OAG: Chicago O’Hare International Most Connected Airport in the Americas

‍LONDON – OAG.com has published their yearly list of megahubs for 2026 in a press release sent out yesterday, September 16th. In it, Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) has taken first place in the Americas for the most connected airport, rising to fifth place globally from its previous seventh place ranking. In the press release, it’s noted that potential connections have risen by 9.8% and its destinations served expanding from 297 to 308.

In addition to Chicago O’Hare, the press release also notes that Asian airports dominate the top 20 in the annual connectivity index ranking the world's leading international hubs, with Istanbul Airport (IST) taking first place globally as the most connected airport in the world, with 337 destinations served primarily by Turkish Airlines. 

Eight of the 20 spots are dominated by Asian airports, including several from China seeing a post-pandemic recovery, with notable gains made from Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Baiyun International (CAN), and Hong Kong (HKG), the latter of which was previously in 22nd place and has since jumped to 20th.

Also noted in the press release is the Low Cost Carrier (LCC) Megahubs Index, which ranks Kuala Lumpur (KUL) as first, with nearly 15,000 possible low cost connections.

In a statement from John Grant, the chief analyst at OAG, he said “The 2026 rankings reflect a global aviation landscape that is still recalibrating after significant disruption. Istanbul's rise to the top reflects the strength of Turkish Airlines' network and the airport's geographic position as a connecting hub between east and west. The recovery of Chinese airports is equally significant. The data suggests the post-pandemic adjustment in that market is now complete.”

The full list from OAG is available here.