By Rajesh Kumar Singh
CHICAGO, Jan 21 (Reuters) – United Airlines escalated its long-running battle with American Airlines at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Wednesday, with CEO Scott Kirby pledging to add “as many flights as are required” to stop American from gaining additional gates at United’s expense in 2026.
The standoff at O’Hare, one of the few major U.S. airports where two legacy carriers still operate large hubs, has centered on gates and schedules rather than fares. Analysts say gate access and peak-time departures are critical in attracting corporate travelers, who typically pay higher fares.
American is rebuilding at O’Hare after its post-pandemic flying remained below 2019 levels. The airline calls the airport its third-largest hub. United, based in Chicago, has focused on defending and expanding its lead.
“In 2026, we’re drawing a line in the sand,” Kirby told analysts on a conference call to discuss the company’s quarterly earnings released on Tuesday. “We are not going to allow them to win a single gate at our expense … We’re going to add as many flights as are required to keep our gate count the same in Chicago.”
Kirby told analysts United earned about $500 million in Chicago in 2025 while American lost a similar amount, and added American’s losses could widen to about $1 billion in 2026.
He also said United now holds a 22 percentage-point lead among Chicago-based customers and a 38 percentage-point lead among business travelers, reversing what he described as American’s advantage in 2016.
Kirby did not provide more details to support the figures. American did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kirby has repeatedly argued that American’s operation in Chicago is unprofitable. American CEO Robert Isom has said O’Hare can support two major hub airlines, and the carrier has disputed Kirby’s characterization of its financial results at the airport.
GATE COUNT AND SCHEDULE BUILDOUT
Gate access remains central at O’Hare, shaping how many flights airlines can schedule and how reliably they can operate. United operates roughly half of all scheduled flights at the airport, compared with about a third for American, according to Cirium.
The gap widened in late 2025 after a city-led reallocation gave United five additional gates and reduced American’s total by four, a change American unsuccessfully challenged in court.
American has said the setback is temporary as its schedule expands, and has agreed to buy two gates from Spirit Airlines for $30 million.
United said American is expected to be awarded three gates later this year under an allocation review.
Both carriers are adding flights at O’Hare. United plans nearly 650 daily departures this summer to about 200 destinations. American has announced its biggest spring schedule at the airport, adding around 100 peak-day flights and lifting its total to more than 500 daily departures.
At most major U.S. hubs, one carrier dominates: Delta Air Lines in Atlanta, United in Houston and American in Dallas. Chicago remains one of the few markets where two large network airlines still compete at full hub scale.
(Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
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