Chicago Midway International Airport
Chicago, United States
Chicago Midway International Airport
Chicago's second airport, a Southwest Airlines stronghold.
- ›Renamed in 1949 to commemorate the Battle of Midway in World War II.
- ›Was considered the world's busiest airport during much of the 1920s and 1930s.
- ›A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 overran the runway in December 2005, killing one person on the ground.
- ›The airport sits entirely within a dense residential neighborhood on Chicago's southwest side.
- ›A proposed private lease of the airport fell through in 2009 after the winning bidder could not secure financing.
Chicago Midway International Airport, one of the oldest commercial airports in the United States, has served the Chicago area since 1923 and was once the world's busiest airport in the 1950s. Situated on the Southwest Side of Chicago, it functions as a major hub for Southwest Airlines and offers a more manageable alternative to O'Hare International. Its single-terminal layout and close proximity to downtown make it a favorite among regional and budget travelers.
- Main Terminal — A single integrated terminal housing all departures, arrivals, and airline gates organized across concourses A, B, and C.
- CTA Orange Line train connects Midway directly to downtown Chicago's Loop in approximately 25–30 minutes
- Metra commuter rail accessible via connections at nearby stations
- City taxis and rideshare services (Uber, Lyft) available at designated curb zones outside baggage claim
- Shared-ride airport shuttle services operating to downtown hotels and suburbs
- Car rental agencies including Hertz, Enterprise, Budget, and Avis located in the on-site rental facility
- Chicago Transit Authority buses serve the surrounding Southwest Side neighborhoods
- Marriott Chicago Midway
- Hampton Inn Chicago Midway Airport
- Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Midway Airport
- Hyatt Place Chicago Midway Airport
- Holiday Inn Express Chicago Midway Airport
Inside the terminal, travelers will find a solid mix of local Chicago-inspired eateries alongside national chains such as Potbelly, McDonald's, and various grab-and-go cafés spread across the concourses. Garrett Popcorn Shops and other Chicago staples give the airport a distinctly local flavor even airside. Just outside the airport perimeter, the surrounding Midway neighborhood offers authentic Mexican restaurants and classic Chicago-style pizza spots worth exploring on a layover.
- The CTA Orange Line is almost always the fastest and cheapest way into the Loop — buy a Ventra card at the station to avoid single-ride surcharges.
- The airport is compact compared to O'Hare, but TSA lines can build quickly on Southwest-heavy morning banks — arrive at least 90 minutes before departure.
- Parking fills up fast during holidays; book the airport's economy lots online in advance or consider off-site parking with shuttle service.
- Cell phone lot wait times are short due to the airport's size — useful for picking up arriving passengers without paying for garage time.
AI-assisted overview, verified against public sources.
Route map (74 destinations)
Airlines serving this airport
Routes
Stay, Eat & Explore: Chicago
The city of big shoulders
- •Millennium Park & The Bean — Cloud Gate selfies and free summer concerts.
- •Art Institute of Chicago — American Gothic and a world-class Impressionist wing.
- •Architecture River Cruise — Skyscraper history from the Chicago River.
- •Willis Tower Skydeck — Glass ledges 412 m above the Loop.
- •Navy Pier — Ferris wheel, boats and lakefront fireworks.
Getting around: The 'L' trains (Blue from O'Hare, Orange from Midway) plus buses cover the grid; Divvy bikes ride the Lakefront Trail.
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Chicago Midway International Airport is a major commercial airport on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, located approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the city's Loop business district, and divided between the city's Clearing and Garfield Ridge communities. Established in 1927, Midway served as Chicago's primary airport until the opening of O'Hare International Airport in 1944. Midway is the second-busiest airport in both the Chicago metropolitan area and the state of Illinois, serving 22,050,489 passengers in 2023.
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