Travelers in the Midwest will have a record-breaking number of flights to choose from this summer at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), thanks to United Airlines’ latest route expansion.
The carrier has announced it will fly its largest-ever flight schedule out of its home hub in the Windy City this summer, operating a whopping 750 flights per day. Its summer schedule is set to be the largest one for any carrier in the history of O’Hare.
In 2026 as a whole, United says it will operate nonstop flights to 222 destinations across the globe, including 47 international cities in Asia, Europe, and South America, as well as 175 destinations in the U.S.
The carrier announced its roster of U.S. markets is set to expand this spring, with the launch of five new nonstop routes from Chicago to destinations across the Midwest, scheduled to debut in April and May:
- Champaign/Urbana, Illinois (CMI) operated 4 times daily beginning April 30, 2026
- Kalamazoo, Michigan (AZO) operated 4 times daily beginning April 30, 2026
- Lansing, Michigan (LAN) operated 4 times daily beginning May 7, 2026
- La Crosse, Wisconsin (LSE) operated 4 times daily beginning May 7, 2026
- Bloomington/Normal, Illinois (BMI) operated 4 times daily beginning May 7, 2026
Those five routes will join an existing lineup of launches for summer 2026 that the airline announced in December 2025, which include new nonstops to Santa Barbara, California (SBA); Monterey, California (MRY); Eugene, Oregon (EUG); Bristol/Tri-Cities, Tennessee (TRI); Erie Pennsylvania (ERI); Rochester, Minnesota (RST); Wausau, Wisconsin (CWA); and Marquette, Michigan.
Also coming this summer is a special daily flight to Guadalajara, Mexico (GDL), for the FIFA World Cup games happening there. That limited-time route will operate from June 8 to 27, 2026, and will mean United has nonstop routes from Chicago to all 16 host cities for the World Cup.
The carrier also announced plans to add more flight frequencies to existing routes across more than 80 cities, including Boston (BOS), Nashville (BNA), Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco (SFO), and Dallas (DFW).
"The record-breaking expanded flight offerings from United Airlines planned for this coming summer at O'Hare demonstrates the company's sustained commitment to growth in Illinois – boosting our economy, supporting jobs, and strengthening Chicago's tourism and hospitality industries,” said Illinois Governer JB Pritzker.
With the significant network expansion, United will become the largest carrier at O’Hare, and its Chicago base will be the third-largest airline hub in the U.S.
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