The City of Chicago plans to begin construction of the first phase of a new Concourse E at O’Hare International Airport later this year, adding 14 gates and supporting the delivery of the airport’s planned Global Terminal.
The project forms part of the 8.8 billion USD ORDNext modernisation programme. The first 14 gates are scheduled to open in 2030, while construction of the O’Hare Global Terminal is planned to begin in a coordinated phase in 2029 and be completed in 2033.
A second phase of Concourse E will add a further 10 gates after the Global Terminal is completed, bringing the concourse to 24 gates by 2034.
The revised construction sequence was developed with O’Hare’s two main hub airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines. According to the City of Chicago, the additional capacity from the first phase of Concourse E will allow construction of the Global Terminal to proceed while maintaining airport operations.
Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Mike McMurray said:Starting on The New Concourse E now is about staying ahead of O’Hare’s growth instead of reacting to it later. These first 14 gates give us the flexibility to maintain safe, efficient airline operations while we undertake the most consequential pieces of ORDNext. Just as importantly, this sequencing positions us to deliver the O’Hare Global Terminal in a more efficient, coordinated and fiscally responsible way, before completing the remaining 10 new Concourse E gates.
Construction of the new Concourse D remains on schedule, with 19 gates due to be completed in late 2028. The city finalised a Guaranteed Maximum Price for Concourse D and associated infrastructure in June, which it said was at least 21 million USD below the approved budget.
The need for additional capacity comes as activity at O’Hare continues to increase. The airport is handling almost 100 more daily departures this summer than in July 2025, while United and American have both expanded their operations.
The New Concourse E will eventually comprise approximately 460,000 square feet across multiple levels. It will be located west of the new Concourse D and will accommodate regional and narrowbody aircraft operating domestic and international services subject to US preclearance arrangements.
The concourse will include airline lounges, passenger facilities, dining and retail space. An underground passenger tunnel will connect it with Concourse D and the O’Hare Global Terminal, linking the three facilities within the expanded terminal complex.
The Global Terminal is the central project within ORDNext. The programme’s new concourses and terminal are expected to increase O’Hare’s gate capacity by 14%, alongside additional passenger facilities and changes to aircraft movements across the airport.
Under the revised schedule, Concourse D is due to be completed in 2028, the first 14 gates of Concourse E in 2030, the O’Hare Global Terminal in 2033 and the remaining 10 Concourse E gates in 2034.
