CHICAGO – The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) is prepared to welcome approximately 3.66 million passengers to O’Hare and Midway International Airports over the holiday season between Friday, Dec. 20, and Thursday, Jan. 2, based on estimates from air carriers.

“As the holiday spirit fills Chicago, O'Hare and Midway are gearing up to connect families, friends, and travelers,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “From heartwarming reunions to exciting city adventures, our airports and dedicated staff are dedicated to making every journey as seamless and joyful as the season itself.”

Airlines project that Monday, Dec. 23 will be the busiest travel day at O’Hare, with nearly 243,000 passengers. During the 14-day travel period through Thursday, Jan. 2, O’Hare is projected to welcome nearly 3.05 million passengers, a 7.8% increase compared to 2023 that represents an additional 220,000 passengers.

At Midway, the busiest travel day is projected to be Sunday, Dec. 29, when more than 51,000 people will travel through the airport. During the two-week travel period, Midway will welcome nearly 613,000 passengers, which is on par with 2023.

“With Chicago’s airports serving as gateways for millions of travelers each holiday season, the CDA is dedicated to delivering a world-class experience for everyone passing through,” said CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee. “Our teams at O’Hare and Midway are dedicated to ensuring holiday journeys are smooth and enjoyable, with safety and security remaining our top priority as we welcome travelers during this special time of year.”

To provide a convenient experience for travelers, the following information is valuable to remember:

Preventing Traffic Congestion 

• Cell Phone Lots are 100% free at both airports. Avoid circling the terminals and wait in the convenient parking lots until arriving passengers call to say they are ready for pickup. The O’Hare Cell Phone Lot is at 560 N. Bessie Coleman Drive, and the Midway Cell Phone Lot is located at West 61st Street and South Cicero Avenue.
• Kiss n’ Fly drop-offs are located at both airports. At Midway, passengers can be dropped off at West 59th Street and South Kilpatrick Avenue and take a short walk into the terminals. At O’Hare, passengers can be dropped off at the Multi-Modal Facility (MMF), located at 10255 W. Zemke Blvd., and board the Airport Transit System (ATS) for a brief ride to all terminals.  
• The CTA Blue Line offers 24/7 service to O’Hare, while the CTA Orange Line services Midway. Both offer frequent and fast service, helping passengers avoid curbside crowds and reducing congestion in the process.  
• Metra’s North Central Service offers weekday service between Union Station in downtown Chicago and the O’Hare Transfer station adjacent to the MMF, with access to the ATS. 
• The Pulse Dempster Line from Pace Suburban Bus provides quick and convenient public transit to O’Hare from north and northwest suburban communities including Evanston, Skokie, Morton Grove, Niles, Park Ridge, Des Plaines and Rosemont. 

Checking Parking Updates Before You Leave 

To check the status of parking lots before leaving for the airport, go to FlyChicago.com.  

Economy Lots often reach capacity during busy holiday travel periods. Passengers should consider booking a parking spot ahead of time by visiting FlyChicago.com to review the lot status and set advance parking reservations for both O’Hare and Midway.

At O’Hare’s Terminal 5, the CDA recently opened a new, six-story parking garage, which more than doubles the number of overall available parking spaces at the terminal and serves both domestic and international travelers. Drivers can wait for arriving passengers in the Cell Phone Lot or park in hourly parking in the Main Parking Garage and ride the ATS to Terminal 5.  

At Midway, the Terminal Parking Garage has short-term and long-term parking options available.

O’Hare Rideshares, Taxis and Limousines   

Pickups at O’Hare for rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft are located in the Upper-Level Departures section of Terminal 2. This designated rideshare area is between Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.

Passengers arriving into Terminal 5 must transfer to Terminal 2 aboard the ATS for rideshare pickups.

All rideshare providers can drop off at all terminals, which offer Black car pickups (including Black cars offered through the Uber and Lyft apps). Loading zones for rideshares can be found at the following locations:

• Zone A (Black) – Outside north of vestibule 2A
• Zone B (Blue) – Outside vestibule 2A
• Zone C (Orange) – Outside vestibule 2B
• Zone D (Green) – Outside vestibule 2E

Taxis into Chicago and the suburbs are available outside the baggage claim area at the Lower-Level curb front at each terminal. All travelers are advised to use the designated taxi stands to ensure they have a licensed driver. Travelers are also advised not to accept rides from drivers outside the cab stand or on the departure level of the terminal roadways. Additionally, limousines are available for City and suburban destinations.

