Chicago Midway Airport: A Mid-Sized Travel Hub

Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is a major commercial airport located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1927, Midway Airport was originally built on a 320-acre plot with one cinder runway for airmail flights. Today, the airport covers just over one square mile (650 acres or 260 hectares) and has four active runways, with the longest runway at 6,522 feet long. Midway is the second-busiest airport in the Chicago metropolitan area, serving over 19 million passengers in 2022 and providing extensive Fixed Base Operator (FBO) services.

The airport covers just over one square mile

Chicago Midway International Airport covers just over one square mile, or 650 acres (260 hectares). It is located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, approximately 8 to 12 miles from the city's business district. The airport is bounded by 55th and 63rd Streets, and Central and Cicero Avenues.

The airport was originally named Chicago Air Park and was built on a 320-acre plot in 1923 with a single cinder runway for airmail flights. In 1926, the city leased the airport and renamed it Chicago Municipal Airport in 1927. By 1928, the airport had expanded to include twelve hangars and four runways, which were lit for night operations. A major fire in 1930 destroyed two hangars and 27 aircraft, resulting in a loss of over two million dollars. Despite this setback, the airport continued to grow and by 1932, it claimed to be the "World's Busiest" airport, serving over 100,000 passengers on 60,000 flights.

Today, Chicago Midway International Airport is the second-largest commercial airport in the Chicago metropolitan area. It serves millions of passengers each year and is a base for Southwest Airlines, which carries over 90% of the airport's passengers. The airport has four active runways, with the longest runway, 13C/31C, spanning 6,522 feet in length. The largest aircraft typically seen at Midway is the Boeing 757.

The airport has undergone several development projects over the years, including the Midway Airport Terminal Development Program launched in 1997, which included the construction of a parking garage, a pedestrian bridge, and a new terminal building. The latest capital improvement project at the airport involved redeveloping the central food court and introducing new concession options.

It is located about 8-12 miles from downtown

Chicago Midway International Airport is located approximately 8-12 miles from downtown Chicago, in the southwest area of the city. The airport is divided between the Clearing and Garfield Ridge communities. It is one of the busiest airports in the nation, serving over 19 million passengers in 2022 and 22 million in 2023. Midway is the second-busiest airport in the Chicago metropolitan area and the state of Illinois.

The airport covers just over one square mile, or 650 acres, and has four active runways. The longest runway is 13C/31C, which is 6,522 feet long and only has an available landing distance of 6,059 feet. The largest aircraft normally seen at Midway is the Boeing 757. Commercial planes typically use runways 4R/22L and 13C/31C, while the other runways are used by smaller aircraft.

The airport was established in 1927 and was Chicago's primary airport until O'Hare International Airport opened in 1944. Midway Airport was originally built on a 320-acre plot in 1923 and was named Chicago Air Park. In 1926, the city leased the airport and renamed it Chicago Municipal Airport in 1927. By 1928, the airport had twelve hangars and four runways, and by 1932, it claimed to be the "World's Busiest" airport with over 100,000 passengers.

Today, Midway Airport provides extensive services, including U.S. Customs and Fixed Base Operator (FBO) services. It is a base for Southwest Airlines, which carries over 90% of the airport's passengers. The airport offers convenient access to downtown Chicago via the CTA Orange Line.

Chicago Midway is the second-largest airport in the Chicago metro area

Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is the second-largest airport in the Chicago metro area. Located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, it is approximately 12 miles from the city's Loop business district. The airport covers just over one square mile (650 acres or 260 hectares) and is divided between the Clearing and Garfield Ridge communities. Midway Airport was established in 1927 and served as Chicago's primary airport until 1944 when O'Hare International Airport opened.

The airport has a rich history, originally named Chicago Air Park and built on a 320-acre plot in 1923 with a single cinder runway for airmail flights. In 1926, the city leased the airport and renamed it Chicago Municipal Airport in 1927. By 1928, the airport had expanded to include twelve hangars and four runways, all lit for night operations. Despite a major fire in 1930 that destroyed several hangars and aircraft, the airport continued to grow and claimed to be the "World's Busiest" in 1932, serving over 100,000 passengers.

Today, Chicago Midway remains one of the busiest airports in the nation. In 2023, it served 22,050,489 passengers, second only to O'Hare in the Chicago area. The airport has four active runways, with the longest being 13C/31C at 6,522 feet in length. The largest aircraft typically seen at Midway is the Boeing 757. The airport is a base for Southwest Airlines, which carries over 90% of the passengers at the airport.

Chicago Midway has undergone significant development and expansion projects over the years. In the late 1990s, the Midway Airport Terminal Development Program was launched, which included the addition of a parking garage, a pedestrian bridge, and a new terminal building. The airport also offers extensive Fixed Base Operator (FBO) services, including two FBO terminals for private jets and various general aviation services.

The airport has four runways and 43 aircraft gates

Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is a major commercial airport located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the busiest airports in the nation, serving over 19 million passengers in 2022 and 22 million in 2023. The airport covers just over one square mile (650 acres or 260 hectares) and has four runways and 43 aircraft gates.

The airport's history dates back to the 1920s when it was originally named Chicago Air Park and had one cinder runway mainly for airmail flights. By 1928, the airport had expanded to include twelve hangars and four runways, lit for night operations. A major fire in 1930 destroyed two hangars and 27 aircraft, resulting in a loss of over two million dollars. Despite this setback, the airport continued to grow and served as Chicago's primary airport until the opening of O'Hare International Airport in 1944.

Today, Midway Airport remains a significant transportation hub, providing extensive services for both commercial and private aviation. The four runways vary in length, with the longest, 13C/31C, measuring 6,522 feet (including displaced thresholds, the available landing distance is shorter, at 6,059 feet). This runway is equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) and is used by large commercial aircraft. The other runways cater to smaller aircraft, with restrictions in place for large commercial planes.

The 43 aircraft gates at Midway Airport are distributed across three concourses. Concourse A has 17 gates, Concourse B has 23 gates, and Concourse C has 3 gates. The airport also features a central food court and various concession options, enhancing the overall passenger experience. The Midway Airport Terminal Development Program, launched in 1997, brought significant improvements, including a parking garage, a pedestrian bridge, and a new terminal building that opened in 2001, offering expanded space and improved amenities for travellers.

It was originally named Chicago Air Park and built on 320 acres

Chicago Midway International Airport, originally named Chicago Air Park, was established in 1927 and served as the primary airport for Chicago until 1944 when O'Hare International Airport opened. It is located on the southwest side of Chicago, approximately 8-12 miles from the city's business district, and is currently the second-busiest airport in the Chicago metropolitan area and the state of Illinois.

The airport was originally built on a 320-acre plot in 1923 with a single cinder runway, primarily for airmail flights. By 1928, the airport had expanded to include twelve hangars and four runways, all lit for night operations. The city leased the airport in 1926 and renamed it Chicago Municipal Airport on December 12, 1927.

Today, the airport covers just over one square mile (650 acres or 260 hectares) and has four active runways, with the longest runway, 13C/31C, stretching 6,522 feet. The airport is a base for Southwest Airlines, which carries over 90% of the airport's passengers.

Chicago Midway International Airport is a major commercial airport, serving over 19 million passengers in 2022 and providing extensive Fixed Base Operator (FBO) services, including U.S. Customs on-site. The airport has two primary FBOs, offering VIP lounges, concierge services, and planeside rental cars, as well as updated small and large aircraft facilities for private jets.

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