O’Hare expansion gets final OK from feds; will add ‘global terminal’ for both international, domestic flights

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg discusses the O’Hare International Airport expansion Monday in Terminal 2, which will be replaced with a new “global terminal” handling both international and domestic flights.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

O’Hare International Airport got the official federal go-ahead Monday for a $7.1 billion project to replace Terminal 2 with a “global terminal” intended to link domestic and international flights in one location.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other dignitaries announced that that the Federal Aviation Administration had completed a four-year environmental study paving the way for the project.

“When it opens, the O’Hare Global Terminal will be one of the most transformative terminal investments in America, more than doubling the amount of space of the existing Terminal 2,” said Chicago Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee.

The project is expected to start with two new satellite concourses, providing about 1.3 million feet of gate and amenity space, which will “dramatically expand the airport’s ability to accommodate aircraft of all sizes,” Lightfoot said. “This is a big deal for us.”

A rendering of the planned new Terminal 2, the “global terminal,” at O’Hare Airport.

Studio Gang

Under the plan, the existing Terminal 2 would be demolished and replaced with the “global terminal,” which would accept both domestic and international flights. O’Hare would become the first so-called “global alliance hub” in the nation. It will allow domestic airlines and the international carriers they partner with to be in the same terminal — and that means passengers connecting to international flights won’t have to ride the People Mover to Terminal 5, also known as the international terminal.

The global terminal is expected to open in 2030.

A team that includes renowned Chicago architect Jeanne Gang was chosen in 2019 to design the new terminal, the centerpiece of a massive expansion project.

Related

• 2019: O’Hare Airport design contract awarded to joint venture led by renowned Chicago architect Jeanne Gang

A rendering of the Studio Gang’s design for the central hub of a new “global terminal” that will be built at O’Hare International Airport.

Studio Gang

Related

• 2018: City Council approves $8.5 billion O’Hare expansion plan by 40-to-1 vote

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