Supplier Solutions July 2026 Updates
Chicago O’Hare Airport Transformation Well Under Way
Major construction at Chicago O’Hare (ORD), including the $1.3B “Concourse D” satellite expansion, is scheduled for completion in late 2028. However, the broader ORD Next Terminal Redevelopment Program, which includes new underground tunnels, Concourse E, and the replacement of Terminal 2 with a new Global Terminal, is expected to push the construction timeline into the early 2030s. For additional details on the entire project, check out the link below.
Source: O’Hare 21
Delta Air Lines Increases Gate Presence in Atlanta
Delta Air Lines has won the bidding for two Spirit Airlines gates at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). Delta, which currently controls 151 of the 198 total gates at ATL and nearly 80% of all passenger traffic, has offered $12M for the two additional gates. While the additional gates will help Delta manage its growth in ATL, the move also prevents another carrier from growing – and in ATL, that would be Frontier and Southwest Airlines.
Delta Buys Spirit Gates as Atlanta Rivals Run Out of Room
JetBlue Expands Fort Lauderdale Flying
JetBlue is taking advantage of Spirit Airlines’ shutdown by offering non-stop service to 11 new destinations. These destinations include cities across the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean. The new and expanded flying builds on JetBlue’s position as Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport’s (FLL) largest airline and reflects the carrier’s long-term commitment to South Florida. JetBlue now expects to operate nearly 130 daily departures from FLL, offering more than 75% more daily flights than in 2025.
Source: altexsoft
The Importance of Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to American Airlines
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), a connection machine, has an outsized impact on the rest of American Airline’s operation and on the journeys of the nearly 700,000 customers the airline serves every day across its global network. More than 30% of all American daily connecting customers travel through DFW. American is proud of its DFW operation and promotes in a new short-form video series that takes viewers behind the scenes of the multi-year modernization at DFW. American is investing billions of dollars to modernize and strengthen its flagship hub. Check out the link below for access to the most recent video and podcast.
Source: American Airlines News
Turnaround Story Continues with United Airlines at Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) has led all major northeast airports so far this year in on-time flights. United Airlines, EWR’s largest carrier, achieved its best-ever on-time rate in April and May at EWR, while flying nearly 5.8 million passengers. The airline is off to a strong start this summer, flying a record 3 million passengers over the Memorial Holiday weekend with nearly 70% of customers arriving on time. The turnaround at EWR was a direct result of action by Transportation Secretary Duffy and the FAA, as well as the dedication of 15,000 local United employees. The two most important factors were improved technology and limiting daily flights at EWR to match the facility’s capacity.
Source: United Newsroom
Airfare Outlook for Q3 2026
Q3 is expected to see overall increases in airfare, with the strongest increases in late summer and autumn. Structural capacity limits and high operation costs will drive price increases. While crude oil prices have dipped recently, airlines are prioritizing profit margins and route consolidation over aggressive fare cuts.
Key Drivers of Price Increases:
- Tight capacity limits – seat and route caps designed to maintain high load factors
- High operating costs – labor, maintenance, and fuel remain significant expenses
- Route consolidation – reduced competition will keep fares elevated (collapse of Spirit Airlines has reduced competition)
Customers should look to book outside peak season and monitor competitive fares.
Source: Travel Trade Today
