O’Hare close to dethroning Atlanta as America’s busiest airport

[GON]

O’Hare close to dethroning Atlanta as America’s busiest airport​

I always found O'Hare to be a secret gem of an airport. Everyone hates on O'Hare, but with two of the three largest U.S. carriers with a hub at O'hare, lots of options if a flight in cancelled. O'hare has excellent winter storm mitigation, where the talk doesn't match the reality. O'hare lost its crown was U.S. busiest airporti n 2005. O'hare built more runways since 2005, but AA reduced its capacity at O'hare and moved that capacity to CLT, so increases at Ohare were not exploited with the new runways. Of note, CLT is by far the worse airport in the U.S., with no close second.

Chicago lost its title as home of the world’s busiest airport years ago, and was even dethroned as ‘America’s busiest’ in 2005, but there are signs it is regaining altitude against its domestic rival.

O’Hare had more arrivals and departures than Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in the first five months of this year, according to preliminary FAA data reviewed by WGN Investigates.

O’Hare had 1,479 more take-offs and landings than Atlanta. But to put that in perspective, O’Hare can see 2,400 flights in a single day.

“While it’s still early in the year, if the trend continues, O’Hare has a chance to reclaim the No. 1 spot globally for aircraft operations — something we haven’t seen since 2019,” Chicago Department of Aviation spokesperson Karen Pride told WGN. “This momentum reflects the strength of Chicago’s aviation system.”

Chicago has been giving Atlanta a bigger battle for dominance and beat the city for most air operations four months last year.
https://www.wcia.com/news/ohare-close-to-dethroning-atlanta-as-americas-busiest-airport/

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

The last time I really dug into FR24 data, the entire week that I scanned, ORD was far above ATL for total flights (IIRC like 8600 vs 7900 for the week). Today in ORD, between 1700-1715 local time alone, there are 50 scheduled landings and 24 takeoffs. The amount of traffic is insane!

CLT is sooooo bad, I will happily drive nearly 11 hours to get to our plant just east of Raleigh, because the only way to get to RDU from here is a connection thru CLT. Not only are on-times almost nonexistent, the terminals more closely resemble a stockyard than an airport terminal!

 

[dishdude]

The only problem with ORD is it seems like every time I fly in or out we spend 30 minutes driving around to the other side of the airport.

 

[GON]

CLT is sooooo bad, I will happily drive nearly 11 hours to get to our plant just east of Raleigh, because the only way to get to RDU from here is a connection thru CLT. Not only are on-times almost nonexistent, the terminals more closely resemble a stockyard than an airport terminal!

CLT was promoted as an airport to allow the lowest cost per passenger landing fees, never to be a hub that handles increased traffic, early and late night flights, etc.

You shouldn't slander a stockyard by comparing a stockyard to CLT airport. Without a doubt the worse airport in the U.S.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

CLT was promoted as an airport to allow the lowest cost per passenger landing fees, never to be a hub that handles increased traffic, early and late night flights, etc.

You shouldn't slander a stockyard by comparing a stockyard to CLT airport. Without a doubt the worse airport in the U.S.

My apologies to the cattle.

 

[doitmyself]

In the 1960's, growing up in NW Indiana about 50 to 60 miles away from O'hare, I remember seeing planes in a "holding stack" on busy periods. 60 miles away from the airport!

Why did I share this? I'm prepping to enter old man stage of life - telling stories of no interest, lol.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

I used to fly to ORD about 20 times a month 20 years ago and loved it.

I don’t remember any complaints like with Toronto back then. Only been to Atlanta once.

Now I just fly over it heading to Las Vegas at times.

 

[mrsilv04]

I try to avoid the huge airports whenever possible. The worst of the smaller ones that I've been though is CVG (Cincinnati/Northern KY).

 

[AKhan87]

The only problem with ORD is it seems like every time I fly in or out we spend 30 minutes driving around to the other side of the airport.

please do explain.

