United Airlines delayed the launch of 10 domestic routes out of O’Hare, including service to two local Illinois airports.
The airline attributed the decision to the Federal Aviation Administration’s extended flight cuts.
At the same time, United reportedly launched several new routes out of the Chicago airport in 2026, expanding service to cities in California, Oregon and more. Here’s what we know.
United Airlines delays O’Hare expansion
The airline said in an email that ten new routes announced in early 2026 would be delayed and removed from its schedule following the extension of the FAA’s O’Hare flight cap through October 2027.
“We’re working with impacted customers to find alternative travel options or provide refunds,” the airline said. “We remain committed to providing important connectivity to these cities and hope to start service from Chicago once the FAA order expires.”
The FAA previously announced flight reductions in April to prevent what it described as “widespread flight delays” at O’Hare, attributing delays to “constrained gate capacity” and “ongoing taxiway closures from construction,” among other issues. The administration limited the airport’s daily operations to 2,708 between May 17 and Oct. 24, 2026.
The FAA recently extended these flight reductions through October 2027.
Which Illinois routes did United push back?
United delayed the launch of its planned service from O’Hare to nearby Bloomington-Normal (BMI) and Champaign-Urbana (CMI).
Which other United routes are impacted?
Service to the following eight locations has similarly been delayed:
United Airlines launches new O’Hare routes in 2026
Despite the FAA’s flight cuts, Simplyflying.com reported that United launched 12 new domestic routes out of O’Hare in 2026.
Based on flight scheduling data from aviation analytics company Cirium, Simplyflying.com reported that the following domestic routes were added:
A majority of these were announced by the airline in an October 2025 press release, with service dates set to kick off between spring and summer of 2026. United was asked to confirm these new routes, and this article will be updated if a response is given.
In the same release, the airline also announced expanded daily service to Rochester, Minnesota (RST), Wausau, Wisconsin (CWA) and Marquette, Michigan (MQT), but these routes have since been delayed due to FAA cuts, according to United.
“United is already flying its busiest schedule in history at O’Hare,” the airline said following the acquisition of five new gates at O’Hare. “Now these additional gates have unlocked new opportunities to intertwine cities across the country, serve more customers in Chicago and strengthen our hometown hub.”
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: United delays launch of two Illinois routes following FAA cuts
Reporting by Hannah Hudnall, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Hannah Hudnall, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
