2,286 7,500 Concrete 9C/27C 3,427 11,245 Concrete 9R/27L 3,432 11,260 Asphalt concrete 10L/28R 3,962 13,000 Asphalt concrete 10C/28C 3,292 10,800 Concrete 10R/28L 2,286 7,500 Concrete
[[Helipad|]]
Number Length Surface m ft H1 61 200 Concrete
Statistics (2023)
Passenger volume 73,894,226 Aircraft movements 720,582 Cargo (metric tons) 1,906,462.5
Source: O'Hare International Airport

Chicago O'Hare International Airport (IATA: ORD, ICAO: KORD, FAA LID: ORD) is a huge airport that serves Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It's located about 17 miles (27 km) northwest of downtown Chicago. The Chicago Department of Aviation runs the airport, which covers a massive 7,627 acres (3,087 ha) of land.

O'Hare offers direct flights to 249 places across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and more. In 2023, it was named the world's most connected airport. It's also the 4th busiest airport in the U.S. and the 7th biggest in the world.

This airport was planned to replace Chicago's Midway International Airport, which was once called the "busiest square mile in the world." O'Hare started as a factory for military transport planes during World War II. It was first called Orchard Field Airport, which is where its IATA code, ORD, comes from. In 1949, it was renamed after Edward "Butch" O'Hare, a brave U.S. Navy pilot.

O'Hare was one of the first major airports designed after World War II. It introduced new ideas like separate terminal areas (concourses), direct roads to the terminals, jet bridges (the walkways from the terminal to the plane), and underground fuel systems. These ideas are now used at airports all over the world!

During the "jet age," O'Hare became super famous. It was the busiest airport by passenger traffic from 1963 to 1998. It's still one of the busiest airports today. In 2019, it had over 919,000 aircraft movements, which means about 2,520 planes took off or landed every day. This high number is partly because of many smaller regional flights.

You can get to O'Hare by airport shuttle, bus, the Chicago "L" train, or taxis. Interstate 190 (the Kennedy Expressway) leads right into the airport. O'Hare is a major base for American Airlines and United Airlines, and also for Spirit Airlines.

Airport History

How O'Hare Started

Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat on display in O'Hare's Terminal 2, restored in the markings of "Butch" O'Hare's plane

Even after Chicago Municipal Airport opened in 1926, Chicago knew it would need more airport space. The city looked at different locations in the 1930s. But not much happened until the U.S. joined World War II.

O'Hare began as a factory that built Douglas C-54 Skymaster planes during World War II. The area was called Orchard Place, which used to be a small farming community. The factory needed to be close to Chicago's many workers and its railroads. It also needed to be far from enemy attacks. The factory built 655 C-54s, which was more than half of all C-54s ever made. The airfield where these planes took off was called Douglas Airport. It started with four runways, each about 5,500 feet (1,676 meters) long.

After the war, the Douglas Company's contract ended. The complex was then named Orchard Field Airport, and it kept the IATA code ORD.

The United States Air Force used the airport a lot during the Korean War. At that time, O'Hare didn't have regular airline service. The Air Force used O'Hare as a base for fighter jets from 1950 to 1959. As commercial flights grew, the Air Force moved its active units out. By 1999, the military fully handed over its part of the airport to the Chicago Department of Aviation.

Early Airport Design

In 1945, Chicago's mayor decided to find a spot for a new airport. They chose the Orchard Field site. The military kept a small part of the land but allowed the city to use most of it.

A man named Ralph H. Burke created the airport's master plan. He had a new idea called "split finger terminals." This meant a main terminal building would connect to "airline wings" (concourses). Each wing would have space for gates and planes. Before this, airports usually had one very large terminal.

Burke's design also included underground fueling systems. It had direct road access to the front of the terminals. It even planned for direct train access from downtown. All these ideas are now common in airports worldwide. In 1958, O'Hare was home to the world's first jet bridge. This is the movable walkway that connects the terminal to the airplane.

In 1949, the city renamed the airport O'Hare Airport. This was to honor Edward "Butch" O'Hare, a U.S. Navy pilot who was a hero in World War II. Even with the new name, the airport's IATA code (ORD) stayed the same. This is why O'Hare's code doesn't match its name or city.

Growing with Passenger Flights

Regular passenger flights started in 1955. But growth was slow at first. Chicago had spent a lot of money on O'Hare. However, Midway was still the world's busiest airport. Airlines didn't want to move until O'Hare had better roads and other improvements.

But improvements did start to attract airlines. O'Hare's first international terminal opened in 1958. By 1959, the airport had grown to 7,200 acres (2,914 ha). It had new hangars, terminals, and parking. The expressway to downtown Chicago, now called the Kennedy Expressway, was finished in 1960. New Terminals 2 and 3 opened in 1962.

The biggest reason airlines moved from Midway to O'Hare was the new jet planes. Jets like the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 needed longer runways. Midway, being only one square mile, didn't have space for these. Airlines didn't want to split their flights between two airports. So, in July 1962, almost all scheduled flights moved from Midway to O'Hare.

This quickly made O'Hare the world's busiest airport. It served 10 million passengers a year. Within two years, that number doubled! O'Hare remained the world's busiest airport until 1998. That's when Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport became busier.

