United Airlines Moving Corporate Headquarters To Sears Tower

By Chuck Sudo in News on Aug 13, 2012 3:55PM

United Airlines flight 929 from London arrives at O'Hare International Airport to a water cannon salute. (Image via United Airlines Twitter page.)

Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office announced this morning that United Airlines will move its full corporate headquarters to the skyscraper most of us still call Sears Tower. It's expected to be one of the largest leases ever signed in Chicago, extends United's current lease in the building through 2028, and will have the airline occupying 25 percent of the building.

“The fact that United has brought its company under one roof and extended their commitment to downtown is great news for all Chicagoans,” said Mayor Emanuel. “This deal shows United’s commitment to Chicago for a generation; it ensures our hometown airline will be here, and means that quality jobs and economic activity will remain in the area for years to come.”

United started moving its headquarters to the building in 2010 with an initial lease of 470,000 square feet and expanded that least to 625,000 square feet. The new announcement gives United 830,000 square feet on 16 floors.