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Chicago, American Airlines Announce Terminal 3 Expansion


With so much going on in Rosemont, it’s sometimes easy to forget there is a large, international airport right in Rosemont’s backyard. But O’Hare International Airport has had a busy couple of months, announcing new gates and a series of new nonstop destinations, all aimed at improving O’Hare’s capacity while expanding international travel destinations.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on May 11 came together with American Airlines CEO Doug Parker for a ribbon cutting ceremony unveiling five new gates at the airport’s Terminal 3, marking the first expansion of this size to increase gate capacity in 25 years.

This expansion is part of a larger plan for O’Hare, which entails an $8.5 billion terminal expansion to increase capacity and economic opportunity in the area. American Airlines invested $78 million in the gates.

For Rosemont residents who travel in and out of O’Hare, the new gates should help provide improved on-time departures and arrivals and offer a variety of new concessions, as well.

“Today marks a historic moment for O’Hare as we open the airport’s first new gates in 25 years,” said Mayor Emanuel in a statement. “I want to thank American Airlines for recognizing the value of this investment and look forward to working with all of our airline partners as we begin moving forward on our transformational plan that represents a watershed moment for O’Hare and Chicago’s economic future.”

The plan to expand and modernize O’Hare over the next eight years through terminal expansion is expected to increase gate capacity 25 percent. Other expansion projects supplementing this eight-year program include expanding on-airport hotels, constructing of a new multimodal facility already underway, and expanding Terminal 5.

The goal is to help support a growing O’Hare through redevelopment, modernization and expansion.

While building the five new gates, 300 jobs will be created over the course of the 20-month project.

In addition to new gates, new destinations from O’Hare have recently been announced and implemented in the past month.

The world’s largest passenger plane, the A380, now offers daily flights between O’Hare and London Heathrow airport, expanding flights to London by 20 percent.

American Airlines also recently launched nonstop daily flights from O’Hare to Venice Marco Polo Airport in Italy. The airline plans to offer these flights seasonally for the summer, and will operate the nonstop service until October 27, 2018. In terms of year-round service from American, the airline also announced nonstop flights to Vancouver, Canada.

LOT Polish Airlines announced service to Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport on Tuesdays and Saturdays from Chicago O’Hare.

Lastly, Avianca Airlines had some announcements, as well. They will now offer nonstop service between Chicago O’Hare and Bogota, Colombia and Guatemala City, Guatemala beginning in fall of 2018. Daily service to Guatemala City begins on October 29 and service to Bogota begins November 17 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

“Chicago O’Hare is the best connected airport in the world,” said Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Ginger S. Evans in a statement. “Our terminal expansion plan for O’Hare and other initiatives we have undertaken are aimed at growing international travel and providing the best services to our passengers.”

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