The airport is named in honor ofUnited States Army GeneralBilly Mitchell, who was raised in Milwaukee and is often regarded as the father of theUnited States Air Force.[5][6] Along with being the primary airport for Milwaukee, Mitchell International is also used by travelers throughout Southern and EasternWisconsin and NorthernIllinois.[7] Since March 1941, the airport'sweather station has been used as the official point for Milwaukee weather observations and records by theNational Weather Service, whose area office is located inSullivan.[8]
The original airfield was established in 1920 asHamilton Airport by local business owner and aviator,Thomas F. Hamilton.Milwaukee County purchased the land on October 19, 1926, and renamed the airportMilwaukee County Airport.[6] The first airport terminal there, the Hirschbuehl Farmhouse, opened in July 1927. That month, Northwest Airlines, Inc., began air service from Milwaukee to Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul. In August 1927, world-renowned aviatorCharles Lindbergh visited the Milwaukee airport. Kohler Aviation Corporation began providing passenger service acrossLake Michigan on August 31, 1929.
During the late depression years (1938–July 1940), a new two-story passenger terminal building was constructed by theWorks Progress Administration. On March 17, 1941, the airport was renamedGeneral Mitchell Field after Milwaukee native and air power advocate Brigadier GeneralWilliam "Billy" Mitchell.[9] On January 4, 1945, Mitchell Field was leased to theWar Department for use as a World War II prisoner-of-war camp. Over 3,000 prisoners and 250 enlisted men stayed at the work camp. Escaped German prisoners were often surprised to find a largeGerman American population just beyond the fence.[10]
Trees, a skylight, and a clock in the rotunda created by the Concourse D "hammerhead" expansion project
The presentterminal opened on July 20, 1955, and was designed by Leigh Fisher and Associates.[11] It was renovated and expanded in 1985, designed by Miller, Meier, Kenyon, Cooper Architects and Planners Inc.[12] The "hammerhead" section of the D concourse was added in 1990.
In February 2019, the airport was renamed from "General Mitchell International Airport" to "Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport," a rebranding meant to highlight the airport's location;[14][15][16][17] the old name is still used by the FAA and US government.
In March 2023, the airport was recognized by theAirports Council International as one of the best airports in the world, marking the second consecutive year the airport received this recognition. It was one of only 10 airports of any size in the U.S. to earn a 2022 ASQ "Best Airport" award.[18]
Mitchell International expanded the runway safety area at the end of the runways after an accident on January 21, 2007, when Northwest Airlines Flight 1726 skidded off the runway following an abortedtakeoff. According to theFAA, most airports are encouraged to have a runway safety area no shorter than 1,000 feet (305 m), though many airports do not. Construction of the runway safety areas began at the end of summer 2009 and was completed in fall 2012.
There was also a "Master Plan" idea to increase the terminal area by stretching the existing terminal (in some cases, to almost double the size) or begin construction of a separate terminal. Nearly all cases would involve major reconstruction on the airport itself, and would have a huge impact on the airport's traffic.[19] These plans were, however, drafted before Mitchell saw a significant reduction in carriers and flights. More recently, in 2012, there were discussions of closing one concourse as a cost-cutting move.[20]
The approved 2018 Milwaukee County Budget contained initial funding for replacement of the now-closed Concourse E with a new International Terminal. It would replace the current International Arrivals Terminal (IAT) which has limited capacity and is not connected to the main terminal building.[21] The new terminal was planned to open in 2020 after the demolition of Concourse E was completed.[22] During October 2018, airport and Milwaukee County officials set a timeline for design, construction and completion of the new International terminal. Pre-design work and bidding concluded in November 2018, with construction set to begin in early 2021 and likely concluding in mid-2022.[23] In May 2020, Milwaukee County announced with theCOVID-19 pandemic severely reducing the airport's operations andde facto ending international service temporarily, that the start of the project had been postponed.[24] As of May 2025[update], no firm start date for the work has been determined, though airport officials are hopeful that demolition work will now begin in the summer of 2025. As of May 2025, the airport was seeking bids to demolish the existing concourse and build the new international concourse.[25][26][27]
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport has one terminal with two concourses and 38 gates.[28] All international arrivals lacking border pre-clearance must pass through the International Arrivals Building. Concourse C houses Southwest Airlines and United Airlines; and Concourse D houses the remaining airlines at the airport. There is also a Delta Sky Club in Concourse D.
The terminal houses theMitchell Gallery of Flight (a non-profit museum) and aUSO room on the concession level, along with the usual retail outlets, including a smallfood court and a branch ofRenaissance Books which is believed to be the world's firstused book store in an airport.[29] There are play areas for children throughout the facility.[30] An observation lot along the northern edge of the airport is open to the public and tower communications are rebroadcast using a low-powerFM transmitter for visitors to tune in on their car radios. There is also a new lot on 6th Street, with a Wisconsinhistorical marker giving the airport's history.[31] Previously located inside the security perimeter of a domestic concourse was a large clay "peace mural" from Leningrad, nowSaint Petersburg in Russia. Created by Soviet citizens, it was exchanged for an equivalent clay mural made by Americans. The Milwaukee mural was covered up during the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine[32] and subsequently moved to the customs screening area of the International Arrivals Building in 2024.
