O’Hare reclaims top spot, named nation’s busiest airport in 2025

For the first time since 2019, O’Hare International Airport has topped Atlanta as the busiest airfield in the nation, city officials announced Tuesday.

O’Hare had 857,392 aircraft land and take off in 2025 to pass flights at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta Airport, according to newly released preliminary data from the Federal Aviation Administration. Atlanta, however, still had the most passengers at its airport.

“This is more than a statistic, it’s a statement about Chicago’s momentum,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson in a news release about take offs and landings. “From the runways of O’Hare to the neighborhoods across our city, Chicago is building, growing and leading. We are open for business, open to the world, and once again setting the pace for the nation.”

The new ranking represents “jobs, commerce, tourism and opportunity,” according to the city’s Department of Aviation (CDA).

“Our CDA team and our key airline partners, like United Airlines and American Airlines and their many O’Hare operations workers, move mountains every day to keep O’Hare running at this busy level, no matter the season, no matter the obstacles,” said CDA Commissioner Michael Murray. “This achievement belongs to them — and to the people of Chicago.”

Midway International Airport ranked 38th in the nation for takeoffs and landings, with 210,930, according to city officials

Combined at both Chicago airports, an aircraft took of or landed every 30 seconds in 2025, according to officials.

Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta Airport had 807,625 flights. Rounding out the top five airports with the most flights were Dallas Fort-Worth International Airport , 741,286; Denver International Airport, 707,268 and Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, 586,821.

But Atlanta had the most passengers in 2025 with 43,268,702, while Chicago had 34,230,375, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Dallas also topped Chicago with more passengers. It had 34,508,658 passengers.