What happened
The Points Guy reports that Chicago O'Hare's delayed $12.5 billion ORDNext redevelopment will not open its Global Terminal until 2034. The project was initially budgeted at $8.5 billion and originally targeted a 2028 opening. Construction is now scheduled to start in 2029.
ORDNext adds a Global Terminal on the Terminal 2 site and two satellite concourses southwest of United's Terminal 1, taking the airport to about 220 gates from 185 gates in 2018. Concourse D is due by the end of 2028, linked above ground to Concourse C, with 19 gates of which 18 can handle a widebody or two narrowbodies. Those gates cannot process international arrivals until the Global Terminal opens.
Connecting passengers at O'Hare will not get airside international-to-domestic transfers until 2034, even after Concourse D opens. American is scheduled to fly nearly 21% more seats from ORD versus 2025, with departures up 18%. United is adding more than 13% more seats and 14% more departures under an FAA flight cap through at least October 2027. Plan O'Hare international-to-domestic itineraries as Terminal 5 transfers until 2034.
- Numbers
- $12.5 billion: ORDNext redevelopment cost
- 220 gates: terminal gates after expansion
- 185 gates: ORD gates in 2018
- 21%: American more seats from ORD versus 2025
- 13%: United more seats from ORD versus 2025
- 18%: American more departures from ORD versus 2025
- 14%: United more departures from ORD versus 2025
- 19 gates: Concourse D gates at opening
- $8.5 billion: original ORDNext budget
- Where
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Global Terminal, Concourse D, Concourse E, Terminal 2, Terminal 5, Concourse L
- Takeaway
- Expect years of construction at ORD, with Concourse D in 2028 but no Global Terminal international connections until 2034.