O'Hare to Feature 17 European Airlines for First Time in 7 Years

Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is set to welcome 17 European passenger airlines in July 2026. This will mark the first time in seven years that the airport has hosted such a high number of carriers from Europe. The increase reflects a growing demand for transatlantic travel, with new services like HiSky from Bucharest beginning next year.

O'Hare's Role in Transatlantic Travel

Chicago O'Hare serves as the third-busiest airport in the United States for flights heading to Europe. Data from Cirium Diio indicates that in July 2026, the airport will average 54 daily departures across the Atlantic. This significant volume highlights O'Hare's importance as a gateway between the US and European destinations.

The majority of these flights will be operated by US-based carriers. Specifically, American Airlines and United Airlines are projected to account for over half of the market share, operating 52% of all Europe-bound flights from O'Hare. Their strong presence is a key factor in the airport's overall transatlantic capacity.

New Entrant and Expanded Services

A notable addition to O'Hare's European airline portfolio is HiSky. This carrier will launch its first service from Bucharest, Romania, to Chicago in June 2026. This new route represents a direct link to a previously underserved market in Central and Eastern Europe.

HiSky will operate this route using its single widebody aircraft, a 274-seat Airbus A330-200. The aircraft features 24 business class seats and 250 economy seats. This new connection aims to cater to the Romanian American community in Chicago and other travelers in the region.

"The addition of HiSky's Bucharest service underscores the growing demand for direct links to Central and Eastern Europe, enhancing O'Hare's global connectivity," an industry analyst stated.

Airlines with Frequent Daily Departures

Seven of the 17 European carriers plan to offer more than one flight per day in July 2026. These airlines will have between two and four daily departures. Many of these carriers are members of major global alliances like Oneworld or Star Alliance, reflecting the importance of partnerships in international air travel.

Lufthansa leads among European airlines at O'Hare. This is partly due to its strong partnership with United Airlines and its operation of two distinct routes from Germany. Lufthansa plans to deploy its Airbus A340-300 and Boeing 747-8i quadjets from Frankfurt, a major hub. These larger aircraft are critical for high-demand routes.

Here is a breakdown of European airlines with more than a daily flight in July 2026:

• Lufthansa: Three to four daily flights (Frankfurt, Munich) using A340-300, 747-8i, A350-900.
• British Airways: Three daily flights (London Heathrow) using 777-200ER, 787-10.
• Turkish Airlines: Two to three daily flights (Istanbul) using 777-300ER, 787-9.
• LOT Polish: Two to three daily flights (Kraków, Warsaw) using 787-8.
• Aer Lingus: Two daily flights (Dublin) using A330-300.
• Icelandair: Two daily flights (Keflavik) using 737 MAX 8, 737 MAX 9.
• SWISS: Two daily flights (Zurich) using A330-300, 777-300ER.

Daily and Less Frequent Services

Beyond the high-frequency carriers, several other European airlines will offer daily or less frequent services from O'Hare. These routes provide direct connections to various European capitals and key cities.

HiSky's inaugural flight to O'Hare is set for June 4, 2026. This route will be the airline's second US destination, following its existing service to New York JFK. Data for August 2024 to July 2025 indicated that Bucharest had approximately 18,000 round-trip passengers to O'Hare, primarily Romanian Americans. Other Central and Eastern European cities with higher indirect traffic included Prague (32,000), Budapest (30,000), Sofia (29,000), and Vilnius (19,000).

The list of European carriers with daily or less frequent services in July 2026 includes:

• Air France: Daily (Paris CDG) using A350-900.
• Austrian Airlines: Daily (Vienna) using 787-9.
• Finnair: Daily (Helsinki) using A330-300.
• ITA Airways: Daily (Rome Fiumicino) using A330neo.
• Iberia: Daily (Madrid) using A330-200, A330-300.
• KLM: Daily (Amsterdam) using 787-10.
• SAS: Daily (Copenhagen) using A330-300.
• TAP Air Portugal: Five weekly flights (Lisbon) using A330neo.
• Air Serbia: Three weekly flights (Belgrade) using A330-200.
• HiSky: Two weekly flights (Bucharest) using A330-200.

Air Serbia's Return and Market Focus

Air Serbia made its return to O'Hare in May 2023. This marked its first service to Chicago in 32 years, since JAT (its predecessor) stopped DC-10 flights. Chicago has a significant population of Serbian Americans and individuals of Serbian heritage, making it a key market for the airline.

Air Serbia also targets passengers traveling to and from other cities in the broader Balkan region. These destinations include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Türkiye. This strategy allows the airline to serve a wider demographic beyond direct point-to-point traffic.

Historical Context of European Operators

Reviewing O'Hare's European passenger operators since 2018 shows that few airlines have exited the market. Only two carriers have ceased their services from Chicago to Europe during this period.

Norwegian operated flights from London Gatwick to Chicago between 2018 and 2019, and from Barcelona in 2019. The airline later ended all long-haul operations due to ongoing financial difficulties. United Airlines subsequently added O'Hare-Barcelona flights in 2023, filling the gap left by Norwegian.

WOW Air, an Icelandic low-cost carrier that is now defunct, also ceased its O'Hare flights. It operated services from Keflavik between 2017 and 2019, primarily using the A321neo. Similar to Icelandair, WOW Air offered connections to a wider network across Europe. While not involving Chicago, another Icelandic carrier, PLAY, is also ending its remaining US routes in October.

This historical perspective highlights the dynamic nature of international air travel and the continuous adjustments airlines make to their networks based on market conditions and profitability.