Chicago O’Hare Network Analysis: American Airlines vs United Airlines

Overview

American and United have both operated hubs at Chicago O’hare International Airport (ORD) for decades. At times being close in size, United has almost always been the largest carrier at the airport with American following in second. In recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, American Airlines shifted their focus to other hubs, notably their fortress hubs at DFW and CLT while United has continued their strong presence at ORD. Below is a look at the two airlines’ networks at O’hare in 2024 and the competitive landscape at what was once the world’s busiest airport.

American - 160 Destinations

United - 185 Destinations

Both American and United - 139 Destinations

ABE, ABQ, ALB, ANC, ASE, ATH, ATL, ATW, AUA, AUS, AVL, AVP, BCN, BDL, BGR, BHM, BNA, BOI, BOS, BTV, BUF, BWI, BZN, CAE, CDG, CHS, CID, CLE, CLT, CMH, COS, CUN, CVG, CZM, DAY, DCA, DEN, DFW, DSM, DTW, DUB, ECP, EGE, ELP, EWR, EYW, FAR, FCA, FCO, FLL, FNT, FSD, FWA, GCM, GRB, GRR, GSO, GSP, GUA, HDN, HRL, HSV, IAH, ICT, IND, JAC, JAX, LAS, LAX, LEX, LGA, LHR, LIR, LIT, MBJ, MCI, MCO, MDT, MEM, MIA, MKE, MLI, MSN, MSO, MSP, MSY, MYR, NAS, OKC, OMA, ORF, PBI, PDX, PHL, PHX, PIA, PIT, PLS, PNS, PSP, PUJ, PVD, PVR, PWM, RAP, RDU, RIC, RNO, ROC, RSW, SAN, SAT, SAV, SCE, SDF, SEA, SFO, SGF, SJC, SJD, SJU, SLC, SMF, SNA, SRQ, STL, STT, SYR, TPA, TUL, TUS, TVC, TYS, XNA, YQB, YUL, YVR, YYC, YYZ

American, not United - 21 Destinations

ACK, ALO, AZO, BIL, BMI, CMI, COU, CWA, HPN, ILM, JFK, LAN, LSE, MHK, MHT, MQT, MVY, RST, SPI, VCE, VPS

United, not American - 46 Destinations

AMS, BRU, BZE, CAK, CHA, CHO, CMX, CRW, DEC, DLH, EDI, FAI, FAT, FOD, FRA, GEG, GRU, HND, HNL, HYS, IAD, KEF, KOA, LNK, MBS, MCW, MEX, MTJ, MTY, MUC, MXP, OGG, PTY, ROA, SBN, SJO, SNN, SUN, SUX, SXM, TLV, TQO, UVF, YOW, ZIH, ZRH

Neither American nor United - 37 Destinations

ADD, AKL, AMM, ATY, AUH, BEG, BJX, BRL, CPH, DAL, DEL, DOH, DXB, GDL, HEL, HKG, HUX, ICN, IRK, IST, IWD, JST, KRK, LIS, MAD, MBL, MKG, MLM, MWA, NRT, OWB, QRO, TPE, UIN, VIE, WAW, ZCL

Takeaways

  • United is the clear global airline at ORD while American’s network from the airport is more concentrated on domestic, TATL, Mexico and The Caribbean. This is amplified by additional intercontinental destinations served through the two airlines’ alliances with Star Alliance adding ADD, AKL, CPH (soon Sky Team), DEL, IST, KRK, LIS, NRT, TPE, VIE, WAW to United’s O’hare connections and One World adding AMM, DOH, HEL, HKG, MAD to American’s. These are in addition to airline partners which both US and international carriers fly like United and Lufthansa to Frankfurt (FRA).

  • American’s exclusive routes fall into 3 buckets: (1) small midwestern markets which United has no service to any of their hubs (some Essential Air Service (EAS)) (2) smaller coastal/ niche airports from the Northeast to Florida’s panhandle and (3) a third miscellaneous bucket - BIL, JFK, VCE

  • United’s exclusive routes are more variable as their network is generally more robust. Areas of note include Hawaii, some Midwestern destinations similar to AA (some Essential Air Service (EAS)), and a deeper reach to Europe, Central America, South America, and Asia

  • The only non-EAS domestic airport served by neither American nor United from O’Hare is Dallas Love Field (DAL) served by Southwest Airlines

  • The only non-intercontinental international routes unserved by both United or American are all routes to Mexico on Volaris and Viva Aerobus