Dubai-based Emirates airline announced today that it will launch a daily service to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport from August 5.

The service will be operated by a Boeing 777-200LR powered by GE90 engines.

Chicago will become the airline’s ninth gateway in the US, following soon after the commencement of its services to Boston, Massachusetts on March 10, it said.

Tim Clark, president, Emirates Airline, said: “Chicago has long been a destination in the United States which Emirates has wished to serve. Like Dubai, Chicago is a major global trade and transportation hub with great cultural diversity that is an economic engine for its region.  We welcome the chance to establish a non-stop trade bridge between these two great cities and, via our Dubai hub, to more efficiently link Chicago area passengers and shippers with our international network beyond Dubai to 125 destinations spanning six continents.

"This is good news for trade and tourism for both cities, and jobs that rely on both, as well as for consumers who will benefit from greater competitive choice.”

“Chicago welcomes Emirates, one of the world’s largest international airlines, to our city,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “Air transport links are critical for trade and tourism, and Emirates’ non-stop daily flights to Dubai will only add to our global connectivity and further our goal to host 55 million visitors by 2020, in turn generating jobs not only at the airport but across Chicago’s travel and hospitality industries.”
 
Chicago, Illinois is the third largest city by population and GDP in the US, with a population of 2.7 million. Incorporated as a city in 1837, it is famed for its rich cultural heritage, world-class arts establishments, accomplished sports teams and iconic tourist attractions which attract about 46 million people each year.

Chicago is also a significant convention hub, and home to many of the US’s largest companies including Boeing, which is a very important supplier partner of Emirates.  

The new service will operate as flight EK 235 from Dubai International Airport at 09:45 hours arriving into Chicago at 15:25. The return flight, EK 236 will depart O’Hare at 20:35 hours, arriving into Dubai at 19:10 the next day. - TradeArabia News Service