Contact your company of choice near the ride boards to make reservations.

For more information about rideshares, taxis and limousines, visit to FlyChicago.com.

Concessions Highlights 

This August, O’Hare received the award for Favorite Airport Dining for the fifth consecutive year from Trazee Travel, a sister publication of Global Traveler magazine that targets readers ages 25-40.

The CDA has also been busy welcoming new concessions to O’Hare in 2024. Veteran Roasters and Brown Sugar Bakery are among the most recent additions at Terminal 3, with both having opened in early December.

New concessions are opening regularly at Terminal 5, including the following this year:

• Bar Siena
• BLVD & Branch
• Chick-fil-A
• Dunkin’/Baskin-Robbins
• Gallery ORD
• InMotion
• Metropolis Coffee Company
• Protein Bar & Kitchen
• Publican Quality Bread
• Six Points Market
• The Hampton Social

Mobile ordering from select concessionaires is available throughout all four terminals at O’Hare through orderORD.com. 

Traveling Safely with Families 

O’Hare offers a Family Lounge that provides a designated play area for toddlers and young children. The lounge features device charging outlets and stroller parking.  

Parents will also find several locations at both airports to care for or nurse their young children safely. At Midway, a Mother’s Room is in Concourse C next to the airport’s Yoga Room, and a Lactation Pod is available near Gate A5 in Concourse A. O’Hare offers more than a dozen Mother’s Room and Lactation Pod locations. The complete list of locations is available at FlyChicago.com.

Live Entertainment

As travelers make their way through O’Hare and Midway during the holiday, they will be entertained by musicians and other artists specializing in a variety of genres. The lineup includes the following:

O’Hare

Midway         

Holiday Decorations

Travelers going through O’Hare and Midway this season will experience the annual Chicago tradition of both airports being decked out in full holiday regalia. 

O’Hare has been adorned with nine-foot-tall trees decorated with ornaments courtesy of various Chicagoland cultural organizations. The trees can be seen from terminal curbside windows, with each display representing a story of Chicago’s proud history of cultural diversity.

This year’s trees are decorated by the following organizations and displayed in the following locations:

• Lincoln Park Zoo: Terminal 1, Landside – Upper-Level ticketing, between Door 1G and Security Checkpoint 3
• National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture: Terminal 2, Airside – Upper Level (E1), near Butch O’Hare exhibits
• Copernicus Center: Terminal 2, Airside – Upper Level (E1), near Butch O’Hare exhibits
• United Airlines: Terminal 2, Airside – Upper Level (E1), near Butch O’Hare exhibits
• American Indian Center of Chicago: Terminal 2, Airside – Upper Level (E1), near Butch O’Hare exhibits
• Travelers Aid Chicago: Terminal 3, Airside – Rotunda, Mezzanine
• Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture: Terminal 3, Airside – Rotunda, near outlets at foot of stairs
• USO of Illinois: Terminal 3, Airside – Rotunda, Mezzanine
• American Airlines: Terminal 3, Airside – Checkpoint 6, near H1/H2
• Swedish American Museum/Consulate of Sweden: Terminal 3, Airside – Rotunda, Mezzanine
• Chicago Police Department – Airport Operations: Terminal 3, Airside – Rotunda, near outlets at foot of stairs
• Transportation Security Administration (TSA): Terminal 3, Airside – Checkpoint 6, near H1/H2
• Little Black Pearl: Terminal 3, Landside – Upper-Level ticketing, between Door 1G and Security Checkpoint 3

At Midway, a large holiday tree will greet visitors at the entrance. Inside the airport, ornaments and decorative snowflakes are displayed from the ceilings.

Arriving Early 

The TSA may experience longer than usual wait times at security checkpoints during the holiday weekend. Real-time updates for O’Hare checkpoints are available at FlyChicago.com. 

General Information 

Travelers bound for Chicago’s airports can make the most informed decisions about how to access any of the above airport services by visiting FlyChicago.com. The website contains real-time information about flights, parking updates, taxicab wait times, available concession businesses and other special alerts for the traveling public. The “My Flight” search page shows specific flight updates, amenities near the flight gate, as well as other targeted travel resources. 

Note that access to airport terminals at O’Hare and Midway is restricted at all times to ticketed passengers, those assisting passengers, badged employees and others with legitimate airport business.