O’Hare Back on Top: Chicago Airport Surpasses Atlanta to Become Busiest in the US

Chicago's O'Hare International Airport has reclaimed the title of the busiest airport in the United States for the first time since 2019.

According to the latest data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), during 2025 O’Hare recorded more than 857,000 landings and takeoffs, surpassing the long-time leader—Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta.

This result represents a strong signal of post-pandemic recovery and growth for air traffic in Chicago, as well as a confirmation of O’Hare’s strategic importance in national and global aviation. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson pointed out that this success goes beyond mere statistics, emphasizing that it speaks to the city's momentum and its role as an economic and transportation hub.

„From the runways at O’Hare to the city’s neighborhoods, Chicago is building, growing, and leading. We are open for business and to the entire world, and we are setting the pace for the nation once again, Johnson stated. His office further emphasized that this result clearly demonstrates the need for continued investment in airport infrastructure in order to meet the growing demands of passengers and airlines.

Although final global rankings and complete passenger data are still pending, preliminary estimates indicate that O'Hare could also claim the title of the busiest airport in the world by number of operations. At the same time, Chicago's Midway International Airport ranked 38th in the US by number of landings and takeoffs.

An interesting fact shows that during 2025, combined for both Chicago airports, a plane took off or landed every 30 seconds – which speaks volumes about the intensity of air traffic in this city.

SOURCE: WGNTV, PHOTO: UNSPLASH