I worked with United Airlines for 3 years during the pandemic and constantly flew from ORD to other airports, never spent anywhere close to even 10 minutes at the airport driving around, it is a simple in and out.

are you getting lost at the airport?

Only time it even took 10 minutes was when I was being picked up after returning from my international flights, otherwise for domestic flights, I always have my ride pick me up from departures as it is significantly faster.

 

[dishdude]

please do explain.

I worked with United Airlines for 3 years during the pandemic and constantly flew from ORD to other airports, never spent anywhere close to even 10 minutes at the airport driving around, it is a simple in and out.

are you getting lost at the airport?

Only time it even took 10 minutes was when I was being picked up after returning from my international flights, otherwise for domestic flights, I always have my ride pick me up from departures as it is significantly faster.

The plane lands and then drives on the ground all the way around the airport from the runway to the gate. Not sure how much more there is to explain or how I can get lost when I'm a passenger.

 

[tbm5690]

The plane lands and then drives on the ground all the way around the airport from the runway to the gate. Not sure how much more there is to explain or how I can get lost when I'm a passenger.

An airplane moving on the ground is taxiing, not driving. Hence the confusion.

 

[dishdude]

An airplane moving on the ground is taxiing, not driving. Hence the confusion.

Years ago I was "taxiing" to the runway before takeoff and it was a long distance. A guy in front of me loudly asked the person next to them if we were driving to our destination.

 

[SC Maintenance]

ORD is always in the bottom half of on time. I would take ATL over ORD anytime. https://www.bts.gov/annual-time-departure-performance

CLT used to be much better when it was a US Airways hub. Now US Airways had its own problems, but the airport was better. It is way dated now. Reminds me of the old Detroit airport actually. That was more like the bus station the 3rd world than an airport. New one is nice but not very efficient IMHO.

MCO is the worse airport in the USA. No question.

 

[fdcg27]

We don't find CLT all that awful and MCO seems okay. I think the worst US airport is MIA.
Nothing wrong with ORD and ATL seems very efficient as a connection point.
Personal favorites is IAD. Beautiful old terminal and also the people mover concept still in use.
For point of departure you can't beat DAY. No traffic these days, so very quick and easy to check bags and get through TSA. You'll then fly a contracted or owned regional to a hub, like PHL, IAD, ORD, DTW, ATL or CLT and then onward to wherever you're going.

 

[rszappa1]

I have had good luck with both CLT and DFW as a hub to connect to my next flight.... ORD is one I try to avoid along with ATL....

 

[AKhan87]

Years ago I was "taxiing" to the runway before takeoff and it was a long distance. A guy in front of me loudly asked the person next to them if we were driving to our destination.

yes "driving" around is what got me, I am used to taxing. Yes ORD is slow in that regards but pretty much all big airports are, my worst experience was Turkish airlines in Istanbul.

 

[Dave Hess]

We don't find CLT all that awful and MCO seems okay. I think the worst US airport is MIA.
Nothing wrong with ORD and ATL seems very efficient as a connection point.
Personal favorites is IAD. Beautiful old terminal and also the people mover concept still in use.
For point of departure you can't beat DAY. No traffic these days, so very quick and easy to check bags and get through TSA. You'll then fly a contracted or owned regional to a hub, like PHL, IAD, ORD, DTW, ATL or CLT and then onward to wherever you're going.

MIA is bad…. but it’s better at like 5:30 AM.

No way I will catch at flight in the afternoon at MIA.

 

[fdcg27]

MIA is bad…. but it’s better at like 5:30 AM.

No way I will catch at flight in the afternoon at MIA.

We generally try to catch the first flight of the day to wherever we're headed from any airport, especially during the winter. For winter travel, I'd also rather connect to the South, although even ATL has the occasional ice event that brings all of Atlanta including the airport to a halt for a day or two.
Earliest flight gives you less chance of delays or cancels as well as time to reroute if needed.

 

[Sumboodie]

Was looking up stats. ANC is now #1 for cargo. 25.4 billion lbs in 2024.