ROUTES AMERICAS 2023

Chicago hosts largest Routes Americas air service conference ever

More than 1,100 aviation professionals from across the globe gathered in downtown Chicago this month to plan the future of air service in North and South America.

The Routes Americas conference is the premier forum for decision-makers to negotiate new routes, and since its creation in the 1990s, it's become the one-stop shop for airlines and airports to connect

"There's really no other forum like this in the world," said CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee. "We call it speed dating for airlines and airports — dozens of airports across the Americas have 20 minutes to get their elevator pitch in for why an air carrier should start new service to their city."

Both Midway and O'Hare continued to push for new air service to the city, particularly from Central and South America. The potential impact for new air service is huge — a single, daily international wide-body flight can contribute up to $200 million in economic impact to Chicago's economy.

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SPRING BREAK '23

Midway to see 19% increase in passenger traffic as airports gear up for Spring Break, Holy Week travel

More than 2.5 million passengers are expected to travel through O'Hare and Midway International Airports between today and Monday, April 10, for the historically busy travel season that aligns with Spring Break for Chicago Public Schools and Holy Week celebrations.

Compared to the same Spring Break travel period last year, O’Hare is expected to see a passenger increase of 6.7%, and current projections from airlines show that Thursday, April 6 will be the busiest day to travel. At Midway, airlines report a projected increase of 19.1% compared to Spring Break 2022, and the busiest day is expected to be Friday, March 31.

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AVIATORS OF TOMORROW

Rickover Naval Academy cadets see O'Hare up close and personal

About a dozen cadets from the academy's Aviation Career Exploration Club joined the CDA's workforce team for a career day this week, starting with a short lecture on the various aviation career paths available. The group then hit the airfield for a behind-the-scenes tour to see first-hand how that work fits into the larger O'Hare operation.

IRISH EYES ARE SMILING

O'Hare, Midway host St. Patrick's Day merriment

The Tinley Park-based Blackbird Academy of Irish Dance performed in Terminal 3 at O'Hare on St. Patrick's Day, while traditional Irish music from the Sean Cleland band entertained passengers on March 17 in the Central Market at Midway.

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MILESTONES

Revisiting President Kennedy's dedication of O'Hare, 60 years later

On March 23, 1963, President John F. Kennedy visited O'Hare to dedicate the airport to the memory and family of Edward "Butch" O'Hare, the World War II aviator and Medal of Honor winner for whom the airport is named.

"Among airports, it is first in the nation, like so many other things about Chicago," President Kennedy said.

Read more or listen to President Kennedy's remarks

HOP ON BOARD!

Transfer service launches between core terminals and Terminal 5

After a pandemic-related hiatus, O'Hare re-launched service between Terminal 5 and the core Terminals 1, 2 and 3 on March 1.

The secure daily service includes two different routes running every 15 minutes between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. One Terminal Transfer Bus route operates between Gate B1 at Terminal 1 and Gate M13 at Terminal 5. The other Terminal Transfer Bus route operates between Gates G17 and K20 in Terminal 3 and Gate M13 at Terminal 5. Both routes transport passengers and employees in each direction.

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Archer Aviation, United announce air taxi service using 'eVOTL' technology

The service, planned for 2025, will connect O'Hare International Airport to Vertiport Chicago, a helipad facility located near the Illinois Medical District.

"Technological innovation thrives here in Chicago, and this venture between Archer and United is yet another example of this strength," said Mayor Lightfoot. "This exciting new technology will further decarbonize our means of transportation, taking us another step forward in our fight against climate change."

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CDA honors pioneers in aviation

In honor of Women's History Month, the CDA highlighted several female aviators on social media who were pioneers, including those with ties to Chicago. Did you know — Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlatnic Ocean, attended Hyde Park High School on Chicago's South Side, graduating in 1916?

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Workforce ambassadors partner with CPS at Skilled Trades fair

The CDA Workforce team went to McCormick Place this month to greet thousands of students and recent graduates from Chicago Public Schools (CPS) interested in pursuing careers in the trades. The annual event gave CDA the chance to provide the latest on job and internship opportunities at Chicago's airports to youths between the ages of 16 and 24.

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• American Airlines: ORD to Augusta, GA (AGS) for The Masters Tournament, daily from April 2 to April 10
• Frontier Airlines: MDW to San Francisco, CA (SFO) daily service, starting May 21
• Frontier Airlines: MDW to Raleigh-Durham, NC (RDU) service four times a week, starting June 16
• SWISS: ORD to Zurich, Switzerland (ZRH) increases to twice daily, or 14 times a week, starting May 9