Chicago-O’Hare International Airport

In 2004, the FAA imposed flight caps on Chicago O’Hare International Airport due to extreme delays that were affecting the airport’s operations. The new runway—the airport’s seventh and its first since 1971—is part of a larger, $15-billion expansion project. Designed to handle planes as large as the Boeing 747, the runway will primarily be used for arrivals in inclement weather. The new runway, which has prompted the flight cap to be lifted, will reduce delays by as much as 40% and allow for an additional 52,000 flights per year, according to the FAA.

Photo courtesy of the City of Chicago.