Chicago O’Hare has been crowned as the busiest airfield in the U.S., according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with 857,392 aircraft landing or taking off from O’Hare in 2025.
The airport’s return to “top spot”, overtaking Atlanta for the first time since 2019, is being hailed as evidence of a powerful post-pandemic recovery and gathering momentum for Chicago’s tourism and business sectors.
“This is more than a statistic, it’s a statement about Chicago’s momentum,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “From the runways of O’Hare to the neighbourhoods across our city, Chicago is building, growing, and leading. We are open for business, open to the world, and once again setting the pace for the nation.”
“This achievement for O’Hare is a powerful reflection of Chicago’s momentum and our unmatched connectivity to the world,” said Kristen Reynolds, President and CEO of Choose Chicago, the city’s official destination marketing organisation.
“Our airports are more than international hubs for transportation, they are our front door, the first touch point for millions of visitors every year and a symbol of how Chicago is Never Done and Never Outdone. Having the busiest airport in the U.S. underscores the strength of our aviation partners, our workforce and our visitor economy, and it reinforces Chicago’s position as a global hub for both business and leisure travel.”
“As the country’s best-connected airport, O’Hare continues to serve as a gateway not only to Chicago but to the Midwest, the nation and the world,” said Michael McMurray, Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Aviation.
“Every one of those flights represents jobs, commerce, tourism, and opportunity. Our CDA team and our key airline partners, like United Airlines and American Airlines and their many O’Hare operations workers, move mountains every day to keep O’Hare running at this busy level, no matter the season, no matter the obstacles. This achievement belongs to them — and to the people of Chicago.”
