Oct. 05--O'Hare International Airport is the second most connected airport in the world, while Midway is tops globally as a hub for low-cost carriers, according to a report released Monday by aviation data firm OAG.
So-called megahubs are "transforming the way that we connect and travel around the planet," says the OAG Megahubs Index.
"As the aviation market evolves, the importance of well-connected megahubs continues to increase for airports, airlines and travelers," said John Grant, a senior analyst at OAG. "We expect the megahub model will become even more prevalent across the world as major cities add more runways and airport infrastructure to accommodate increased capacity."
According to the analysis, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is the world's largest megahub, followed by O'Hare. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is the third largest and the second fastest growing in the world.
Megahubs provide travelers with more options for ticket costs, flight frequencies and available destinations, but such large and busy airports are also prone to congestion, "and on-time performance typically suffers," the report said.
Delays are a problem at O'Hare and Midway, which in some months rank as the two worst large airports in America for on-time performance, according to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
However, Atlanta is an exception, being a megahub airport and having a good on-time record. Besides the warm-weather location, part of that is due to its dominant airline, Delta Air Lines, which typically ranks best among large U.S. carriers for on-time rate in recent years.
The report also showed that most megahubs are dominated by a single airline. For example, Delta operates about 80 percent of all flights in Atlanta, American Airlines has 81 percent of flights at Dallas-Fort Worth, and United dominates Houston, with 76 percent of flights. O'Hare is different, with Chicago-based United responsible for about one-third of traffic and American close behind.
The top of the megahubs list is dominated by U.S. airports, with only airports in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Mexico City ranking in the top 15.
Midway tops the list of low-cost airline megahubs. Midway is dominated by Southwest Airlines, which accounts for about 90 percent of its flights.
gkarp@tribpub.com
