City of Chicago Department of Aviation

The Chicago Department of Aviation’s airports, O’Hare and Midway International, served over 85 million annual passengers in 2011.  Our airports are the gateway to the dynamic Chicago metropolitan area – the third-largest metro area in the United States (9.6 million residents) and consistently ranked among the top ten most economically powerful metropolitan areas in the world.  The Chicago metro area’s population is significantly more diverse (21% Hispanic), more affluent (4th wealthiest U.S. metropolitan area) and better educated (larger percentage of residents with a post-secondary degree) than the U.S. average – all indicators of strong demand for international air travel.  Additionally, the Chicago metro area has more than 400 major corporate headquarters including 27 Fortune 500 headquarters (2nd highest in US).

With the new capacity created by recent infrastructure improvements, the CDA is seeking to aggressively add new airlines and destinations, serving all corners of the globe, to both of our airports.  We are also pleased to announce that Chicago has been selected as the host city for the 20th World Route Development Forum in 2014.