"Chicago is a valuable hub for airlines because its Midwest location makes it a useful connection point to other cities across the country. Last year, it saw more aircraft take off and land than any other US airport. Chicago's 9.5 million metro population and status as a major financial center also mean there are plenty of passengers seeking premium seats, which turn a healthy profit for airlines."
"United is planning to expand its presence in the Windy City. Late last month, it announced five new routes from O'Hare and said it would add additional flights on existing routes. That will bring its total to 750 daily flights this summer - about 200 more than American, it said. American has said it added 180 destinations from O'Hare over the past year. "There's a lot of capacity being added to Chicago, but not all capacity is created equal," Leskinen told the conference."
""We made a nice profit last year in Chicago," he added. "The other guy that's adding so much capacity is not.""
United is expanding its presence at Chicago O'Hare, increasing routes and daily flights to about 750 this summer, roughly 200 more than American. United carries about 40% of O'Hare passengers, while American carries 23%. United reported profitability at O'Hare last year, while analysts estimate American is operating at about a negative 9% margin there and United at roughly 5%. Chicago's central Midwest location, large metro population and strong demand for premium seats make O'Hare a high-value hub. United is pursuing additional gates at O'Hare through Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy proceedings.
Read at Business Insider
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