Chicago is one of the few American cities with two major airports, and choosing between O'Hare and Midway can meaningfully change your travel day. Here is how we help clients decide, based on years of driving to both.
The Quick Answer
For most travelers, the choice comes down to two things: which airline you are flying, and where you are starting from. O'Hare is larger, serves nearly every airline, and handles almost all international flights. Midway is smaller, faster to get through, dominated by Southwest Airlines, and closer to downtown and the south and southwest suburbs.
By Airline
This is often the deciding factor, because most airlines operate from one airport or the other, not both.
Fly O'Hare for
United and American both hub at O'Hare, along with Delta, Alaska, JetBlue, and essentially all international carriers. If you are flying overseas or connecting through a major network carrier, you are almost certainly using O'Hare. International arrivals clear customs at Terminal 5.
Fly Midway for
Southwest Airlines operates over 90 percent of Midway's flights, so if you are a Southwest flyer, Midway is your airport. Frontier, Delta, and a few others also fly from Midway, but it is overwhelmingly a Southwest hub, and a mostly domestic one.
By Location And Travel Time
O'Hare sits about 18 miles northwest of downtown, reached via I-190 and the Kennedy Expressway. Midway sits about 11 miles southwest, reached via I-55, the Stevenson Expressway. That difference matters depending on where you live.
- North and northwest suburbs (Schaumburg, Rosemont, Evanston, Lake Forest): O'Hare is closer and easier.
- South and southwest suburbs (Orland Park, Tinley Park): Midway is usually the quicker option.
- Downtown and the Loop: Midway is physically closer at about 11 miles, though O'Hare is well connected too.
- Western suburbs (Oak Brook, Hinsdale, Naperville): both are accessible, with Oak Brook just 20 minutes from O'Hare via I-294.
By Experience
Midway's single terminal and three connected concourses make it quick to navigate, with a shorter walk from curb to gate. O'Hare is far larger, with four terminals, more amenities, more dining, and more lounges, but also more distance to cover and, at peak times, more congestion. If you value speed and simplicity, Midway wins. If you want more options and are flying a major carrier, O'Hare is the natural choice.
How A Car Service Makes Either Airport Easier
Whichever airport you use, a professional car service removes the two biggest airport headaches: parking and the trip itself. We track your flight in real time, so your chauffeur is staged whether you land early or late. We meet you inside at baggage claim or curbside, help with your luggage, and drive you home at a flat rate quoted before the trip, with no surge pricing. For the return, we get you to the terminal with time to spare. It turns the most stressful part of travel into the easiest.
Flat-Rate Transfers To Both Airports
Whichever airport you choose, we provide flat-rate transfers with flight tracking and a professional chauffeur, 24/7.