Chicago Midway International Airport | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | Chicago Department of Aviation | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Serves | Chicago metropolitan area | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Clearing andGarfield Ridge,Chicago,Illinois,U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | December 12, 1927; 97 years ago (1927-12-12)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating base for | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Time zone | CST (UTC−06:00) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC−05:00) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 620 ft / 189 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 41°47′10″N87°45′09″W / 41.78611°N 87.75250°W /41.78611; -87.75250 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Public transit access | CTA Bus System,Pace Suburban Bus,River Valley Metro | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | flychicago | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maps | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 FAA airport diagram | |||||||||||||||||||||||
 Interactive map of Chicago Midway International Airport | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics (2024) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source:FAA[4] Midway International Airport[5] | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Chicago Midway International Airport (IATA:MDW,ICAO:KMDW,FAALID:MDW) is a major commercialairport on the southwest side ofChicago, Illinois, located approximately 12 miles (19 km) from the city'sLoop business district, and divided between the city'sClearing andGarfield Ridge communities. Established in 1927, Midway served as Chicago's primary airport until the opening ofO'Hare International Airport in 1944. Midway is one of the busiest airports in the nation and the second-busiest airport in both theChicago metropolitan area and the state ofIllinois, serving 22,050,489 passengers in 2023.[6]
Midway is a base forSouthwest Airlines,[7] which carries over 90% of the passengers at the airport. The airport was named in honor of theBattle of Midway. The defunctMidway Airlines, once headquartered at Midway, took its name from the airport. The airfield is located in a square mile bounded by55th and 63rd Streets, Central andCicero Avenues. The terminal complex was completed in 2001. The terminal bridges Cicero Avenue and contains 43 gates with facilities for international passengers. TheCTA rapid transitOrange Line provides transit to Downtown Chicago, where it connects with other subway/elevated rapid transit lines.
Originally namedChicago Air Park,[8] Midway Airport was built on a 320-acre (130 ha) plot in 1923 with onecinder runway mainly forairmail flights. In 1926, the city leased the airport and on December 12, 1927 named itChicago Municipal Airport.[1] By 1928, the airport had twelve hangars and four runways, which were lit up for night operations.[9]
A major fire early on June 25, 1930, destroyed two hangars and 27 aircraft, "12 of them tri-motor passenger planes." The loss was estimated at more than two million dollars. The destroyed hangars belonged to theUniversal Air Lines, Inc. and the Grey Goose Airlines, the latter under lease toStout Air Lines. The fire followed an explosion of undetermined cause in the Universal hangar.[10]
In 1931, a new passenger terminal opened at 62nd St;[9] the following year the airport claimed to be the "World's Busiest" with over 100,846 passengers on 60,947 flights.[11] (The July 1932Official Aviation Guide (OAG) shows 206 scheduled airline departures a week.)
More construction was funded in part by $1 million from theWorks Progress Administration; the airport expanded to fill the square mile in 1938–41 after a court ordered theChicago and Western Indiana Railroad to reroute tracks that had crossed the square along the northern edge of the older field.
The March 1939 OAG shows 47 weekday departures: 13 on United, 13 American, 9 TWA, 4 Northwest, and two each on Eastern, Braniff,Pennsylvania Central, andC&S.[12] New York's airport (Newark, then LaGuardia by the end of 1939) was then the busiest airline airport in the United States, but Midway passed LaGuardia in 1948 and kept the title until 1960.[9] The record-breaking1945 Japan–Washington flight of B-29s refueled at the airport on their way to Washington, DC.
In July 1949, the airport was renamed after theBattle of Midway.[11] That year, Midway saw 3.2 million passengers. In 1959, passenger count peaked at 10 million.[13] The diagram on the January 1951 C&GS approach chart shows four parallel pairs of runways, all 4,240 feet (1,290 m) or less, except for the 5,730-foot (1,750 m) runway 13R (current runway 13C) and the 5,230-foot (1,590 m) runway 4R.
