United Goes on the Offensive: Kirby Warns American Could Abandon Chicago O’Hare

United Airlines is making a series of bold moves that highlight both its near-term agility and long-term ambition. From adding flights in Florida and Las Vegas to resuming Tel Aviv service from Chicago and Washington, the carrier is simultaneously consolidating its global reach and shoring up its domestic footprint.

Meanwhile, CEO Scott Kirby is signaling confidence that United’s expansion at Chicago O’Hare (ORD) may push rival American Airlines into retreat.

Filling the Spirit Gap

United announced that it will expand its winter schedule, beginning January 6, by adding flights to 15 cities, including Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Las Vegas. These are the very routes where Spirit Airlines has historically been strongest—a detail not lost on United.

“If Spirit suddenly goes out of business, it will be incredibly disruptive, so we’re adding these flights to give their customers other options if they want or need them,” said Patrick Quayle, United’s senior vice president of Global Network Planning and Alliances.

Photo: Courtesy of Lukas Souza / Unsplash

The additions include new daily flights from Houston, Chicago, and Newark to Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and Las Vegas, among others. Los Angeles–Las Vegas also gains an extra frequency. Beyond the U.S., United will launch new weekly service from Houston to Guatemala City, San Salvador, and San Pedro Sula.

With this expansion, United will operate 45 flights a day to Orlando, 30 to Fort Lauderdale, and 43 to Las Vegas—making clear its intent to seize more of the high-volume leisure market.

Returning to Tel Aviv

On the international front, United will resume flights to Tel Aviv from O’Hare and Washington Dulles (IAD) for the first time since 2023. Starting November 1, Chicago will see four weekly departures; Washington will follow a day later with three weekly flights.

Photo: United Airlines, Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Courtesy of United Airlines.

“The resumption of these flights underscores United’s longstanding commitment to Tel Aviv,” Quayle said.

United already operates twice daily between Tel Aviv and Newark, and it has flown more to Israel this year than any other U.S. carrier. The airline emphasized that any service to Tel Aviv is contingent on ongoing safety and security assessments.

Chicago O’Hare: Kirby’s Power Play

If United’s announcements suggest momentum, CEO Scott Kirby’s private comments to pilots—reported by Gary Leff of A View from the Wing—reveal just how aggressive that momentum could become.

Kirby predicted that American Airlines may eventually “have to de-hub” Chicago O’Hare as United expands to 600 daily departures from the airport, overtaking even Denver and Houston in scale.

Photo: Courtesy of Chicago O’Hare Airport

American, Leff notes, has been slow to rebuild in Chicago after the pandemic. It cut back international flying, retired widebody aircraft, and saw its frequent flyer revenue base erode between 2016 and 2020. Meanwhile, United secured more gates and invested in its Chicago facilities, giving it both the physical and financial edge.

“American built back O’Hare more slowly after the pandemic than United did,” Leff wrote, adding that United’s surge has convinced the city to reallocate more gates in its favor.

Whether American is truly forced to retreat remains to be seen. But Kirby has not shied away from bold claims, often mocking both the ultra-low-cost model and his former employer.

Fleet, Pilots, and Long-Term Growth

Leff’s reporting also highlights the broader scale of United’s ambition. The airline anticipates over 100 new aircraft deliveries in 2026, with Airbus A321XLRs set to open new European routes and additional Boeing 787s joining its fleets in Newark, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Older Boeing 767-300s will remain in service into the early 2030s thanks to heavy maintenance checks.

Photo: Courtesy of United

Hiring is also expected to accelerate, with 2,400 new pilots anticipated in 2026. Kirby attributed the staggered ramp-up to limited hotel space near United’s Denver training center.

United’s strategy extends well beyond Chicago and Tel Aviv. At Dulles, the airline is preparing for a significant expansion, with new gates set to double international capacity and strengthen the airport’s position as one of United’s key global gateways.

On the fleet side, delays with the Boeing 737 MAX 10 have prompted a shift in strategy: United has converted some of those orders to the smaller MAX 9 variant, ensuring deliveries remain on track even if the largest model remains stuck in certification limbo.

Photo: Courtesy of United

Slot access is another front where United is pushing aggressively. The airline is seeking additional gates and slots wherever possible, including at New York JFK, where it envisions operating as many as 20 daily flights if it can secure the necessary approvals.

Longer-term fleet planning also remains unresolved, particularly with the need to identify a successor to its Boeing 777s. While no final decision has been made, the Airbus A350 continues to be discussed as a potential option—highlighting both United’s willingness to diversify and its careful approach to balancing immediate needs with long-term growth.

What It Means for Travelers

For frequent flyers, the implications are twofold. Domestically, United is aggressively targeting leisure-heavy routes while ensuring connectivity through its hubs. Internationally, it is cementing its dominance in Tel Aviv and planning for transatlantic growth with new aircraft. And at O’Hare, travelers could see fewer choices if American does indeed shrink—raising concerns about higher fares in a market increasingly controlled by United.

Kirby’s bet is clear: bigger hubs, bigger fleets, and more connectivity will keep United ahead of rivals. Whether that scale translates into long-term profitability in a cyclical industry remains an open question.