Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is Chicago's second commercial airport and a major hub for Southwest Airlines. Located approximately 8 miles southwest of downtown Chicago in the Midway neighborhood on the city's South Side, MDW offers a more compact, neighborhood-embedded airport experience compared to O'Hare, with a direct CTA Orange Line connection to downtown Chicago and strong domestic service across Southwest's national network.
Chicago Midway International Airport has a fundamentally different character from O'Hare. Where O'Hare is a sprawling campus in the city's far northwest, Midway is embedded in a dense Chicago neighborhood — surrounded on all sides by residential streets, with the terminal accessible by the CTA Orange Line from a station adjacent to the terminal building.
Midway was Chicago's primary commercial airport before O'Hare opened and the major carriers moved north. Southwest Airlines moved into the resulting vacuum in the early 1990s and built MDW into one of its most important hubs, operating high-frequency domestic service across its network. Southwest's concentration at MDW gives the airport a distinct culture — efficient, focused on domestic leisure and business travel, and operationally shaped by Southwest's open-seating boarding system.
MDW handles approximately 20 million passengers annually and provides nonstop domestic service to more than 80 destinations. The airport's urban location makes it highly accessible from Chicago's South Side and western suburbs via the Orange Line, a convenience not matched by O'Hare for these communities.
Chicago Midway Airport was established in 1923 and held the title of the world's busiest airport in the 1940s. Named after the Battle of Midway in 1949, it was the hub of American commercial aviation during the piston-engine era, with Chicago as the great connecting point of the continental railroad and air networks. When O'Hare opened in 1955 and jet aircraft required longer runways, major carriers shifted their operations north, and Midway fell into decline.
Southwest Airlines' entry into Chicago in 1985 reversed Midway's fortunes. By the 1990s, Southwest had built MDW into a major hub, and the airport has grown steadily since. A notable event in Midway's history was the 2005 Southwest Airlines Flight 1248 overrun, when a 737 slid off the end of the runway during a snowstorm and into the surrounding street grid — a dramatic illustration of the airport's constrained urban site.
MDW has a single terminal building with five concourses (A, B, C, D, and E) all connected airside. Southwest Airlines uses gates throughout all five concourses. The terminal has been modernized in recent years with improved gate areas, expanded dining options, and a more modern aesthetic.
The CTA Orange Line station is located adjacent to the terminal building and is accessible via an enclosed walkway from the terminal's ground floor. This direct train connection is one of MDW's key operational advantages for travelers from Chicago's South Side and western suburbs.
Southwest Airlines operates the vast majority of flights at MDW, with nonstop domestic service to more than 80 cities nationwide. A small number of other domestic carriers operate limited service at MDW. The airport does not offer international service — travelers requiring international flights from Chicago use O'Hare (ORD).
Southwest's network from MDW is particularly strong for midwestern, southeastern, and Texas routes, reflecting the airline's historical strengths in these markets. MDW provides excellent connectivity to leisure destinations in Florida, Nevada, and across the Southwest.
MDW's single terminal offers a solid selection of Chicago-themed dining and retail options, with local Chicago restaurant brands and food concepts represented across the concourses. The airport is functional and efficient rather than luxury-oriented, consistent with Southwest's positioning. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout.
The terminal has been progressively upgraded and features a cleaner, more modern environment than older photographs of Midway might suggest. Nursing rooms, interfaith prayer spaces, and pet relief areas are accessible within the terminal.
MDW is served directly by the CTA Orange Line, with the Midway station located adjacent to the terminal and accessible via an enclosed walkway. Trains reach downtown Chicago's Loop (Adams/Wabash station) in approximately 25–30 minutes. The Orange Line operates from approximately 4 AM to 1 AM weekdays and has slightly reduced hours on weekends.
Rideshare services and taxis are available on the lower level of the terminal. The airport is accessible via I-55 (Stevenson Expressway) and Cicero Avenue. The CTA Orange Line makes MDW highly accessible from the South Side, the Loop, Pilsen, and western Chicago neighborhoods without requiring a car.
MDW provides parking in a multi-level garage adjacent to the terminal, with short-term, long-term, and economy options. The airport's urban location means parking is relatively constrained and prices can be higher than at suburban airports. Economy lots offer lower rates. The CTA Orange Line provides a practical, cost-effective alternative to parking for many Chicago-area travelers.
The CTA Orange Line to Midway is one of Chicago's best urban transit-to-airport connections, and is strongly recommended for travelers from downtown, the South Side, or anywhere along the Orange Line corridor. It is faster and cheaper than rideshare during rush hours.
Southwest's open seating means check-in timing matters at MDW. Check in exactly 24 hours before departure to secure the best boarding group. MDW's compact terminal means less walking than O'Hare, but Southwest's boarding process requires being at the gate before boarding begins. MDW can be affected by winter weather given Chicago's climate — check your flight status during January through March when snowstorms can cause delays.
Chicago Midway International Airport is an important economic asset for Chicago's South Side and southwestern communities that are not well-served by the more distant O'Hare. MDW's Southwest Airlines hub provides South Side residents and businesses with access to affordable domestic air travel that the O'Hare-focused major carrier network does not as efficiently serve. The airport supports thousands of jobs in the Midway neighborhood and surrounding areas.
Southwest Airlines' hub at MDW is a significant driver of competition in the Chicago aviation market, keeping fares lower than they would otherwise be in a market served only by O'Hare's legacy carriers.
MDW is pursuing capital improvements focused on terminal modernization and passenger experience upgrades within its constrained urban site. The airport cannot expand its runway infrastructure given the surrounding dense neighborhood development. Chicago's Department of Aviation continues to invest in MDW as a complement to O'Hare in the city's two-airport aviation system.
MDW is a medium hub airport focused on domestic travel and serves as a secondary airport to ORD. It functions as Southwest Airlines' Chicago hub and an important transit-accessible gateway for the city's South Side and western communities.
Airports within approximately 60 miles of Chicago Midway International Airport that may provide additional scheduled commercial, regional access.
Chicago Midway International Airport is the quintessential Southwest Airlines urban hub — compact, efficient, embedded in a neighborhood, and connected to the city by train. For the millions of Chicago travelers who prefer Southwest's model and live on the city's South Side or western suburbs, Midway is simply the better airport, offering faster check-in, shorter walks to the gate, and a direct Orange Line ride to the Loop.
Take the CTA Orange Line from the Midway station, which is directly connected to the terminal via an enclosed walkway. Trains reach downtown Chicago's Loop in approximately 25–30 minutes.
Chicago Midway Airport was renamed in 1949 to honor the American victory at the Battle of Midway in 1942, a pivotal naval engagement in the Pacific during World War II.
No. Chicago Midway serves domestic routes only. All international flights from Chicago depart from O'Hare International Airport (ORD).
It depends on where you are going and where you are coming from. MDW is more convenient for South Side and southwest suburb travelers and offers Southwest Airlines' low-fare domestic network. ORD has far more airlines, destinations, and all international service. If Southwest serves your destination from MDW, it is often the more convenient and affordable choice.
For the most current flight schedules, parking availability, terminal maps, and ground transportation updates, visit the official Chicago Midway International Airport website.
Chicago Midway International Airport Official Site