In April 2017, all airlines housed in Concourse E began moving to Concourse C. This would allow the airport to remodel the concourse and move International Arrivals processing into the terminal. Following redevelopment of Concourse E, the current International Arrivals Building just north of the main terminals will close. Airport officials are hoping to begin work in 2025, with the redeveloped concourse designed to have between 2-5 gates per the airport's Implementation Plan.[33][34][27]
The Milwaukee Airport Rail Station has Amtrak service to Chicago.
Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is accessible fromI-41/I-94 andWIS 38 viaWIS 119.
Local transit:
MCTS Green Line offers service to downtown and north shore suburbs. Route 80 serves the Airport from Oak Creek, downtown, and the Milwaukee's north side.[35]
Intercity transit:
Badger Coaches has frequent trips between Mitchell Airport, Downtown Milwaukee, Johnson Creek, Goerkes Corners, and Madison.[36]
Airport Connection serves the airport, Sheboygan, and the Fox Valley Area.[37]
Amtrak Thruway bus service runs from the airport to Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton, and Green Bay.[39]
Wisconsin Coach Lines, as Airport Express, operates frequently to O'Hare Airport (ORD) in Chicago and from Waukesha, Milwaukee (Downtown and the Amtrak/Greyhound Station), Racine and Kenosha.[40]
Lamers Connect, operates daily service to/from Wausau with stops in Milwaukee (Intermodal Station), Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton, Waupaca and Stevens Point.[41]
The airport also hosts the General Mitchell Air National Guard Base on the eastern area of the airport property, home to the128th Air Refueling Wing (128 ARW), anAir Mobility Command (AMC)-gained unit of theWisconsin Air National Guard flying theBoeing KC-135R Stratotanker. The wing performs both Federal and State missions and consists of approximately 1000Air National Guard personnel, both full-time Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) and Air Reserve Technicians (ART), as well as traditional part-time guardsmen, available for worldwide deployment. The wing also maintains a KC-135 flight simulator, providing training proficiency for its own crews, as well as other KC-135 flight crews in other air refueling wings and air mobility wings in the RegularU.S. Air Force, theAir Force Reserve Command and theAir National Guard.
Prior to 2007, a second military installation on the southwestern portion of the airport property was known as "General Mitchell Air Reserve Station" and was home to the440th Airlift Wing (440 AW), anAir Mobility Command (AMC)-gained unit of theAir Force Reserve Command (AFRC) flying theC-130H Hercules. While based at General Mitchell ARS, the 440 AW numbered in excess of 1500 full-time AGR, ART and part-time traditional reservists. Pursuant to2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) action, the 440 AW relocated toPope AFB, North Carolina, in 2007 and the former AFRC facilities were turned over to the Air National Guard, resulting in the installation's renaming.
Annual passenger traffic at MKE 1974–present[67][68]
Year
Passengers
Year
Passengers
Year
Passengers
Year
Passengers
Year
Passengers
Year
Passengers
1974
2,143,071
1984
2,573,239
1994
5,179,872
2004
6,661,105
2014
6,548,960
2024
6,316,245
1975
2,241,745
1985
3,062,954
1995
5,221,705
2005
7,268,000
2015
6,545,938
2025
1976
2,556,720
1986
3,384,664
1996
5,452,645
2006
7,299,294
2016
6,753,929
2026
1977
2,803,138
1987
3,570,340
1997
5,598,971
2007
7,712,535
2017
6,899,845
2027
1978
2,991,750
1988
4,029,746
1998
5,535,921
2008
7,956,968
2018
7,091,766
2028
1979
3,460,441
1989
4,308,295
1999
5,825,670
2009
7,935,124
2019
6,889,448
2029
1980
3,295,509
1990
4,488,304
2000
6,076,628
2010
9,848,377
2020
2,625,295
2030
1981
3,117,883
1991
4,114,051
2001
5,600,060
2011
9,522,456
2021
4,524,345
2031
1982
3,285,884
1992
4,422,089
2002
5,589,127
2012
7,502,309
2022
5,439,055
2032
1983
2,923,641
1993
4,521,872
2003
6,142,124
2013
6,520,515
2023
6,015,731
2033
From 1944 through 2024, 291,421,492 passengers (enplaned+depaned) have passed through Milwaukee Mitchell Int'l Airport, an annual average of 3,597,796 passengers per year.
