CHICAGO, Sunday, November 15, 2026 — Chicago O’Hare International (ORD) lost more than 600 flights on Saturday as airlines tried to recover from Friday’s nationwide FAA ground stop, and nearby Midway (MDW) was still seeing long delays on Saturday night.
How it unfolded in Chicago
ABC7 Chicago reported that Chicago’s airports were hit before the national order. A local ground stop began at O’Hare at 2:10 p.m. CT on Friday, November 13, and at Midway at 2:17 p.m. CT, both because of an equipment outage. The FAA’s nationwide ground stop followed at 2:54 p.m. CT and was lifted on Friday evening after about four hours.
The Chicago Department of Aviation said none of its own infrastructure is part of the affected FAA communications systems. The FAA has blamed a telecommunications outage, and federal officials say there is no sign of a cyberattack.
The numbers
| Measure (Saturday, Nov 14) | O’Hare (ORD) | Midway (MDW) |
|---|---|---|
| Cancellations as of 1:43 p.m. | 605 | 72 |
| Average delay (Saturday afternoon) | 28 minutes | 23 minutes |
| Average delay (Saturday night) | TBA | 65 minutes |
| Sunday morning cancellations already posted | TBA | at least 3 |
Air Canada cancelled flights between Canada and the U.S. during the disruption. Aviation experts quoted by ABC7 warned that the effects could last through the weekend. The FAA expects air travel to return to normal by the end of Sunday, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said airlines should be at full capacity going into Monday.
What it means for non-revs
- United and American hub traffic is backed up. O’Hare is a major hub for both. Hundreds of cancellations means displaced revenue passengers will fill seats through Sunday and likely into Monday. Expect long standby lists.
- Midway delays matter for Southwest riders. A 65-minute average delay on Saturday night points to aircraft and crews still out of position. Southwest is letting passengers rebook at no extra cost through Monday, which adds pressure on those flights too.
- Build in buffer for connections. If you must connect at ORD in the next day or two, choose longer connections and have a later backup flight in mind.
- Consider waiting until midweek. If your trip is flexible, Tuesday or Wednesday should offer better odds than Sunday night or Monday.
- Carry on to avoid getting separated from your bag during rebooking.
Sources
- ABC7 Chicago — Hundreds of flights canceled at O’Hare, Midway after hourslong nationwide ground stop
- CBS News — Flights expected to return to normal by Sunday night after nationwide ground stop, FAA says. Here’s what to know
- ABC7 New York — Flight issues at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark linger into Sunday after nationwide ground stop (Southwest waiver details)
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