American Airlines plans to offer up to three daily Norfolk to Chicago flights starting in February.
The airline announced Monday that the change will add two ORF to ORD trips.
American plans to run a once-daily service between Norfolk and O’Hare through most of January, Norfolk International spokesperson Chris Jones said, citing upcoming flight schedules. On Feb. 3, the service will expand to twice daily. Then, starting Feb. 12, the flight frequency will reach three times daily through most of the summer.
Flights from Norfolk for Feb. 12 are scheduled at 7:32 a.m., 1:56 p.m. and 6:43 p.m., Jones said. However, those times may change as airlines regularly adjust their schedules. Then on Aug. 5, the schedule will dip back to twice a day. Such changes are “not atypical for a beach-centric summer market such as this,” Jones said.
American will operate a variety of aircraft for the route that can seat between 65 and 76 passengers in two cabins, airline spokesperson Dan Landson said in an email. Jones said flight data shows CRJ 700, Embraer 170 or Embraer 175 regional jets are scheduled to service the route.
O’Hare, one of two major airports in Chicago, was the fifth busiest flight destination from Norfolk for the 12 months ended Sept. 30, Jones said. Atlanta, Charlotte, Baltimore and Dallas-Forth Worth rounded out the top five destinations. Norfolk also has daily Chicago flights through United Airlines, which has a hub at O’Hare.
American’s additional ORF to ORD flights are part of a broader service expansion focused on the Windy City. American said this week it plans to add 100 daily departures from O’Hare to 75 destinations in time for the spring break travel season. It said the added flights will give American more than 500 daily departures from O’Hare this spring.
This week’s announcement caps a year of expansion initiatives, growth and change at Norfolk International.
The year began with the return of a moving walkway that connects the gate areas to the arrivals terminal.
ORF announced that 500,000 passengers flew through in July — a single month record.
In August, the airport permanently closed its secondary runway to make room for several developments, including more cargo and general aviation space, corporate hangars and a vehicle entrance from Robin Hood Road. At about 4,600 feet, the runway was too short for most commercial aircraft and therefore saw very limited use.
Allegiant Air also ended its service in Norfolk in August, which included direct flights to five destinations, citing post-pandemic competition with other airlines.
September brought a setback with news that plans to build an on-site airport hotel fell through. Airport authority leaders said they might develop the hotel themselves then tap a third party to operate it. Additional gains in passenger service were also announced in September with news that Breeze Airways would begin weekly nonstop flights to Cancun, Mexico, in January.
In December, JetBlue announced plans to offer nonstop year-round flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Starting March 27, JetBlue will fly to San Juan four times a week.
Also in December, ORF said it had secured two companies to revamp its food, beverage and retail offerings by adding local and national brands.
The Concourse A expansion at Norfolk International Airport as seen in December 2025. The project is expected to open in mid-March. (Courtesy/Norfolk International Airport)
Some of the concessions will occupy a three-gate expansion of Concourse A, which is on track to open in mid-March, Jones said. The project “will also include some new restrooms and an indoor pet relief area that we’ll open sooner, likely in mid-February, to better serve American and Southwest passengers using the existing A gates,” Jones said.
While work on the Concourse A project continues, Jones said the airport has directed contractor W.M. Jordan to focus on completing the airport’s new federal inspection services facility ahead of the Cancun flights scheduled to start soon.
“Once that project is opened, workers will shift toward finishing Concourse A in time for the spring break rush,” Jones said.
