Southwest Airlines (SWA) once had arguably the most loyal following of any airline. Unfortunately, the Dallas-based carrier has lost its way over the last year or so. Once Elliott Investment Management, an activist hedge fund, gained seats on its board, the airline began turning everything upside down in pursuit of a stronger return on investment. This has included ending its long-standing “two bags fly free” policy, introducing a Basic Economy fare, getting rid of open seating and more.
Now it appears they’re not done.
Southwest Airlines just announced it will soon discontinue service at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport (ORD). In a statement to NBC Chicago, the company confirmed it would “discontinue service to Chicago O’Hare” beginning June 4.
“Operating at Chicago O’Hare continues to be challenging, and we are confident we can serve Chicagoland through Chicago Midway,” the statement read. “Our robust service from our longtime base at Midway will continue to serve more than 80 destinations, including the 15 markets we served from O’Hare. Southwest remains committed to providing its signature hospitality to our customers in Chicagoland.”
Southwest only launched service at O’Hare in 2021, as its bread-and-butter Chicago airport has long been the “nearby” (26-mile-away) Chicago Midway International Airport. At Midway, the airline will continue operating up to 244 daily departures, and all affected ORD employees will “have the opportunity to bid for open positions across our network, including at MDW.”
Meanwhile, O’Hare is currently in the middle of a $6 billion renovation, which will include the construction of a new global terminal to replace Terminal 2.
The announcement also comes as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has called for a potential reduction in flights at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, though it’s unclear whether that played a role in Southwest’s decision.
Southwest Airlines has announced that it will discontinue service to O’Hare Airport this year.
Read more: https://t.co/2RsYlmHJRZ pic.twitter.com/3anbnIMTWQ
— WGN TV News (@WGNNews) March 13, 2026
Comments from Chicago media giant WGN readers were not kind. Here’s a sampling:
@jsanchez1878: “All these years fighting to get in there, finally got their chance. But everything that leadership group touches is turning into dust.”
@SummerBree60136: “I truly believe this airline is self-sabotaging its own company. 🤔”
@JillRobiFangirl: “If you’re going to take it back @SouthwestAir, y’all need to ditch paid bags and go back to open seating and actual low airfares. Stop advertising ‘as low as $49!’ to places you know we don’t want. Go back to your roots.”
@profpjm: “They were always a Midway airline anyway. It’s better that way. Now go back to the old seating method.”
@MzPlaced7721: “There goes my pre-flight exercise mile-long walk through Terminal 5 😂”
@ChicagoFoo: “Southwest is a hot mess. They forgot who they are, and it shows.”
@legallymom2: “I didn’t even realize they had any flights out of O’Hare.”
Southwest’s decision to pull out of O’Hare underscores the airline’s ongoing identity crisis. Once celebrated for its loyal customer base and low‑friction travel experience, the carrier now faces criticism from longtime fans who feel it has strayed too far from its roots. While Midway will continue to serve Chicago travelers with robust service, the exit from O’Hare is a reminder that even the most iconic airlines must balance expansion ambitions with maintaining the trust and loyalty that built their reputation in the first place. For Chicago passengers who loved the convenience of O’Hare, it may be time to adjust their travel plans.
