American's Chicago cuts - details, how to cope

By the fourth quarter of this year Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) should be somewhat less congested. The reason: impelled by the increasing cost of fuel the airport's two prime carriers - American Airlines and United Airlines - are cutting flights. Here, based on data from OAG, is what American and American Eagle plan to do. Cheapflights will offer, when possible, some alternative avenues to get from here to there.

Gone will be American's nonstop service from Chicago to Buenos Aires (EZE), as well as nonstop domestic service from ORD to both Honolulu (HNL) and Portland, Oregon (PDX).

How to cope: While ORD-Portland may well return as a seasonal route, you'll have to find other avenues to Buenos Aires and Honolulu. United offers nonstop service between ORD and HNL, but you'll have to make a connection to get to Buenos Aires.

American Eagle's list of cancellations is legion out of O'Hare. Look for the carrier to axe nonstop service to Albany, New York (ALB); Birmingham, Alabama (BHM); Baton Rouge (BTR); Gulfport/Biloxi (GPT); Greenville/Spartanburg (GSP); Jackson (JAN); New York Kennedy (JFK); Lexington (LEX); Harrisburg (MDT); Pensacola (PNS); Providence (PVD); Shreveport (SHV); and Fort Walton Beach, Florida (VPS).

How to cope: United Airlines and United Express also fly from O'Hare to Albany. United Express plies the O’Hare-Birmingham route. As for Baton Rouge you'll have to book a connection - ditto if you're headed from O'Hare to Gulfport/Biloxi. United Express connects Chicago O'Hare nonstop with Greenville/Spartanburg. To get to Jackson nonstop from Chicago, you'll have to fly discount airline Southwest out of Midway (MDW) airport. There are multiple remaining options between ORD and JFK: discount airline JetBlue, United, and Delta Connection.

United Express flies nonstop from O'Hare to Lexington, as it does to Harrisburg. Mobile, however, is another story. If you're going to get to the fast-growing Alabama port city from Chicago you're going to have to book a connecting flight, as you will should plans call for a vacation in Nassau. There will be no more nonstops from Chicago. Pensacola will be bereft of nonstop service from Chicago O'Hare too. US Airways Express flies nonstop ORD-Providence, and discount airline Southwest offers nonstops to the Rhode Island city from Midway Airport. Chicago-Shreveport is going to require a connection. No nonstop alternative from the Windy City to SHV, nor from Chicago to Fort Walton Beach.

After American enacts all these cuts, its Chicago hub will retain 431 daily flights - still formidable, just somewhat less mega when it comes to magnitude.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler

Comments

[Marshall]

I think you mean United Express flies ORD-PVD. US Airways doesn't fly that route.