http://www.chicagobusiness.com/artic...ssenger-record
January 24, 2018
O'Hare has a record year
Passenger and cargo business at O'Hare International Airport hit record levels in 2017, according to preliminary figures released by the city today—news Mayor Rahm Emanuel promptly hailed as a sign his airport modernization plans are working.
But while the trend is good, total growth over the past 17 years is modest compared with other big U.S. airports. Continuing and accelerating that growth will depend on O'Hare's largest carrier, United Airlines, sticking with its plans to bulk up at its hub airports. It also will depend on the city finalizing a tentative deal to add dozens of new gates to the airport's newly expanded network of gates, something that could happen quite soon.
Here's the news:
According to the Chicago Department of Aviation, the total number of passengers—the number of people getting on or off flights here—
hit 79.8 million last year, up 2.4 percent from 2016 and setting a new record. 2016's 78 million also was a record, and followed a 15-year stretch in which O'Hare's business effectively stalled.
Back in 2000, for instance, the airport handed 72.1 million passengers, according to data on the city's website. ...
In comparison...Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International remains No. 1—grew its passenger count from 66.7 million to 80.9 million just between 2014 and 2016.
INTERNATIONAL GROWTH
Much of O'Hare's relatively slow growth has been concentrated on the international side, a point Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans has made in numerous public forums. The city just released final 2017 international figures for O'Hare, showing passenger growth increased 6 percent.
O'Hare lately has shown faster growth in cargo. It grew 1.9 million tons last year, just under 12 percent, according to the city.
Sparking faster growth, and the jobs and other economic benefits that come with it, depends in part on whether United continues with plans it announced to keep adding service at its biggest midcontinent hubs, including O'Hare.
The carrier yesterday announced plans for 4 percent to 6 percent growth in seat capacity for the next three years, concentrated at the midcontinent hubs,
...
Midway Airport handled 22.4 million passengers last year, "one of its highest annual totals," according to the city.