Modern Changes and Expansion

A reconstructed Brachiosaurus skeleton, once in the Field Museum, displayed in Concourse B since 1999

In the 1980s, after new airline rules in the U.S., some airlines like TWA and Northwest moved their main hubs from O'Hare. This was because it was too expensive to compete with United and American Airlines. Delta Air Lines also closed its Chicago hub in the 1990s.

The Terminal 1 underground tunnel connects Concourses B and C

Today, United Airlines and American Airlines still have their main hubs at O'Hare. United built a new Terminal 1, which opened in 1987. It has 50 gates and is known for its curved glass design. It also has a cool underground tunnel between Concourses B and C. This tunnel is lit up with a neon art display called Sky's the Limit. American Airlines updated its facilities in Terminal 3 around the same time.

For a while, international flights used a "temporary" Terminal 4. This was on the ground floor of the parking garage. Passengers had to take a bus to their planes. This changed in 1993 when the new International Terminal (now Terminal 5) opened. It has all the customs facilities. A special train system, the Airport Transit System, was built to connect Terminal 5 to the other terminals and parking lots.

By the late 1980s, O'Hare started having many delays. This was because its runway layout wasn't very efficient. The airport had angled runways that crossed each other, which could be dangerous and slow. In 2001, the Chicago Department of Aviation started a big plan called the O'Hare Modernization Plan (OMP). This plan aimed to completely change the airfield. It included building four new runways, making two existing ones longer, and closing three old ones. The goal was to have six parallel runways and two crosswind runways.

The OMP faced some legal challenges and delays. But the last new parallel runway was finished in 2020. This, along with a runway extension in 2021, completed the OMP.

Future Expansion Plans

Control tower and Terminals 3 and 2 seen from ATS (Airport Transit System)

In 2018, the city and airlines agreed to a new plan called O'Hare 21. This plan will build two new satellite concourses. It will also expand Terminals 2 and 5 with more gates and updated facilities. Terminal 5 already has ten new gates and can now handle huge planes like the Airbus A380.

This expansion will make it easier to transfer between international and domestic flights. It will also mean faster connections and better areas for shopping and restaurants. A key part of the plan is to create an "alliance hub." This means the airport will be set up to make it easy for airlines that are part of the same group (like Oneworld or Star Alliance) to connect flights.

The project will add over 3 million square feet (278,709 square meters) to the terminals. It will also add a new customs center and increase the number of gates from 185 to 235. The new concourses will be much wider. The total cost of the project is $8.5 billion.

In 2023, the project's cost went up a lot. American Airlines and United Airlines suggested canceling or shrinking the plan. But in May 2024, they reached an agreement with the City of Chicago. They decided to speed up the replacement of Terminal 2 with the new O'Hare Global Terminal (OGT). The two satellite concourses will be built later. The OGT is seen as the most important part to finish first.

Airport Facilities

United Airlines Terminal 1, Concourse B

American Airlines Terminal 3 Main Hall

Terminals and Gates

O'Hare has four main passenger terminals. These terminals have nine concourses and a total of 213 gates. This is the most gates of any airport in the world!

• Terminal 1 is used by United Airlines, Lufthansa, and All Nippon Airways. It has 52 gates in two concourses (B and C).
• Terminal 2 is used for most United Express flights and some main United flights. It also handles all Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, and JetBlue flights. It has 41 gates in two concourses (E and F).
• Terminal 3 is used by American Airlines, Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia, Japan Airlines, and Spirit Airlines. It has 80 gates in four concourses (G, H, K, and L).
• Terminal 5 is used by Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, and Southwest Airlines. It also handles almost all other international airlines. Terminal 5 is where you go through U.S. Customs and Border Protection when arriving from another country. It has 35 gates in one concourse (M). Be ready for a long walk here!

Terminals 1, 2, and 3 are connected by walkways inside the secure area. Terminal 5 is separate. To get there from the other terminals, you usually have to leave security, take a shuttle bus or the Airport Transit System, and then go through security again. There is also a special shuttle bus that connects Terminals 1 and 3 to Terminal 5 without leaving security.

Runways

O'Hare has two groups of parallel runways, one on each side of the terminals. Each group has three parallel runways that run east-west. There are also two crosswind runways that run northeast-southwest. The airport has three FAA air traffic control towers to manage all the planes. O'Hare also has a program to reduce noise at night (from 10 PM to 7 AM).

In 2015, runway 32R/14L was closed after 72 years. This was to make way for the new runway 10R/28L.

Currently, O'Hare has eight runways. This is the most runways of any civilian airport in the world.

Airport Hotel

The Hilton Chicago O'Hare is the only hotel right at the airport. It's located between the main terminals and the parking garage.

Getting Around and to the Airport

The Airport Transit System (ATS) is a train that takes passengers between Terminals 1-3, Terminal 5, and the O'Hare Multi-Modal Facility (MMF). The MMF is where you can find all the car rental companies and some long-term parking. The ATS reopened in 2021 after a big renovation.

