Minneapolis (MSP) vs. Chicago O'Hare (ORD): Airport Size Comparison

Chicago O'Hare (ORD) is significantly larger than Minneapolis–St. Paul (MSP) by every key metric.

Metric	MSP	ORD	ORD Advantage
Annual Passengers (2022)	39.4M	83.5M	2.1×
Runways	3	9	3×
Terminals	2 (Lindbergh, Humphrey)	4 (1,2,3,5)	2×
Gates	~130	~215	1.7×
Int'l Destinations	~30	~60	2×

Operational Roles

ORD: Global mega-hub (United, American), top-5 world cargo, primary Asia/Europe gateway
MSP: Major domestic hub (Delta), strong Upper Midwest/Canada focus, efficient operations

MSP: Consistently ranks higher in on-time performance, walkability, amenities
ORD: More connections, lounges, dining — but congestion, delays, terminal transfers

Choose MSP for reliability and ease; ORD for global reach and frequency.

Airports