Is Chicago Midway airport busy?

It is also one of the busiest airports in the country, despite its relatively small size, serving 22.2 million travelers each year. Harsh weather, security logjams and parking hassles all contribute to the difficulties. If at all possible, refrain from flying out of Midway during the winter.



People Also Ask

General Departure Delays: Traffic is experiencing gate hold and taxi delays lasting 15 minutes or less.

MORE DETAILS

Midway has 43 aircraft gates on three concourses. Concourse A has 17 gates.

MORE DETAILS

Generally, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best weekdays to fly. Thursday is a bit more expensive but still reasonable. Saturday is usually the cheapest weekend day to fly. That does not mean you cannot find great flight prices on the other days of the week.

MORE DETAILS

Enroll in TSA PreCheck or Clear TSA PreCheck is a trusted traveler program that allows those who are enrolled to go through an airport security line that is usually shorter and faster than the regular line.

MORE DETAILS

Free shuttle buses run every 10-15 minutes to and from each economy parking location and the main Midway terminal building.

MORE DETAILS

Solid food items (not liquids or gels) can be transported in either your carry-on or checked baggage. TSA officers may instruct travelers to separate items from carry-on bags such as foods, powders, and any materials that can clutter bags and obstruct clear images on the X-ray machine.

MORE DETAILS

If you book a 6AM domestic flight, for example, you'll need to arrive at the airport by 4AM. Depending on how far you live from the airport, this could mean getting on the road around 3AM or 3:30AM; traffic should be minimal at this time, as should check-in and security lines.

MORE DETAILS

Winter has strong winds and blizzards, and summer's hot heat can create unstable air, thunderstorms, and tropical storms. That means flying during the holidays often means more turbulence than other times of the year. So if possible, avoid flying between December and February or June and August for a smoother flight.

MORE DETAILS

According to the TSA, the busiest travel days of the year are usually the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

MORE DETAILS

Beyond delays and cancelations, early morning flights have the added perk of being less prone to turbulence.

MORE DETAILS

Midway, a compact one mile square, was built in 1923 during the propeller era and has shorter runways than most major airports, with no room to extend them because it is hemmed in by houses and businesses.

MORE DETAILS

Midway Airport to Downtown Chicago: Driving Distance Driving from Midway Airport to Downtown Chicago takes slightly less time than riding public transit, depending on the route you take: 28 Minutes (11.2 Miles): Get on 1-55 N/Stevenson Expressway from S Cicero Avenue. Take exit 293A from I-55 N/Stevenson Expressway.

MORE DETAILS

Chicago Midway International Airport Class C modifications. Image courtesy of the FAA.

MORE DETAILS

Destinations & flights The route with the most departures is the route to Denver (DEN) with an average of 57 flights from Chicago Midway International every week which is 4% of all weekly departures. The top international destinations from here are Toronto (YTZ) and Cancun (CUN).

MORE DETAILS