Chicago's Midway Airport: A Sprawling Transportation Hub

Chicago Midway International Airport is a major commercial airport on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1927, it served as Chicago's primary airport until 1944. The airport covers just over one square mile (650 acres or 260 hectares) and has four active runways. The airfield has a total of five runways, two of which serve airline operations, while the remaining runways serve general aviation. The largest aircraft normally seen at Midway is the Boeing 757.

The airport covers just over one square mile, or 650 acres (260 hectares)

Chicago Midway International Airport covers just over one square mile, or 650 acres (260 hectares). The airport, which is located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, is divided between the city's Clearing and Garfield Ridge communities. It is approximately 12 miles from the city's Loop business district.

Midway is one of the busiest airports in the United States and the second-busiest airport in both the Chicago metropolitan area and the state of Illinois. In 2023, it served 22,050,489 passengers. The airport has four active runways, with the longest, 13C/31C, measuring 6,522 ft × 150 ft (1,988 m × 46 m). The largest aircraft normally seen at Midway is the Boeing 757.

The airport has a 1-million-square-foot terminal and connected concourses, providing access to 43 aircraft gates. Three of these gates are capable of serving inbound international passengers. The terminal building, which opened in 2001, features larger ticket counters, spacious baggage claim areas, and traveller information. Public parking facilities include a Terminal Parking Garage adjacent to the terminal, with approximately 2,470 spaces, as well as a surface lot and seven-level structure on the north side of the airport, with 8,842 long-term economy spaces.

It has five runways, two of which serve airline operations

Chicago Midway International Airport is a major commercial airport on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois. It is located approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the city's Loop business district and covers just over one square mile (650 acres or 260 hectares). The airport has four active runways, the longest of which is 13C/31C, at 6,522 ft × 150 ft (1,988 m × 46 m). However, due to displaced landing thresholds, the runways have shorter distances available for landings than for takeoffs. For example, the longest runway, 13C/31C, only has an available landing distance of 6,059 feet (1,847 m) in the southeast direction and 5,826 feet (1,776 m) to the northwest. 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 has a rich history, having served as Chicago's primary airport until the opening of O'Hare International Airport in 1944. Today, it is one of the busiest airports in the nation and the second-busiest airport in both the Chicago metropolitan area and the state of Illinois, serving 22,050,489 passengers in 2023. Southwest Airlines uses Midway as its base, carrying over 90% of the airport's passengers.

The airfield at Midway comprises five runways, two of which serve airline operations while the remaining runways serve general aviation. Both airline runways are equipped with instrument landing systems to enable operations in most weather conditions. The airport's 1-million-square-foot terminal and connected concourses provide access to a total of 43 aircraft gates, three of which can serve inbound international passengers. Public parking facilities include a Terminal Parking Garage adjacent to the terminal, with approximately 2,470 spaces, as well as a surface lot and seven-level structure on the north side of the airport, offering 8,842 long-term economy spaces.

In 2001, a new 900,000-square-foot (84,000 m2) terminal building opened, featuring larger ticket counters, spacious baggage claim areas, and traveller information, all within a short walking distance to the gates.

The longest runway is 13C/31C, which is 6,522 ft (1,988 m) long

Chicago Midway International Airport is a major commercial airport on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois. It covers just over one square mile (650 acres or 260 hectares) and has four active runways. The longest runway is 13C/31C, which is 6,522 ft (1,988 m) long. This runway is used by large commercial aircraft, such as the Boeing 757, which is the largest aircraft normally seen at Midway. The runway has a shorter distance available for landings than for takeoffs due to displaced landing thresholds, with an available landing distance of 6,059 ft (1,847 m) in the southeast direction and 5,826 ft (1,776 m) to the northwest. Runway 13C/31C is equipped with an instrument landing system (ILS), enabling operations in most weather conditions.

Midway Airport is one of the busiest airports in the nation and the second-busiest airport in both the Chicago metropolitan area and the state of Illinois, serving 22,050,489 passengers in 2023. The airport has a 1-million-square-foot terminal and connected concourses, providing access to 43 aircraft gates. Three of these gates are capable of serving inbound international passengers. The airport offers public parking facilities, including a Terminal Parking Garage adjacent to the terminal and a surface lot and seven-level structure on the north side of the airport, providing a total of 11,312 parking spaces.

The airport is located on the southwest side of Chicago, approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the city's Loop business district

Chicago Midway International Airport is located on the southwest side of Chicago, approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the city's Loop business district. The airport covers just over one square mile (650 acres or 260 hectares) and has four active runways. The airfield comprises five runways in total, two of which serve airline operations, while the remaining runways serve general aviation. The airport is divided between the city's Clearing and Garfield Ridge communities.

Midway is one of the busiest airports in the nation and the second-busiest airport in the Chicago metropolitan area and the state of Illinois. In 2023, it served 22,050,489 passengers. The airport is a base for Southwest Airlines, which carries over 90% of the airport's passengers. The largest aircraft normally seen at Midway is the Boeing 757.

The airport has a 1-million-square-foot terminal and connected concourses, providing access to a total of 43 aircraft gates. In 2001, a new 900,000-square-foot terminal building opened, featuring larger ticket counters, spacious baggage claim areas, and traveller information. The terminal is located a short walking distance from the gates. Public parking facilities include a Terminal Parking Garage adjacent to the terminal, with approximately 2,470 spaces, as well as a surface lot and seven-level structure on the north side of the airport, offering 8,842 long-term economy spaces.

It is one of the busiest airports in the US, serving 22,050,489 passengers in 2023

Chicago Midway International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the US, serving 22,050,489 passengers in 2023. It is a major commercial airport on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, located approximately 12 miles from the city's Loop business district. The airport is divided between the city's Clearing and Garfield Ridge communities.

Midway Airport covers just over one square mile (650 acres or 260 hectares) and has four active runways. The longest runway, 13C/31C, is 6,522 ft × 150 ft (1,988 m × 46 m). The largest aircraft normally seen at Midway is the Boeing 757. Commercial planes normally only take off from and land on runways 4R/22L and 13C/31C. The other runways are used by smaller aircraft and are restricted from use by large commercial aircraft except in emergencies.

The airport has a 1-million-square-foot terminal and connected concourses, providing access to a total of 43 aircraft gates. Three of these gates are capable of serving inbound international passengers. The terminal building, which opened in 2001, features larger ticket counters, spacious baggage claim areas, and traveller information. The terminal is a short walking distance from the gates. Public parking facilities include a Terminal Parking Garage adjacent to the terminal, with approximately 2,470 spaces, and a surface lot and seven-level structure on the north side of the airport, with 8,842 long-term economy spaces.

Midway is a base for Southwest Airlines, which carries over 90% of the airport's passengers. The airport served as Chicago's primary airport until the opening of O'Hare International Airport in 1944.

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