The April 1957 OAG shows 414 weekday fixed-wing departures from Midway: 83American, 83United, 56TWA, 40Capital, 35North Central, 28Delta, 27Eastern, 22Northwest, 19Ozark, 11Braniff, 5Trans-Canada, and 5Lake Central.Air France,Lufthansa, and REAL (of Brazil) had a few flights per week.[14]
Midway, being surrounded by buildings on all sides, meant that the airport was unable to expand; its runways were too short to safely handle larger four-engine jetliners (theBoeing 707 and theDouglas DC-8) that appeared in 1959. Instead, Chicago jet flights were directed to use O'Hare, which had opened to airlines in 1955. Lighter aircraft like turbopropsLockheed L-188 Electra's andVickers Viscounts could have continued to fly out of Midway, but O'Hare's new terminal opened in 1962, allowing airlines to consolidate their flights. From July 1962 until July 1964 when United returned, Midway's only scheduled airline was Chicago Helicopter. In August 1966, a total of four fixed-wing arrivals were scheduled, all United 727s (United was alone at Midway until early 1968).
By 1967, reconstruction began at the airport, adding three newconcourses with 28 gates and three ticket counters,[11] and in 1968, the city invested $10 million in renovation funds.[9] (For a few months during the 1967 renovation, Midway had no scheduled airline flights.)[citation needed] The funds partly supported construction of theStevenson Expressway, and Midway saw the return of major airlines that year, with 1,663,074 passengers[15] on smaller-capacity, shorter range twin-jet andtrijet airliners such as theMcDonnell Douglas DC-9,BAC One-Eleven,Boeing 727, andBoeing 737 that could use Midway's runways, which theBoeing 707 andDouglas DC-8 could not.[citation needed]
In 1982, the city of Chicago purchased Midway Airport from theChicago Board of Education for $16 million.[9] Three years later,Southwest Airlines began operations at Midway.[16] Midway was a focus city forVanguard Airlines from 1997 to 2000.[17]
The Carlton Midway Inn moved to allow theChicago Transit Authority to create anew CTA terminal at the airport onHalloween of 1993. This development helped launch theChicago 'L'Orange Line, connecting Midway to the Loop.[11] Midway Airport serves as the terminus for the Orange Line, which traverses the southwestern section of the city before encircling the Loop. In contrast to the CTA Blue Line, which operates continuously throughout the day, the Orange Line runs from approximately 4:00 am to 1:00 am, nearly providing 24-hour service with trains arriving at intervals of about 8 minutes. For those traveling during the overnight hours, the N62 Archer bus offers an alternative mode of transportation. The journey from Midway to the Loop takes roughly 25 minutes once the train has departed.
In 1996, after failing to get hisLake Calumet Airport and having received harsh criticism for the idea of turning the airport into an industrial park, ChicagoMayor Richard M. Daley announced the Midway Airport Terminal Development Program, which was launched the following year. At the time, it was the largest public works project in the state.[18] The Midway Airport parking garage opened in 1999, bringing covered parking to the airport for the first time. The garage is connected to the Midway terminal building for convenient access to ticket counters and baggage claim areas.[11]
Continuing with the expansion project, a pedestrian bridge over Cicero Avenue was built in the year 2000, connecting the new terminal to the new concourses.[9] In 2001 the new 900,000-square-foot (84,000 m2) Midway Airport terminal building opened to the public with larger ticket counters, spacious baggage claim areas, traveler information, and a short walking distance to the gates.[11] A 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m2) food court opened as well, with Chicago-style food and retail options.
The expansion project culminated with a short-lived period of great airline diversity at Midway, asVanguard Airlines,National Airlines andAirTran Airways all expanded their services to the airport.
ATA Airlines (ATA), also known asATA Connection, whose primary hub was at Midway, took overChicago Express Airlines. Chicago Express served as a regional airline connecting to airports around theGreat Lakes regions.
Following theSeptember 11 attacks, which resulted in a drop of passenger service, alongside other problems for the airline industry, both Vanguard and National ceased operations at Midway, making it defunct by 2002, with MetroJet being dissolved and refolded into theUS Airways main line in late 2001.
In 2002, Midway welcomed the return of international service after a 40-year absence, with the opening of the new Federal Inspection Service facility in Concourse A.[19][unreliable source?]
In June 2004, Mayor Daley and airline officials celebrated the completion of the Terminal Development Program.[9] The project, designed byHNTB,[20] resulted in the addition of 14 gates (from 29 to 43).[9] A new 6,300-space economy parking garage, including a new bridge and roadway for buses shuttling passengers to and from the terminal, opened in December 2005.[9]
ATA Airlines began rapid expansion at Midway in the early 2000s (decade), and was the airport's dominant carrier prior to 2004, using 14 of the 17 gates in Concourse A.[21] However, after the airline declared bankruptcy in October 2004, scheduled service from Midway significantly decreased.
