Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) received 115,962 passengers on July 20, setting a new record as it continues to see a spike in the number of travelers. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), this beats the previous record of 113,772 passengers, which was set just over a month ago.

Chicago O’Hare has seen record numbers on several occasions this year, surpassing 2019 figures. This summer, it is the second-busiest airport in the US by seats, with a 9% growth compared to summer 2024. However, it is not the only airport witnessing growth, as record passenger numbers have also been recorded across the country.

Top Four Busiest Days In 2025

The TSA posted on X (formerly Twitter) that July 20 was its busiest day ever at Chicago O’Hare. The previous record was set on June 22, when the agency screened 113,772 passengers. The TSA expects high volumes to continue this summer and urges passengers to arrive at the airport early and pack smart when flying. The record-breaking numbers have also been felt across the country.

The June 22 numbers surpassed a previous record of 111,278 passengers that had been set just three days prior on June 19. Before this recent streak, the highest number of travelers at ORD was witnessed on July 19, 2019, highlighting the airport’s strong recovery to pre-pandemic levels. Seven of the top 10 busiest days at ORD have occurred in the past seven weeks.

After the June 22 record-high numbers, TSA Illinois Federal Security Director Jim Spriggs said,

“On our busiest days, our officers remain laser-focused on delivering a safe and efficient screening experience to all passengers traveling through our airports. We appreciate those who arrive at the checkpoint prepared with REAL ID or another acceptable form of ID, and with no prohibited items in their carry-on bags.”

A Busy Summer At Chicago O’Hare

Traffic at ORD has also significantly increased since 2024. The airport’s busiest day last year was October 14, when it received 108,353 passengers. This is its 10th busiest day in history. According to OAG, Chicago O’Hare is the second-busiest airport (by seats) in the US in summer 2025, with about 31.3 million seats. It comes behind Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) with 38 million seats.

Capacity at ORD has grown by 9% in summer 2025 compared to the same period last year. The airport’s two largest airlines have increased domestic seat capacity, with United growing by 9% and American Airlines increasing by 20%. As of July, Chicago is the third-busiest airport in the world, with 4.76 million seats. It comes behind Hartsfield-Jackson and Dubai International Airport (DXB).

ORD has seen the largest capacity increase among the top 10 airports, with 11% growth compared to July 2024. According to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, United Airlines is the largest carrier out of ORD with 483,821 weekly seats this month, followed by American with 378,551 seats and Delta Air Lines with 37,043 seats (by marketed seats). Nearly 50 airlines fly to ORD, connecting it to over 200 destinations worldwide.

Preparing For TSA Screening At The Airport

Chicago airports, including O’Hare and Midway, also saw record-high traffic during the Independence Day holiday weekend, building on the early summer momentum. High passenger traffic will also continue into the holiday travel seasons, so travelers should arrive early to have enough time to park or return a rental car, check in their luggage, and complete security screening before proceeding to the gate.

At the checkpoint, passengers should ensure they have their REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID and their boarding pass ready for the TSA travel document checker. Since the TSA began enforcing REAL ID on May 7, nearly 94% of passengers are presenting a REAL ID or another acceptable form of ID, such as a passport.

Over the last few weeks, the TSA has seen high volumes at various airports across the country, including Gerald R. Ford and Cherry Capital Airport. As of June 30, the busiest travel day for the TSA was June 22, 2025, with approximately 3.1 million passengers screened. Up to six of the top 10 travel days ever have now been recorded in 2025.

Source: Simple Flying