United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare) will add “as many flights as are required” to stop rival American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth) from gaining gates and presence at Chicago O’Hare, according to United’s chief executive, Scott Kirby.

During a 2025 fourth quarter earnings call this week, Kirby said: “In 2026, we are drawing a line in the sand. We are not going to allow them to win a single gate at our expense. We are going to add as many flights as are required to keep our gate count the same in Chicago.”

O’Hare is a hub for both carriers. ch-aviation schedule data shows United holds 50.32% of the weekly capacity there, with American holding 30.49%. Both companies, including their commuter affiliates, accounted for 77.7% of the commercial passengers at O’Hare in 2024, according to the City of Chicago Department of Aviation.

According to Kirby, United earned about USD500 million in Chicago in 2025, while American reportedly lost a similar amount. These losses could widen to about USD1 billion in 2026, he added. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom told Reuters that O’Hare can support two major hub airlines and disputed Kirby’s characterisation of its financial results at the airport.

Kirby claimed United holds a 22 percentage-point lead among Chicago-based customers and a 38 percentage-point lead among business travellers. In 2025, United received five additional gates while reducing American’s total by four, in a move that was unsuccessfully challenged in court by the Isom-led carrier. United expects American to be awarded three gates in 2026 under an allocation review.

American Airlines was not immediately available for comment.