Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) | Terminal maps | Airport guide (2024)

FAQs

What terminal does Southwest use at Chicago Midway? ›

Concourse B of the Southwest Airlines MDW Terminal serves as the departure terminal for Southwest Airlines. Southwest handles all arrivals and departures out of Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), Terminal Concourse B. This is relevant to flights departing from at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW).

Larger airports, such as O'Hare and Midway in Chicago, ask that passengers arrive at least 90 minutes prior to departure especially if a traveler needs to go to the check-in counter for any reason (i.e., check baggage, etc.).

About The Airport

The Airport has five runways, with the longest runway spanning 6,521 feet. A total of 43 gates are located in one terminal building with three concourses.

Midway Is Convenient for Domestic Travel

While still a busy airport by any standard, Midway is much less busy than O'Hare (it doesn't even crack the top 50 internationally). It's closer to downtown, and limo service can get you from the Loop to Midway in just over 20 minutes (without traffic, of course).

When do I need to arrive at the airport for my Southwest Airlines (WN) flight? Suggested arrival time: 2 hours before scheduled departure time for US domestic flights. 3 hours before scheduled departure time for international flights to/from the US.

Check in 24 hours before departure to get your boarding position. We don't assign seats at Southwest, so boarding the aircraft earlier means you have more seats to choose from. The check-in window opens 24 hours before your flight, and your check-in time determines your boarding position.

Arrive Early: While Midway Airport is known for its efficiency, it's always best to arrive at least 90 minutes before your domestic flight and two hours before international flights to allow ample time for check-in and security.

Average security wait times at Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) can vary depending on the day, time of day, and season. However, you can expect to wait anywhere from 15 minutes to 34 minutes, with Fridays and Sundays generally being the busiest days. Does Midway Airport have TSA PreCheck?

Compared to O'Hare, Midway is a much smaller international airport, and it only carries a few airlines. Midway generally operates Southwest Airlines flights and it is much smaller and less busy than O'Hare. The advantage of traveling through Midway is that it is much closer to the city.

The runway length and weight-bearing capacity can accommodate the airplane. However… The airport's operator — the Chicago Dept. of Aviation — does not allow airplanes larger than a 757 (basically, any heavy jets) to use the airport.

Can you walk between terminals in Chicago? ›

Domestic Terminals 1, 2, and 3 are connected to each other and you can easily walk between them or take moving sidewalks and escalators. The walk from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 takes about 10 minutes, and from Terminal 1 to Terminal 3 can take up to 20 minutes if you're walking from farthest gate to farthest gate.

And since Chicago Midway International Airport is a Southwest Airlines hub, many of those flights out of Chi-Town are direct!

Southwest is operating from Terminal 5, gates M28 and above. Plan for a 20-minute walk from the Ticket Counter to the Departure Gates. There are limited food options past Gate M12. For Baggage Claim and the Baggage Service Office, go down to the Lower Level.

If you enjoy the thrill of travel surrounded by lots of activity and people, the bigger, busier O'Hare is a great way to go. If a quieter, casual pace is more your style, Midway is the better option.

Peak Times vs. Off-Peak Hours at Major Airports

Weekends are the busiest travel days. This includes Fridays during the summer months. Think of airports as similar to highways—they tend to be busiest on weekdays in the early morning and then again in early evening. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are usually slower.