The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at O’Hare International Airport on September 17, 2026, that lasted nearly two hours. The stoppage halted departures and arrivals, affecting all operations at the Chicago airport during that period.
As a result of the ground stop, O’Hare experienced the highest number of flight cancellations globally for that day. Several hundred flights were either canceled or significantly delayed. The disruption extended beyond O’Hare, with ripple effects causing delays at other airports across the United States. Travelers faced extended wait times and had to adjust their itineraries accordingly.
