Chicago O’Hare International (ORD) will gain additional gates and a new central terminal under a plan revealed Friday by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
The latest initiatives, part of the mayor’s “O’Hare 21” vision for the airport, are in partnership with airlines, including hub carriers United Airlines and American Airlines, both of which have expressed support for the ORD improvements.
The most immediate project is the expansion of Terminal 5 by adding nine additional gates, a 25 percent increase. The cost of the expansion, which is underway, is estimated at $300 million.
The centerpiece of the latest phase of the plan involves redeveloping ORD’s Terminal 2 into a new central terminal within the existing terminal complex. According to the mayor’s office, the new terminal, still in early planning stages, would allow the airport to accommodate more international flights as well as allow passengers greater ease of use when connecting to other flights or exiting the terminal.
Amenities in the new terminal could include a new U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, a departure hall with additional space for TSA passenger screening, concessions and passenger amenities. A statement from the mayor’s office said the plan also “contemplates new concourses to be constructed to the west as airline passenger demand dictates.”
“In order to grow, innovate and continue to provide excellent service as a dynamic global aviation system, O’Hare needs to significantly expand and modernize,” says Ginger Evans, commissioner for the Chicago Department of Aviation. “Working with our airline partners, we are developing the best path forward to address the needs of the future and ensure Chicago remains a global leader.”
An earlier phase of O’Hare 21, announced in June 2016, includes three hotel development projects at ORD, which will more than double the current hotel capacity at the airport. Plans call for construction of two new hotels and the modernization of the existing O’Hare Hilton hotel.
