• GREATER CHICAGO METRO AREA AIRPORTS

While O'Hare Airport is the dominant Airport by far, Midway comes in as a second, while Gary comes in third only because of its proximity to Chicago, not by size, and Rockford is over 290 miles north-west of Chicago.

1. O'Hare International Airport ORD is huge and is the second-busiest airport in the world. Every major national and most international airlines are serving the airport. It is also an airport in a continuous state of expansion, renovation and construction. On a good day planes arrive/depart on an impressively precise schedule - on a bad day things can quickly turn from bad to worse. O'Hare, due to its location, is more prone to icy or foggy weather conditions, causing major delays in flight schedules. However, its mass-transit service directly into the city sets it apart from Midway, not to mention its extensive selection of domestic and international air carriers offering direct and connecting flights to all points of the globe.

2. Midway International Airport MDW is closer to the Chicago Loop, has mostly shorter lines, and cheaper parking. As it is much smaller than O'Hare, there is less of a choice in flights, and the lack of direct mass transit into the city makes getting to the Airport more of a hassle. While your drive to the Airport does not take you through an upscale neighborhood, it is quite safe. What's more, Midway seems to get planes going in winter when O'Hare shuts down.

3. Gary/Chicago International Airport GYY is located about 25 miles from the Chicago loop and operates as 'third airport' for the Chicago area. While its present operations include only limited scheduled commercial passenger service, it is currently undergoing a federally-funded expansion, and it is courting airlines aggressively. Boeing and White Lodging Services already base their corporate fleets here.

4. Chicago Rockford International Airport RFD, located 290 miles northwest of Chicago, can be reached from I-90 West, US 20 West exit and from there it's another 8.5 miles. It offers free parking and free Wi-Fi access, and Allegiant and Direct Air offer flights to Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa, St/Pete, as well as Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda and Myrtle Beach, while Apple Vacation offers direct flights to Cancun.

5. Smaller Airports in the Chicago Region: DuPage Airport DPA; Chicago Executive Airport (Palwaukee) PWK; Waukegan Regional Airport UGN, Lewis University Airport LOT and Aurora Municipal Airport AUZ.

6. The Central Illinois Regional Airport BMI at Bloomington-Normal (short CIRA) is located two miles east of Veteran's Parkway on Route 9 in Bloomington. Served by some major airlines with flights to some big US Cities, it is--due to its central location--easy to get there, offers free parking with shuttle service and a new passenger terminal offering free wireless internet access throughout, rental car agencies, several retail shop, a full-service restaurant, a business center, conference rooms, and a VIP lounge. The small Airport has received on-line rave reviews from a number of passengers for its rapid check-in procedure, friendly staff and quick connections to major hubs.

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