United Airlines Flexes In Chicago As American Tries To Block Gate Expansion

United Airlines has fired back at American Airlines in a new memo from company President Brett Hart, defending its right to expand at Chicago O’Hare and accusing American of years of neglect in the Windy City.

At the center of the dispute is a proposed gate reallocation at O’Hare International Airport (ORD), which would award United up to six additional gates this autumn. The plan, overseen by the Chicago Department of Aviation, is based on gate usage metrics spelled out in the airport’s 2018 Use and Lease Agreement. Put simply: fly more, get more gates. That formula favors United, whose growing fleet and aggressive network expansion have translated into more seats and more departures at ORD.

> Read More: United Airlines Is Leaving American Airlines In The Dust At Chicago O’Hare

American Airlines, unsurprisingly, is not thrilled. It has filed a lawsuit to block the reallocation process, a move that United blasted as a meritless attempt to stall progress and protect Americans’ underused real estate. In Hart’s memo to employees, reviewed by Live And Let’s Fly, he did not hold back in his attack against the lawsuit filed by American Airlines:

“We unequivocally reject American’s efforts to block the City’s process. We plan to take steps to protect our interests and utilize these new gates to benefit our customers.”

He’s got a point. United currently operates 52% of O’Hare’s departures but only has 48% of the gates. American, by contrast, has occupied 41% of the gates while flying just 37% of the departures (based on final 2024 numbers). And while United has hired more than 2,000 local employees in recent years (with plans to add 5,400 more by 2027), American has increasingly focused on its strongholds in Dallas (DFW) and Charlotte (CLT), where it has further solidified its fortress hubs.

There’s also a broader industry trend at play here. As legacy carriers concentrate growth in fortress hubs, competitive airports like O’Hare risk stagnating. Hart warns that ORD is falling behind, not just in gates and destinations, but in aircraft size, daily departures, and overall network strength. Meanwhile, DFW and CLT continue to climb the ranks thanks in large part to American’s investment outside of Chicago.

CONCLUSION

In tone and substance, the memo is part internal morale boost, part external warning shot. United is making it clear: it’s not going to sit by while American sues to keep gates it’s underutilizing.

The stakes are high, not just for United and American, but for the competitive future of one of the nation’s busiest airports. With new international routes from Chicago already underway, United is betting big on its hometown…and it wants the real estate to match. Now AA is playing catch-up with new routes introduced this year, but it is too little, too late?

What remains to be seen is how this fight plays out in court…and whether Chicago will reward growth or protect legacy entitlements. Who will better utilize the six new gates? Chicago seems to think the answer is United, but can American convince a court otherwise or force a settlement that will more evenly distribute the new gates?