For over 16 years, Midway had been the mainhub forIndianapolis-based ATA, but the airline announced in March 2008 that it would end all flights from Midway on June 7, 2008.[22] Before this, ATA had filed for bankruptcy on April 2, 2008,[23] and ceased all flights the following day.[24]
In November 2008,Porter Airlines, which flies between Midway andBilly Bishop Toronto City Airport, was the only international route served from Chicago–Midway afterATA Airlines, which had flights toMexico, ceased operations in April that year. On December 13, 2010, a second carrier,Volaris, began flights betweenGuadalajara and Midway.
Starting in early 2009, a construction project added a new walkway and food court to Concourse A. The project also connected gates A4A and A4B to the main A concourse. Expansions were completed in the spring of 2010.
Chicago has considered privatizing the airport, but the deals fell through in 2009 and 2013.
On April 20, 2009, a $2.5 billion deal toprivatize the airport via a 99-year lease fell through, when the consortium could not put together financing. The city would have kept $125 million in the down payment. The consortium operating under the name of Midway Investment and Development Company LLC consisted ofVancouver Airport Services,Citi Infrastructure Investors, and Boston'sJohn Hancock Life Insurance. It was awarded the contract in October 2008 by theCity Council, which voted 49–0 in approval to it. The consortium would have operated the airport and collected airport parking, concession, and passenger facility charges. However, Chicago would have continued to provide fire and police services.[25]
In September 2013, MayorRahm Emanuel terminated new negotiations to privatize the airport, noting that the process was no longer competitive after one of the two finalists had backed out. The one remaining was Great Lakes Airport Alliance – a partnership ofMacquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets andFerrovial. Macquarie was one of the investors in the Chicago Skyway. The group that backed out was a group that included the Australia-based Industry Funds Management andManchester Airports Group. The Great Lakes proposal had been valued at $2 billion and would have involved a 40-year lease.[26][27]
Construction began on expansions of the security checkpoint and main parking garage. The bridge spanning Cicero Ave was widened from 50 feet (15 m) to over 400 feet (120 m), allowing up to 17 security lanes and a streamlined queue.[28] Because the current terminal opened just a few months prior to the September 11th attacks, the security area was quickly rendered too small for the new screening measures and was subsequently forced to expand inward, taking away from space in the concourses. The space that was reclaimed by moving security outward into the bridge will be redeveloped with an expansion of the central food court. The main parking garage was extended eastward over the CTA L tracks to add 1,500 spaces and to streamline the entrance way.[28] In addition to the redeveloped central food court, new concession options will open in phases, including a food court in Concourse A, utilizing previously unused space built during the 2010 rebuild of the Gate A4A/B connecting walkway.[28] The program is the largest capital improvement project at the airport since the 2001 terminal redevelopment and has been fully completed.
All terminals and hangars were on the square periphery. By the late 1970s, the shorter north–south and east–west runway pairs had been closed; some were converted into taxiways. The other four runways remain in use, all strengthened and enhanced, at still about the same lengths. A short runway (13R/31L) for light aircraft was added in 1989.
