American Plans Major Expansion at Chicago O'Hare

Image: PHOTO: American Airlines has given its pilots and flight attendants a raise.  (photo via Flickr/Oliver Holzbauer)
Image: PHOTO: American Airlines has given its pilots and flight attendants a raise. (photo via Flickr/Oliver Holzbauer)
Monica Poling
by Monica Poling
Last updated: 7:22 PM ET, Sat March 11, 2017

[IMAGECAPTION]American plans to add two new international routes and eight domestic flights from Chicago O'Hare this summer. (Photo via Flickr/Ollver Holzbauer[IMAGECAPTION]

At Chicago O'Hare, the world's biggest airline is about to get a little bigger this summer.

An internal memo sent to the airline's Chicago-based employees this Thursday has outlined the airline's plans for growth at the nation's second-busiest airport, including multiple new flights to be inaugurated in the coming months.

On the schedule are two new international flights, one to Barcelona, Spain commencing May 5 and another to Guatemala City, Guatemala, which takes to the air on July 8. The airline is also adding service to eight domestic destinations, primarily via regional routes, including new flights to Appleton, Wisconsin; Birmingham, Alabama; Boise, Idaho; Bozeman, Montana; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Greensboro, North Carolina; Greenville, South Carolina; as well as seasonal, summer service to Ontario, California.

The announcement comes just days after United Airlines, which has the largest presence at O'Hare, revealed that it would be adding six new routes from Chicago.

American has also said that it plans to build five new gates at O'Hare's L Concourse, which according to the Chicago Business Journal will be the first time O'Hare has added gates in more than 20 years. The gates are expected to open sometime in 2018.

American also continues to upgrade its Admiral's Club system-wide including the lounge at O'Hare. The upgrade being billed as the "most extensive club makeover in [the airline's] history," according to American's website. The airline is also constructing a new, 17,000 square foot Flagship Lounge at O'Hare for use by premium, international passengers.


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