ORD vs MDW: Which Chicago Airport Should You Fly Into?

The two Chicago airports

Chicago has two major commercial airports:

• ORD (O'Hare) — international hub, all major US airlines, all alliances.
• MDW (Midway) — closer to downtown, dominated by Southwest.

Which to choose

Pick ORD when

• Flying internationally.
• Connecting on United or American.
• Need maximum flight options.
• Don't mind larger airport navigation.

Pick MDW when

• Flying Southwest.
• Trip starts/ends in downtown Chicago.
• Prefer a smaller airport experience.
• Want potentially cheaper fares.

Transit to downtown

• ORD: CTA Blue Line, ~45 minutes, $5.
• MDW: CTA Orange Line, ~25 minutes, $5.

Weather reliability

• ORD is one of the most weather-affected major US hubs (snow + thunderstorms).
• MDW also affected but slightly better record on summer storms because of fewer banks.

Parking

• Both have economy lots; off-airport options exist around both.
• MDW long-term tends to be cheaper.

Pin your flight

Pin ORD or MDW flights in FlightyFlow. For ORD especially, predictive delay alerts during weather are invaluable.