Chicago Midway International Airport covers just over one square mile (650 acres or 260 hectares)[4][29] and has four active runways:[30]
Midway is surrounded by buildings and other development, so the landing thresholds of the runways aredisplaced to provide obstacle clearance. TheFAA and the airlines ensure safety by adhering to calculated load limits and various weather minimums. Because of the displaced landing thresholds, the runways have shorter distances available for landings than for takeoffs. 13L/31R, the longest runway in Midway, 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 theBoeing 757. Normally, commercial planes only take off from, and land on, runways 4R/22L and 13L/31R. The other runways are used by smaller aircraft and, per the USFAAChart Supplement, are restricted from use by large commercial aircraft, except for emergencies.[31] Former runway 13L/31R was permanently closed after 82 years on August 9, 2023, and was converted to Taxiway H.[32]
Midway has 43 aircraft gates on three concourses.[33]
The airport terminal is connected by a walkway toMidway station. The station serves as a major local bus station forChicago Transit Authority buses, and is the western terminus of theChicago "L"Orange Line. The Orange Line connects the airport toThe Loop in the city center, with a travel time of approximately 30 minutes.[50] Midway station is also served by suburban bus operatorPace, andRiver Valley Metro operates regional services toManteno andBourbonnais inKankakee County.[51][52]
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Atlanta, Georgia | 429,270 | Delta, Frontier, Southwest |
| 2 |  Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona | 405,550 | Frontier, Southwest |
| 3 |  Orlando, Florida | 396,080 | Frontier, Southwest |
| 4 |  Las Vegas, Nevada | 390,590 | Frontier, Southwest |
| 5 |  Denver, Colorado | 376,280 | Frontier, Southwest |
| 6 |  New York–LaGuardia, New York | 323,600 | Southwest |
| 7 |  Dallas–Love, Texas | 276,810 | Southwest |
| 8 |  Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota | 256,480 | Delta, Southwest |
| 9 | Houston–Hobby, Texas | 252,730 | Southwest |
| 10 |  Baltimore, Maryland | 238,490 | Frontier, Southwest |
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Cancún, Mexico | 142,177 | Frontier, Southwest |
| 2 | Morelia, Mexico | 139,406 | Volaris |
| 3 | Guadalajara, Mexico | 98,744 | Volaris |
| 4 |  Toronto–Billy Bishop, Canada | 81,196 | Porter |
| 5 | León/Del Bajío, Mexico | 75,826 | Volaris |
| 6 | Aguascalientes, Mexico | 72,918 | Volaris |
| 7 | Zacatecas, Mexico | 45,336 | Volaris |
| 8 |  Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | 43,426 | Southwest |
| 9 | Durango, Mexico | 39,307 | Volaris |
| 10 |  Montego Bay, Jamaica | 38,592 | Southwest |
| Rank | Airline | Passengers | Percent of market share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southwest Airlines | 17,076,000 | 91.96% |
| 2 | Frontier Airlines | 834,000 | 4.49% |
| 3 | Delta Air Lines | 304,000 | 1.64% |
| 4 | SkyWest | 214,000 | 1.15% |
| 5 | Others | 135,000 | 0.76% |
| Year | Passengers | Year | Passengers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15,672,688 | 2016 |  22,677,589 |
| 2001 |  15,628,886 | 2017 | 22,460,236 |
| 2002 | 16,959,229 | 2018 | 22,027,737 |
| 2003 | 18,644,372 | 2019 | 20,844,860 |
| 2004 | 19,718,236 | 2020 | 8,853,948 |
| 2005 | 17,862,838 | 2021 | 15,893,595 |
| 2006 | 18,868,388 | 2022 | 19,916,643 |
| 2007 | 19,378,855 | 2023 | 22,050,489 |
| 2008 | 17,345,635 | 2024 | 21,513,521 |
| 2009 | 17,089,365 | 2025 | |
| 2010 | 17,676,413 | 2026 | |
| 2011 | 18,883,170 | 2027 | |
| 2012 | 19,516,127 | 2028 | |
| 2013 | 20,474,552 | 2029 | |
| 2015 | 22,221,499 | 2030 |
On December 8, 1972,United Air Lines Flight 553, aBoeing 737-200, crashed into a residential area outside Midway during landing. The crash of the 737-200 killed 43 of the 61 on board, and two on the ground. One of the victims on the plane was Dorothy Hunt, the wife ofWatergate conspiratorE. Howard Hunt. She was carrying $10,000 in cash.James McCord alleged that she supplied the Watergate defendants with money for legal expenses.[57]
Thirty-three years later, on December 8, 2005,Southwest Airlines Flight 1248, aBoeing 737-700 inbound fromBaltimore–Washington International Airport inBaltimore, Maryland, slid off the runway while attempting to land at the airport in a heavy snow storm.[58] The airplane broke through the barrier fence of the airport and came to rest at the intersection of 55th Street and Central Avenue bordering the airport at its northwest corner.[58] Seven people were injured and a 6-year-old boy, who was a passenger in a vehicle struck by aircraft, was killed after the plane struck two vehicles in the intersection.[58]
