Commercial Aviation
Chicago O'Hare Breaks Ground on $1.3 Billion Concourse D Expansion
Chicago O’Hare International Airport has finally broken ground on a long-awaited new concourse. The $1.3 billion expansion, known as Concourse D, marks the airport’s first major terminal construction in years. The project has faced repeated delays since it was first announced in 2018.
Now, it is slated for completion in 2028. Officials say the new facility will help modernize one of the country’s largest airports, adding capacity and updated passenger amenities as part of the airport’s broader redevelopment program.
What Concourse D Will Bring To Chicago O’Hare International Airport
The new Concourse D was designed by Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) in collaboration with Ross Barney Architects, Juan Gabriel Moreno Architects, and Arup. It will span 590,000 square feet across three levels and add 19 gates to O’Hare. Most are planned for narrowbody aircraft, though 18 of them can be combined into nine positions for larger widebodies, according to the Office of the Mayor.
In addition, the concourse will feature more than 20,000 square feet of lounge space, 30,000-square feet of retail and dining, and a 450-square-foot children’s play area. At the north end, it will also have a 40-foot-high atrium featuring an oculus skylight, which is designed to bring natural daylight to all three levels of the concourse. Besides, the new facility will also connect directly to Concourse C through a bridge. Michael McMurray, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation, said:
“By breaking ground in Concourse D, we are taking a critical first step toward enhancing how the airport welcomes and serves more than 80 million passengers each year. We are also proud to introduce ORDNext, a new stage of development in the O’Hare 21 capital program that will elevate the passenger experience, improve connections between domestic and international flights, and increase the airport’s footprint to accommodate future growth.”
Concourse D Is Part Of Chicago O’Hare’s $8.5 Billion ORDNext Redevelopment Program
Concourse D is part of ORDNext, Chicago O’Hare’s wider $8.5 billion redevelopment program. The project was first announced in 2018 but faced delays due to extended negotiations between the city and airlines. It will be followed by a second facility, Concourse E, which will add 24 additional gates. The plan also includes replacing Terminal 2 with a new O’Hare Global Terminal and building an underground tunnel to link passengers, baggage, and employees across the expanded facilities.
Alongside these large-scale developments, several other upgrades are already in progress. Last year, the airport started working on the $300 million ElevateT3 program, which is the first major investment in Terminal 3 since the 1980s. The project includes a three-story expansion, which will introduce a new baggage sorting area, airline lounge, relocated claim facilities, added carousels, and modernized support spaces.
The project is expected to finish in 2027. Besides, Terminal 5 has already been expanded with ten new gates and a multi-story parking structure. In addition, dozens of runway and taxiway upgrades have been carried out to improve safety and support future capacity growth.
The New Concourse D To Open In 2028
Concourse D is scheduled to open in 2028, and the full ORDNext redevelopment program is expected to be completed by 2032. Site preparation for the new concourse already begun in 2023, with work including construction of temporary taxiways, a grade-separated roadway, and the reconfiguration of Taxiway B.
Additionally, three temporary gates were added to Concourse C, which opened last year. Furthermore, just last month, Chicago O’Hare Airport started demolishing existing taxiways. This will be followed by about six months of excavation, with vertical construction scheduled to begin in spring 2026.
Indeed, this project can be transformative when executed successfully. The project has already drawn strong backing from major hub carriers like 