The CTA Blue Line train has its last stop at O'Hare. This train takes you directly to downtown Chicago. Blue Line trains run 24 hours a day. The station is on the lower level of the parking garage. You can get to it from Terminals 1-3 through a tunnel, or from Terminal 5 by shuttle bus.

Many bus services also stop at O'Hare, including Pace, Peoria Charter, and Van Galder Bus Company.

O'Hare is directly served by Interstate 190. This highway connects to other major roads like the Tri-State Tollway and Interstate 90. I-90 continues into downtown Chicago as the Kennedy Expressway.

Cargo Facilities

O'Hare has two main areas for cargo. The South Cargo Area was moved and rebuilt to make space for new runways. It has many buildings used by airlines like Air France Cargo and Lufthansa Cargo. It also has separate facilities for shipping companies like FedEx and UPS.

The Northeast Cargo Area (NEC) used to be the old military base. It's a new facility designed to increase O'Hare's cargo space by 50%. It has large buildings for warehouses. When finished, the NEC will add even more space.

These cargo areas can handle a lot of freight. They have over 2 million square feet (185,806 square meters) of space for cargo planes. In 2018, O'Hare shipped over 1.7 million tons of cargo. This made it the fifth busiest airport for cargo in the U.S.

Other Cool Features

In 2011, O'Hare became the first major airport to have an apiary (a place for bees) on its property. Every summer, it hosts up to 75 beehives and a million bees! The bees are cared for by people who are learning new job skills. They turn the bees' honey into products like bottled honey, soaps, and lip balms. This program helps people get new jobs.

The airport's Airfield Operations section is located in a 150-foot (46-meter) tall control tower. This tower was designed by a famous architect named I.M. Pei.

Airlines and Destinations

Passenger Flights

: Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa to O'Hare stops at Rome–Fiumicino, but the flight from O'Hare to Addis Ababa is non-stop.

Cargo Flights

Airport Statistics

Busiest Flight Routes

Busiest domestic routes from ORD (February 2023 – January 2024)

Rank	Airport	Passengers	Carriers
1	Los Angeles, California	1,138,000	American, Spirit, United
2	New York–LaGuardia, New York	1,102,000	American, Delta, United
3	Denver, Colorado	998,000	American, Southwest, United
4	Orlando, Florida	876,000	American, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit, United
5	San Francisco, California	873,000	Alaska, American, United
6	Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona	861,000	American, Southwest, Spirit, United
7	Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas	843,000	American, Spirit, United
8	Atlanta, Georgia	823,000	American, Delta, Frontier, Spirit, United
9	Las Vegas, Nevada	808,000	American, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit, United
10	Newark, New Jersey	765,000	American, United

Busiest international routes from ORD (October 2022 – September 2023)

Rank	Airport	Passengers	Carriers
1	London–Heathrow, United Kingdom	1,008,885	American, British Airways, United
2	Cancún, Mexico	862,563	American, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit, United
3	Toronto–Pearson, Canada	704,364	Air Canada, American, United,
4	Mexico City, Mexico	667,260	Aeroméxico, United, Viva Aerobus, Volaris
5	Frankfurt, Germany	586,239	Lufthansa, United
6	Paris–Charles de Gaulle, France	438,682	Air France, American, United
7	Dublin, Ireland	411,649	Aer Lingus, American, United
8	Tokyo–Haneda, Japan	396,394	ANA, Japan Airlines, United
9	Istanbul, Turkey	386,478	Turkish
10	Munich, Germany	378,187	Lufthansa, United

Airlines by Market Share

Yearly Traffic Numbers

Traffic by calendar year

Year	Passenger volume	Change over previous year	Aircraft operations	Cargo tonnage
2000	72,144,244	00.64%	908,989	1,640,524
2001	67,448,064	06.51%	911,917	1,413,834
2002	66,565,952	01.31%	922,817	1,436,386
2003	69,508,672	04.40%	928,691	1,601,736
2004	75,533,822	08.67%	992,427	1,685,808
2005	76,581,146	01.38%	972,248	1,701,446
2006	76,282,212	00.30%	958,643	1,718,011
2007	76,182,025	00.15%	926,973	1,690,742
2008	70,819,015	07.03%	881,566	1,480,847
2009	64,397,782	09.07%	827,899	1,198,426
2010	67,026,191	03.83%	882,617	1,577,048
2011	66,790,996	00.35%	878,798	1,505,218
2012	66,834,931	00.04%	878,108	1,443,569
2013	66,909,638	00.12%	883,287	1,434,377
2014	70,075,204	04.45%	881,933	1,578,330
2015	76,949,336	09.81%	875,136	1,742,501
2016	77,960,588	01.31%	867,635	1,726,362
2017	79,828,183	02.40%	867,049	1,950,137
2018	83,339,186	04.40%	903,747	1,868,880
2019	84,649,115	01.69%	919,704	1,788,001
2020	30,860,251	063.54%	538,211	2,052,025
2021	54,020,399	075.06%	684,201	2,536,576
2022	68,340,619	026.50%	711,561	2,235,709
2023	73,894,226	08.13%	720,582	1,906,463

On-Time Performance (U.S. Airlines)

See also

In Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional O'Hare para niños