Federal Aviation Authority figures have shown that in 2018 Chicago O’Hare overtook Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International airport to become the busiest in the United States by total flights. It was a significant year for O’Hare, which saw the highest number of flights – 900,000 – since 2007. In addition, Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports combined experienced their highest number of passengers on record.

“Chicago is proud to be the home of the best connected airport in the US, and now the busiest airport for total flights, as well,” said the city’s mayor Rahm Emanuel. “The record number of passengers in 2018 is a testament to the investments we are making to build Chicago’s aviation future. With more people visiting Chicago every year, our modernisation programs at O’Hare and Midway will keep passengers connected to our two leading gateway airports, and will fuel new opportunities for the City and the region for years to come.”