United Airlines chief executive Scott Kirby has predicted that American Airlines will eventually scale back or retreat from Chicago O’Hare, arguing that the city would be better served by one dominant hub carrier. His latest comments came amid a renewed public fight over gate access, departures and long-haul growth at one of the United States’ most important connecting airports.
Kirby put the annual loss for American’s Chicago operation at about $1.1 billion and linked the outlook to what he described as economic pressure that would ultimately force a major retrenchment. He also sketched a potential expansion path for United, with O’Hare growing to roughly 1,000 daily departures and supporting as many as 15 additional long-haul international routes if American reduced its presence. American has rejected any suggestion that it plans to leave Chicago, insisting that it will keep investing and competing at the airport for years.
The dispute sits against a backdrop of constrained airport capacity and long-running competition for gates and traffic at O’Hare. A larger United footprint could widen network choice and add non-stop destinations, but it would also leave travellers with less direct competition if American were to shrink materially. For now, the rivalry remains a forecast rather than a strategic decision, with no announced plan by American to de-hub the airport.