| Date | Registration | Aircraft type | Carrier | Location | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 1936 | NC14979 | DC-2 | Trans World Airlines | - | On approach to the west airstrip (later designated Runway 27L), 1 engine out, strong gusts, crashed half a mile east of field. All survived. |
| December 4, 1940 | NC25678 | DC-3A | United Airlines | 6356 S. Keating Ave. | Pilot lost sight in bad weather and crashed on landing approach resulting in ten deaths.[59][60] |
| May 20, 1943 | 42–7053 | B-24E | U.S. Army Air Force | 3625 W. 73rd St. | On approach, disoriented in bad weather, hit huge gas storage tank 2.5 miles (4.0 km) southeast. 12 fatalities on plane and ground.[61][62] |
| September 26, 1946 | NC19939 | DC-3 | Trans World Airlines | West of 96th Ave. at 97th St. | Midair collision with Boeing PT-17, which crashed, killing two. The DC-3 limped in to Midway. |
| July 2, 1946 | NC28383 | DC-3 | Trans World Airlines | - | Crashed 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northeast of field. All survived. |
| March 10, 1948 | NC37478 | DC-4 | Delta Air Lines | 5000 W. 55th St. | Plane took off on 36R, at 150 feet (46 m) went vertical, at 500 feet (150 m) nosed over, crashed on 55th St. 12 fatalities. |
| March 26, 1949 | NC90736 | DC-6 | American Airlines | - | Hit power lines on approach. All survived. |
| December 8, 1949 | NC86501 | L-049 | Trans World Airlines | - | Landing too far down (then designated) 13R, crashed through fence, ended up at 63rd and Cicero. All survived. |
| January 4, 1951 | N79982 | C-46 | Monarch Airlines | - | Overloaded taking off on (then designated) 31L, could not climb, crashed on railroad tracks one half-mile northeast. All survived. |
| September 16, 1951 | N74689 | C-46 | Peninsula Transport | - | Belly-landed 500 yards (460 m) away at northeast 63rd and Harlem. All survived. |
| March 3, 1953 | N6214C | L-1049 | Eastern Airlines | On field | Landed on (then designated) 31L, gear collapsed, skidded southwest toward Hale School. All survived. |
| July 17, 1955 | N3422 | Convair 340 | Braniff International Airways | On field | Hit gas station sign on approach to (then designated) 13R, flipped over, crashed. 22 fatalities. |
| August 5, 1955 | N74601 | Boeing 377 | Northwest Airlines | - | Landed on (then designated) 31L, could not stop, crashed through fence at 55th and Central. All survived. |
| February 20, 1956 | N7404 | Vickers Viscount | Capitol | On field | Landing on 31R, plane flopped in 300 feet (91 m) short of threshold. All survived. |
| March 15, 1959 | N94273 | Convair 240 | American Airlines | - | Lost sight of (then designated) 31L on approach, crashed in railroad yard one half-mile south of field. All survived. |
| November 24, 1959 | N102R | L-1049H | Trans World Airlines | Came to rest 63rd and Kilpatrick | Plane departed (then designated) 31L, fire on engine No. 2, circled to land 31L, crashed 0.2 miles (0.32 km) southeast of field. All three persons aboard were killed, along with eight more on the ground. |
| September 1, 1961 | N86511 | L-049 | Trans World Airlines | - | Plane departed Midway, lost elevator bolt, crashed near Hinsdale, Illinois, resulting in 78 deaths. |
| December 8, 1972 | N9031U | 737-200 | United Airlines | 71st and Springfield | Aircraft descended too low on approach to 31L (now 31C) and struck houses, crashed 1.25 miles (2.01 km) southeast of airport, causing 43 fatalities aboard the aircraft and two on the ground. |
| March 25, 1976 | N1EM | Lockheed Jetstar | Executive | On field | Pilot unfamiliar with plane attempted take off on 13R (now 13C), never became airborne, crashed into fence 63rd and Cicero. Four fatalities. |
| August 6, 1976 | N9446Z | TB-25N | Air Chicago | 61st and Moody Avenue | Poor maintenance, and first flight of the plane in two years. It took off 4L, lost engine 2, and crashed 0.4 miles (0.64 km) west of field, killing two aboard and one on the ground. |
| December 8, 2005 | N471WN | 737-700 | Southwest Airlines | 55th & Central | Landed 31C during a snowstorm, crashed through a fence, hit 2 cars, killed a child in car on 55th St. and Central Ave. |
Source: Civil Aeronautics Board archives, NTSB records.
Note: Prior to 1941, the runways did not have numerical designations. The runway now designated 13C/31C was designated 13R/31L from 1941 until 1989, when a new Runway 13R/31L was built. Runways 27L, 27R, 36L and 36R were closed by 1973.
Aviation inIllinois | ||
|---|---|---|
| Primary airports |
|  |
| Military |
| |
| Airlines |
| |
| Aviation-related | ||
| Air shows |
| |
