The federal government will limit flights out of O’Hare International Airport through Oct. 30, 2027, the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday.

The FAA had already ordered airlines to cut flights at the busy airport through late October of this year, citing planned schedules that would stretch O’Hare to its limits. Now, the federal agency says the current cap on flights — 2,708 per day, including both arrivals and departures — will remain in place for another year.

“This action will help maintain safe and efficient operations amid ongoing airspace and operational constraints, aims to prevent widespread delays, and provide greater certainty for travelers,” a spokesperson for the FAA said in a statement.

The FAA’s initial directive to cut flights at O’Hare, one of the world’s busiest airports, came as the two largest airlines there — United and American Airlines — ramped up flight schedules in a fierce competition over market share. Gate space at the airport is allocated based on how much an airline flew the previous year, a policy the city says helps promote healthy competition.

But the feds stepped in earlier this year, saying the number of planned flights at O’Hare would threaten the capacity of the airport’s air traffic and runway systems. The feds ended up ordering airlines to cut hundreds of planned flights per day this summer, although the limit still allows more flights than the airport saw during a peak day in summer 2025.

Chicago’s Aviation Department, which runs O’Hare, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday afternoon.

When the FAA announced its original flight cut order this spring, the city department released a statement saying, in part, that it appreciated the feds’ “thoughtful approach to proposed flight limits at O’Hare International Airport, ensuring they do not extend beyond summer 2026.”

The FAA cited ongoing construction at the airport in its extension order dated Friday.

“The construction projects and adjustments on the airfield necessitating the Order are expected to continue through Summer 2027, which will continue to limit airport capacity and impact airport operations. FAA finds that significant delay and operational disruption would occur at ORD if the ORD Order were to expire as originally scheduled,” the order said, referring to O’Hare by its three-letter code, ORD.

In a statement, American called the move a “prudent decision” that would “help maintain operational stability, improve reliability, reduce delays, and support a more predictable travel experience.”

American said it would not need to adjust its schedule because its winter schedule was already in compliance with FAA limits.

Competitor United also released a statement, saying it “appreciate(s) (Transportation) Secretary (Sean) Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford extending the scheduling order to support O’Hare’s reliability.”

“As the ORDNext construction project progresses and the airport’s capacity increases, we’re looking forward to further growth at our hometown hub that our loyal customers are anticipating,” the airline said.

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