Major airlines, City of Chicago agree to terms of new O’Hare international terminal

United and American airlines have reached an agreement with the City of Chicago to begin construction of the new international terminal at O'Hare International Airport, following years of setbacks and concerns over mounting costs.

According to WGN, the new terminal will sit between the existing United and American Airlines terminal, and eliminate the need for airport shuttles between terminals. Construction on the "O'Hare Global Terminal" will reportedly begin once an adjacent satellite terminal is completed, adding room for domestic flights.

The addition of the Global Terminal and other developments at the airport are a part of the larger O'Hare 21 project which seeks to repair and restore the airport for future generations.

"The City of Chicago is thrilled to announce the acceptance of its proposal by airline partners to proceed with the Terminal Area Program (TAP) to modernize Chicago O'Hare International Airport", said Mayor Brandon Johnson in a statement. "We look forward to prioritizing the O'Hare Global Terminal to bring benefits to the traveling public sooner, while providing thousands of jobs and contracting opportunities to Chicago."

U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth also released a statement commending the deal. "With both parties now in agreement, we can begin to take a major step forward on the project with a shared vision – one that allows O'Hare to not only maintain its world-class status but also modernize its terminals while leaving room to expand to meet the demands of travelers well into the future."

The exact timeline for when construction will begin remains unclear, but the agreement represents a great leap forward for the project.