Feds Cutting Hundreds Of Daily Flights At O'Hare Due To 'Endless' Delays

CHICAGO — Earlier this week, O'Hare International Airport was named the busiest airfield in the world. On Thursday, the Trump Administration announced it will be reducing flights at the Chicago airport due to "endless" delays and cancellations.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the move is intended to improve operations at O'Hare in time for the summer . The Trump Administration said less than 60 percent of arrivals and departures were on time during the 2025 season.

"If you book a ticket, we want you and your family to have the certainty that you'll fly without endless delays and cancellations," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said.

The FAA said O'Hare is O'Hare is the busiest airport in America by flight volume, with more than 3,080 flights planned on peak days for summer 2026, which represents a 14.9 percent peak-day increase over summer 2025. The FAA's action – known as a scheduling reduction – limits daily operations to 2,708 to prevent a dramatic increase from last summer’s peak daily schedule.

"We successfully turned Newark Liberty International into the most on-time airport in the Tri-State Area by fixing telecom issues at record speed and reducing overcapacity," Duffy said. "Applying that same strategy at O’Hare – where unrealistic schedules were set to dramatically exceed what they could handle – will reduce delays and make this busy summer travel season a little easier. Along with our work to modernize air traffic control and boost staffing, the Trump Administration is using every tool at its disposal to deliver a safe, efficient, and seamless flying experience."

RELATED: O'Hare Reclaims No. 1 Spot As World's Busiest Airport — Study

On Wednesday, it was announced O'Hare had reclaimed its title as the busiest airfield in the world, according to new data released by Airports Council International World. Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Aviation announced the results of the study.

In 2025, O'Hare recorded 860,015 aircraft operations, a 10.8 percent increase over 2024. The city said that pace equals one takeoff or landing every 37 seconds, around the clock, every day of the year. O'Hare last held the top spot in 2019.

"Being home to the busiest airport in the world is a point of pride for every Chicagoan," Mayor Brandon Johnson said. "It reflects our city’s enduring strength as a global economic engine, even in complex and evolving times. Chicago sets the pace, and the world takes notice."