Winner: No matter how you plan on getting to the city from the airport, Midway comes out ahead: less traffic, shorter drives, cheaper Ubers and even less time spent on the train. Midway is not in the best neighborhood in Chicago, so you'll want to make sure you know where you're going when you land. Or you can get an Uber for approximately $28. Midway also has its own CTA station with the Orange Line headed downtown. Midway, on the other hand, is about 25 minutes from downtown and generally less prone to traffic delays than O'Hare (although if you're traveling on a Sunday when the Chicago Bears are playing at Soldier Field, nearby Interstate 55 that runs past the field en route to the airport can get backed up).

The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. To measure the distance from each airport into the city, we chose as a central destination the famous Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park, also known as 'the Bean.' It is two blocks south of the river and within walking distance of Navy Pier, the museum campus and the shops of the Magnificent Mile. O'Hare is located northwest of the city, Midway to the southwest. Distance to downtown and transportation optionsĭowntown Chicago stretches north and south, roughly split in half by the Chicago River.

We'll take a look at the pros and cons of each airport.įor more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Southwest Airlines flyers have the best selection out of Midway, while those who fly on American Airlines or United Airlines - or those wanting to catch a long-haul international flight - will likely end up at O'Hare. Visitors to Chicago have a choice to make when it comes to trip planning: Should they fly into O'Hare (ORD), a sprawling international airport, or Midway (MDW), which offers more convenient access to the city but with far fewer choices of flights?

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