On December 17, 1954, aMiller Brewing Company plane, a converted twin-engineLockheed Ventura bound forWinnipeg on a Friday evening, had trouble with both engines and crashed shortly after takeoff from Mitchell Field.[69][70] All four on board were killed, which included company presidentFred Miller and his oldest son, 20-year-old Fred Jr.,[71] and the two company pilots, brothers Joseph and Paul Laird.[72][73]
On August 4, 1968, aConvair CV-580, flying asNorth Central Airlines Flight 261, collided in mid-air with a rentedCessna 150F 11.5 miles (19 km) southwest of the airport. The Cessna was destroyed, but its cabin remained embedded in the Convair's forward baggage compartment; the Cessna's three occupants were killed. The Convair made a safe emergency landing at Milwaukee. The Cessna was on aVFR flight fromLombard, Illinois toSheboygan County Memorial Airport inSheboygan Falls. It was determined that the inability of the Convair 580 flight crew to detect the Cessna 150 visually in sufficient time to take evasive action, despite having been provided with three radar traffic advisories, caused the crash. Visual detection capabilities were reduced by the heavy accumulation of insect smears on the windows of the Convair. Visibility was further reduced by haze, smoke and sunglare, and by the inconspicuous color and lack of relative motion of the Cessna.[74]
On January 29, 1969, aBoeing KC-97, operated by theWisconsin Air National Guard, crashed just short of the runway onfinal approach. The weather was foggy with a visibility of a half mile. Four of the 11 people on board were killed, and the plane was damaged beyond repair.[75]
On July 27, 1974, a USMC Hawker Siddeley AV-8A Harrier crashed during a hover maneuver at as part of an air show demonstration flight. The impact of the crash initiated the firing of the pilot's ejection seat and the pilot survived.[77]
On September 6, 1985,Midwest Express Flight 105, Midwest's first and only fatal accident, crashed upon takeoff from Milwaukee. One of the airline'sDouglas DC-9s crashed while taking off, bound forAtlanta'sHartsfield International Airport. According toNTSB reports, the crash was caused by improper pilot reaction when the plane's right engine failed due tostress corrosion cracking. The improper flight control inputs caused an uncommanded roll and accelerated stall. The 31 people on board died.[78]
On December 10, 1993, a Wisconsin Air National Guard KC-135 blew up on the ground. Six maintenance personnel died.[79]
In early August 1997, anSR-71 declared an in-air emergency prior to a fly-by at the Oshkosh Airshow and diverted to General Mitchell International Airport. No one was hurt in the incident.[80]
On September 11, 2001, Midwest Express Flight 7, aDC-9 from MKE to LGA came within 30 feet of United Airlines flight 175 and had to do two steep dives, injuring two flight attendants and two passengers who were not in their seats.
On January 21, 2007, aNorthwest AirlinesDC-9, Northwest Airlines Flight 1726 skidded 400 feet (120 m) off the end of a snowyrunway at Milwaukee International Airport. The accident was due to an explosion in one of the engines, forcing the pilot to abort takeoff. The aircraft was headed forDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and was to continue on toBuffalo Niagara International Airport. Amongst the 104 people aboard, only one back injury was reported.[81][82]
On January 23, 2007, twoFreight Runners Express cargo planes collided and burned on ataxiway. Both pilots were able to escape without injury. The planes were aCessna 402 and aBeech 99.[83] AnNTSB investigation determined both pilots and air traffic control were at fault for the accident.
On June 4, 2007, a Cessna Citation II crashed after reporting a runaway trim tab. The pilot issued a distress signal within five minutes after taking off. The plane then crashed into Lake Michigan two miles (3 km) off shore. The plane was carrying an organ transplant team from theUniversity of Michigan back toWillow Run Airport. There was a crew of two and four passengers aboard. All six died.[84]
On December 4, 2023, a DHL 737 operated by Swift Air burst a tire while landing. No one was injured, and flights resumed within the hour.
^"Master Plan Update". General Mitchell International Airport. July 28, 2006. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on April 14, 2012. RetrievedFebruary 11, 2008.
^Naczek, Margaret."Mitchell airport reports 96% drop in passengers in April".Milwaukee Business Journal. RetrievedJune 8, 2020.The airport recently reported that as a result of the drastic passenger traffic declines, it had to postpone the start of its E Concourse construction, which would transform the concourse into an international terminal.
^"Milwaukee airport to get new international terminal". Milwaukee WI: WISN. WISN News. July 15, 2016. RetrievedJuly 28, 2016.United Airlines and Air Canada, both of which currently operate from Concourse E, will move to Concourse C
^Ricondo & Associates, Inc. (June 2022)."Master Plan Update"(PDF).Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. RetrievedSeptember 29, 2023.
^"MCTS". Milwaukee County Transit System. RetrievedSeptember 15, 2012.
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This article incorporatespublic domain material from theAir Force Historical Research Agency
