If you're scheduled to fly out of Chicago O'Hare International Airport with Delta Air Lines from next week onwards, you might want to check the gate information as the airline is getting a new home within the airport. After several years in the airport's Terminal 2, Delta will move to the newly expanded Terminal 5 on October 12th.

A new home for Delta Air Lines

According to the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), Delta's existing eight Echo Gates at Terminal 2 will be reallocated to two other airlines. United Airlines will occupy Gates E7 to E14, and Alaska Airlines will occupy Gates E15 and E17. Delta will be assigned Gates M2 to M11 in Terminal 5's western concourse.

The existing Delta Sky Club near Gate E6 is also scheduled to close on October 11th and will be relocated to Terminal 5 between Gates M11 and M14. Given the recent expansion of the terminal, the airline's new and relocated Delta Sky Club will soon be able to hold almost 400 passengers, which is approximately four times the capacity of the existing club in Terminal 2.

If you're afraid of being lost, fret not! New signs and Delta employees will be temporarily stationed at Terminal 2 to direct passengers to Terminal 5, which is accessible from the Main Terminal complex on the revamped Airport Transit System. Customer service personnel and volunteers from the CDA will also assist.

All part of Chicago O'Hare's expansion plan

Delta's move is just the tip of the iceberg as the CDA gradually paces the massive renovation project of Terminal 5. The aviation department also hints that more airlines will be moved in the following months, as commented by Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee:

"Delta’s move is the next big step in the $1 billion expansion and renovation project nearing completion at Terminal 5, where we have already opened seven new permanent gates since June. In the coming months, we look forward to opening additional building elements and passenger amenities to transform Terminal 5 into a state-of-the-art facility serving a mix of domestic and international passengers.”

Once renovations on Terminal 5 are completed, the expansion will have increased its gate capacity by 25%, and its passenger amenity spaces will be improved by about 85%. The terminal's security efficiency would have also been improved after replacing the nearly 30-years-old baggage handling system and reconfiguring the customs and immigration facilities.

Renovation crews have also recently broken ground on a new, six-story parking garage that will double the parking spaces available at Terminal 5. The CDA highlights that the parking garage will offer a mix of short- and long-term parking options, similar to those available at Chicago O'Hare's main terminals. Unfortunately, parking in Lot D will remain restricted, and Delta passengers are advised to park elsewhere for the time being.

Bottom line

The Terminal 5 renovation and expansion project is on track to open in phases through 2023. While Delta was the first airline announced for the move, it leaves room for speculation on which other airlines might be next. Though it did serve some domestic flights, the fifth terminal was primarily an international terminal with several foreign carriers and most international flights departing from it. Since the CDA hinted at a more significant mix of domestic and international passengers, low-cost airlines such as Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, or Spirit Airlines making a move seems possible.