FAMILIES TAKE FLIGHT

CDA, United help families take off with confidence at O'Hare Family Day

United Airlines and the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) welcomed Chicago-area families to O’Hare International Airport Oct. 17 for O’Hare Family Day: Flying with Kids 101, a hands-on experience designed to help parents and kids feel more comfortable and confident traveling together.

Working alongside the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the volunteer aid organization Traveler’s Aid, United and CDA introduced families to each step of the airport journey, from checking in and navigating security to boarding an aircraft.

Participants completed a simulated flight check-in process, watched a TSA security demonstration and took a guided tour through O’Hare. The experience culminated in a boarding simulation aboard a United aircraft, giving children and their parents an opportunity to become familiar with boarding before their next flight.



This was the fourth family-focused airport familiarization event hosted by CDA since last year, following similar events organized in partnership with American Airlines at O’Hare and Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines at Midway International Airport.

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BUILDING THE FUTURE OF O'HARE

Meet the Midfield Cooling Plant

Steady progress is underway on several aspects of the ORDNext expansion program at O’Hare International Airport. While vertical steel construction is taking shape for The New Concourse D, there’s an unsung supporting facility beginning to take shape that will make all of O’Hare’s new terminal facilities possible.

Crews began pouring concrete for the Midfield Cooling Plant on Oct. 13, followed by the installation of precast concrete walls, giving the structure a more visible presence on O’Hare’s airfield.



When completed in 2028, the $250 million cooling plant will act essentially like a gigantic air conditioner in a centralized position on O’Hare’s airfield, pumping chilled water through 8,600 feet of piping to cool The New Concourse D, The New Concourse E and eventually the O’Hare Global Terminal (OGT) as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. At its maximum capacity, the system will be capable of circulating more than 300,000 gallons of water at peak load.

Elsewhere on the airfield, crews also made progress on the concrete formwork for the pedestrian tunnel serving Concourse D, the rehabilitation of Taxiways S, S1, S2 and S3, and other enabling projects that make the ORDNext program possible.



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O'Hare breaks summer passenger record for second consecutive year

This month, Mayor Brandon CDA announced that O’Hare recorded its busiest summer in history for the second consecutive year, welcoming more than 25 million passengers from June through August 2026.

According to CDA data, O’Hare saw nearly 650,000 additional passengers travel through the airport in June, July and August, an average of nearly 275,000 people per day and an increase of approximately 2.7% over 2025’s record breaking summer.

O’Hare’s expanding international network includes new nonstop service to Cairo on EGYPTAIR and to Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport on Air Canada, both launched in June. That momentum will continue on Monday, Nov. 9, when Philippine Airlines is scheduled to begin its first nonstop service between O’Hare and Manila, strengthening Chicago’s connections to Southeast Asia.

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Enter the O'Hare Philippine Airlines photo sweepstakes!

Calling all plane spotters!

The CDA is holding a sweepstakes to win airfield access at O’Hare to photograph the historic arrival of the first Philippine Airlines flight from Manila to Chicago on Nov. 9.

Ten plane spotters will win the opportunity to join the CDA staff and other guests on the airfield to shoot photo and video of the arrival.

Submissions close at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, so enter today!

OH, THE PLACES THEY'LL GO!

Storytime comes to the terminals

The more kids read, the more things they will know. The more that they learn, the more places they’ll go!

The CDA’s Customer Experience team launched a new Stories on the Fly program to help keep our littlest travelers entertained before takeoff.

Next time you’re traveling with kids through O'Hare or Midway, stop by the Family Lounge or the Kids Play Area to let their imaginations take flight.

AND THEN THERE WERE SIX

Pick your favorite name for O'Hare's massive boulder

We’ve chipped away at the avalanche of rock-solid names you all suggested for our ancient boulder, and now we need help picking a winner.

Vote here to choose your favorite before the poll closes on Nov. 2!

O'Hare passenger feedback program wins ACI-NA award

O’Hare was recognized for Customer Experience Technology Innovation at the 2026 Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Excellence in Airport Marketing, Communications, and Customer Experience Awards for its “Your Voice, Your O’Hare” passenger feedback program.

The award was presented Oct. 20 during ACI-NA’s Marketing and Communications Conference in Seattle, where members of the CDA’s Marketing and Communications teams joined Unison Consulting to accept the honor.



“Your Voice, Your O’Hare” makes it easy for travelers to share feedback about their shopping and dining experiences at O’Hare. More than 2,000 QR code and NFC touchpoints across 183 concession locations generated more than 45,000 passenger responses in the program’s first year.



The feedback helps CDA identify opportunities for improvement, support concession partners, and recognize employees delivering exceptional customer service.

