FAA pushes back start of Chicago O'Hare Airport flight reductions to June

The Federal Aviation Administration has pushed back the start of flight reductions at Chicago O'Hare International Airport to June.

The FAA-ordered flight reductions at O'Hare – 2,798 flights per day instead of the 3,080 flights per day that had been scheduled for the summer travel season – were initially set to begin on May 17 and last until Oct. 24. The FAA filed an amendment Friday morning to move the start date to June 2.

The FAA said the change will allow airline operators "sufficient time to modify their schedules due to certain crew scheduling already assigned for the Summer 2026 scheduling season."

All other aspects of the ordered, including the Oct. 24 expiration date, remain the same, the FAA said.

The FAA said their decision to implement flight restrictions at O'Hare were driven by concerns about airport capacity and issues with operational delays.