The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is proposing more extensive flight reductions at Chicago O’Hare International Airport than first anticipated, which would force American Airlines Group Inc. and United Airlines Holdings Inc. to adjust previously planned expansions at the busy aviation hub.

The FAA, in a new notice on Monday, sought to cap total daily operations at 2,608 takeoffs and landings, down from a previous recommendation of 2,800 operations per day. The regulator also is calling for scheduling limits restricting the number of flights in 30-minute intervals.

“This will increase safety and improve the on-time experience for passengers,” the FAA said in a separate statement Monday, adding that O’Hare was one of the most-delayed airports last summer.

The agency met with U.S. airlines two weeks ago to discuss flight cuts at O’Hare, which was the busiest U.S. airport in 2025 by total takeoffs and landings. After that meeting, the agency said it would continue to evaluate historical data against the schedule carriers have proposed for the 2026 summer season, which would result in more than 3,080 daily operations on peak days.

The regulator has “determined that the current level is not sustainable for the upcoming 2026 Summer Scheduling Season,” the notice said, noting that overloading could lead to travel disruptions at O’Hare and other airports.

Prior to a FAA determination last month that it needed to reduce flights at O’Hare, both United and American were among carriers that had planned to grow operations at the airport.

American said in a statement that it appreciates the government’s “proactive work ​to mitigate operational delays ​and ​impacts ​to protect O’Hare travelers this summer.” The carrier said it will continue to work collaboratively on the reductions.

United said in a statement that the airline shares the FAA’s “commitment to running a safe and reliable operation” out of O’Hare, and that it looks forward “to a collaborative discussion.”

United had said it planned to operate roughly 780 flights per day from O’Hare this summer, an increase of about 34% from the same period last year. American previously said it anticipated around 525 daily flights during summer peak days, compared with just over 480 last year.

The FAA will reconvene a schedule reduction meeting with the airlines on March 19.

(With assistance from Sri Taylor.)

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