CDA staff join ULI Chicago event

CDA team members recently joined representatives from Urban Land Institute Chicago's Green Flight Council, Amtrak and several construction companies to discuss transportation infrastructure investments shaping Chicago's future.

Assistant Commissioner of Design & Construction Dominic Garascia presented on ORDNext, highlighting our long-term investments to expand capacity, enhance the passenger experience and strengthen O'Hare's position as a global gateway.

Honor Flight Chicago hosts final Washington, D.C. trip of 2026 season

The final trip of Honor Flight Chicago’s 2026 season flew 109 veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces to Washington, D.C. for a day trip to visit the National Memorials on Oct. 28.

The majority of the participants served in the Vietnam War, with one veteran of the Korean War attending. They served in the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy.

This was Honor Flight Chicago’s 133rd trip since the organization first partnered with the CDA and Southwest Airlines in 2007.

IRTBA tours O'Hare construction site

This month, the CDA welcomed members of the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association (IRTBA) to O’Hare for an inside look at ORDNext.

The event included an overview of ORDNext led by CDA Design and Construction Project Manager Cortney Harris, followed by a tour of the Concourse D construction site.

Thank you to IRTBA and its members for joining us!

Pumpkin Palooza scares up a good time at Midway

The Pumpkin Palooza event at Midway Oct. 29 brought spooky, Halloween-themed fun to The Busiest Square Mile in Aviation, featuring popcorn balls from Nuts on Clark, costumed performers and displays of pumpkins decorated by Midway concessionaires.

Papa Blu comes to Fall Fest

The CDA took Papa Blu for a spin in October at Fall Fest events co-hosted by the Mayor’s Office and local community organizations.

The van was a big draw for children and their families who engaged with interactive flight simulators to learn what it's like to fly a plane, receiving assistance from members of the CDA’s Workforce Development team. The Fall Fest events — which took place in the Altgeld Gardens, South Deering and East Side communities — also featured family-friendly activities, a 360-degree camera for taking pictures, as well as musical entertainment provided by a DJ.



The CDA always has a great time representing with Papa Blue at community events throughout the city, and we look forward to being at more Fall Fest events in November!

'ExtraORDinary Lounge' celebrates Customer Service Week at O'Hare

Earlier this month, concessions operator ASUR Airports celebrated Customer Service Week with an employee appreciation event to take care of the people who take care of O’Hare.

On Oct. 8, a conference room in Terminal 5 was transformed into “The ExtraORDinary Lounge,” a space for employees to relax and recharge, complete with aromatherapy, massages and snacks.

It was a small way to show appreciation for the dedicated staff who help keep O’Hare running and our passengers moving every day. Thank you for all that you do!

CDA staff earn Executive Achievement Awards

Congratulations to CDA Managing Deputy Commissioner Tammi Morgan, Deputy Commissioner Wayne Daniel and Attorney Vernell Moreland on receiving Executive Achievement Awards from AOR Transit during a Business Networking Event Sept. 30 at Vertiport Chicago.

The award recognized Morgan and Moreland for their accomplishments in procurement and contracting to connect businesses and workers with opportunities at Chicago's airports and Daniel for outstanding operational leadership and dedication to Chicago's aviation system.

CN Traveler readers vote Chicago 'Best Big City' 10 years in a row

Conde Nast Traveler readers have voted Chicago the Best Big City in the U.S for the 10th year in a row in the publication’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards.

Nearly 800,000 people cast votes on their favorite destinations in the world, coming to a conclusion that all of us at the CDA already know: there’s no place like Chicago.

The magazine describes Chicago as “A world-class destination known for its impressive architecture, first-rate museums, brilliant chefs, and massive brewing scene, it’ll take several repeat visits to get through your list of must-dos.”

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• American Airlines: O’Hare (ORD) to Charlottesville, Virginia (CHO) new 2x daily service starts Nov. 1.
• American Airlines: ORD to Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands (GCM) seasonal weekly service starts Nov. 21.
• Frontier Airlines: ORD to San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU) daily seasonal service starts Nov. 20 and ends after the Thanksgiving holidays.
• Philippine Airlines: ORD to Manila (MNL) new 3x daily service starts Nov. 9.
• Southwest Airlines: Midway (MDW) to Montego Bay, Jamaica (MBJ) seasonal weekly service starts Nov. 21.
• Southwest Airlines: MDW to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (PUJ) seasonal weekly service starts Nov. 21.
• United Airlines: ORD to Key West, Florida (EYW) seasonal daily service resumed Oct. 24.
• United Airlines: ORD to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (PVR) seasonal daily service resumed Oct. 24.