O’Hare International Airport Terminal 1/ Chicago, Illinois/ 1988

United Airlines’ Terminal 1 at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is the airline’s flagship terminal as well as its primary hub. Completed in 1988, Terminal 1 established a new prototype for the next generation of airport terminals around the world. With 50 domestic gates and 1.4 million square feet of area, it serves 400 aircraft per day carrying over 40,000 passengers. The dramatic passenger spaces, efficient landside and airside operations, and the world’s largest automated baggage handling systems have made Terminal 1 an internationally recognized example of advanced terminal design.

The planning concept used for Terminal 1 is that of a ticketing/baggage claim pavilion with two parallel concourses that facilitate easy aircraft circulation and maximize aircraft parking positions — items crucial for an efficient hub operation. The departing passenger enters the check-in hall where skylights in the 120-foot free-span roof create a light and airy environment. After security, the passengers enter the 50-foot high vaulted corridor of Concourse B where skylights wrap the concourse enclosure. The abundant natural light combined with lively retail and the bustle of passengers make travelers feel as if they are walking down a city street.