Midway chicago
Jan 13, 2020, 7:47 am
#91
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
FWIW, MDW was a dump, like the basement of train station, when I started transferring there twice a week in 1999. Then it had an amazing transformation and lots of good to great & varied food options to kill 2+ hours pleasantly twice a week, I ate in everyone multiple times except McDonald's.
It was a huge success despite its "small" size.
Eat those apples
Not anymore...
It was a huge success despite its "small" size.
Eat those apples
Not anymore...
Jan 13, 2020, 8:24 am
#92
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,189
FWIW, MDW was a dump, like the basement of train station, when I started transferring there twice a week in 1999. Then it had an amazing transformation and lots of good to great & varied food options to kill 2+ hours pleasantly twice a week, I ate in everyone multiple times except McDonald's.
It was a huge success despite its "small" size.
Eat those apples
Not anymore...
It was a huge success despite its "small" size.
Eat those apples
Not anymore...
Completely bursting at the seams.
Wikipedia has a decent overview of MDW.
Jan 13, 2020, 8:53 am
#93
Join Date: Oct 2001
Programs: LTP, PP
Posts: 8,698
I first used MDW in 1994. The thing people must realize is that when originally designed, it was intended for use by 2,000,000 people a year. By the time the new MDW was built, it was up to 17,000,000 or something.
Completely bursting at the seams.
Wikipedia has a decent overview of MDW.
Completely bursting at the seams.
Wikipedia has a decent overview of MDW.
Jan 13, 2020, 9:32 am
#94
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Peoria
Programs: Southwest, Best Western Gold, La Quinta, Dollar
Posts: 819
Probably about the same for me, too, except for one roundtrip on Midway Airlines in 1990. By the mid-90s though I was a convert and haven't been back to O'Hare since. I was able to sample the services of Western Pacific and ATA a few times too, so lucky me I suppose. Crazy to think of the variety there for awhile and it hasn't even been that many years!
Jan 13, 2020, 9:45 am
#95
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Blue Ridge, GA
Posts: 5,509
A 900,000 sq ft terminal handling 20 million people a year is a trade-off. With 1 million sq ft, the new MCI readies to handle half the traffic. But I'm more concerned with runway length and delays than lounges.
Jan 14, 2020, 1:00 am
#96
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,774
I've only been to MDW one time, and it wasn't on Southwest, it was on ATA, from PIE to FNT. During the layover I was annoyed by the constant repetition of the announcement "be careful of the end of the moving sidewalk" (something to that effect). I don't remember anything about the food options.
I've changed planes at ORD on UA and AA many times and that airport just sucks.
I've changed planes at ORD on UA and AA many times and that airport just sucks.
Jan 14, 2020, 1:06 pm
#97
Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 74
I've only been to MDW one time, and it wasn't on Southwest, it was on ATA, from PIE to FNT. During the layover I was annoyed by the constant repetition of the announcement "be careful of the end of the moving sidewalk" (something to that effect). I don't remember anything about the food options.
I've changed planes at ORD on UA and AA many times and that airport just sucks.
I've changed planes at ORD on UA and AA many times and that airport just sucks.
Jan 15, 2020, 3:10 pm
#99
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: MDW/ORD
Programs: WN A list, UA Gold, AA Gold, Marriott LT Gold, IHG Platinum, National EE, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 526
Jan 15, 2020, 3:14 pm
#100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: RNO
Programs: AA/DL/UA
Posts: 10,774
Jan 15, 2020, 6:00 pm
#101
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 23
Lived in Chicago suburbs most of my life. Midway is a terrible airport. I do everything possible to fly out of ORD instead - it's not too bad if you stick to early morning flights.
If I was the mayor of Chicago, I'd eminent domain the two square miles north of Midway, link highway 55 directly into a Midway parking lot, and open up tons of space for new terminals and runways. In particular, I'd relocate a lot of the non-gate terminal activities (lounges, baggage routing, etc) underground - would save some money on heating during our cold winter months.
If I was the mayor of Chicago, I'd eminent domain the two square miles north of Midway, link highway 55 directly into a Midway parking lot, and open up tons of space for new terminals and runways. In particular, I'd relocate a lot of the non-gate terminal activities (lounges, baggage routing, etc) underground - would save some money on heating during our cold winter months.
Jan 15, 2020, 9:19 pm
#102
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,870
Lived in Chicago suburbs most of my life. Midway is a terrible airport. I do everything possible to fly out of ORD instead - it's not too bad if you stick to early morning flights.
If I was the mayor of Chicago, I'd eminent domain the two square miles north of Midway, link highway 55 directly into a Midway parking lot, and open up tons of space for new terminals and runways. In particular, I'd relocate a lot of the non-gate terminal activities (lounges, baggage routing, etc) underground - would save some money on heating during our cold winter months.
If I was the mayor of Chicago, I'd eminent domain the two square miles north of Midway, link highway 55 directly into a Midway parking lot, and open up tons of space for new terminals and runways. In particular, I'd relocate a lot of the non-gate terminal activities (lounges, baggage routing, etc) underground - would save some money on heating during our cold winter months.
Jan 16, 2020, 6:41 am
#103
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Peoria
Programs: Southwest, Best Western Gold, La Quinta, Dollar
Posts: 819
Lived in Chicago suburbs most of my life. Midway is a terrible airport. I do everything possible to fly out of ORD instead - it's not too bad if you stick to early morning flights.
If I was the mayor of Chicago, I'd eminent domain the two square miles north of Midway, link highway 55 directly into a Midway parking lot...
If I was the mayor of Chicago, I'd eminent domain the two square miles north of Midway, link highway 55 directly into a Midway parking lot...
Once in a great while Central will be blocked by a slow-moving freight train but I can just detour over to Cicero to get under it.
I think next time, I'll turn on Archer and try the new Fast Park garage recommended earlier in the thread. Same super-easy access from the expressway.
Jan 16, 2020, 8:12 am
#104
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Silver, whatever the Amex plat gets me and somehow still IHG Diamond after 3 years of no nights
Posts: 693
If only there was a blueprint for how to do this....
Ahhhh, of course, a Daley already did it.
https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/01/u...n-airport.html
Jan 16, 2020, 9:44 am
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Chicagoland, IL, USA
Programs: WN CP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 14,189
Agreed. Never understood the dislike for MDW. Quick, easy, simple. Parking a breeze, especially third-party off-site, compared to ORD. Restaurants/pharmacy/gas stations/supermarkets right nearby if you need anything on the way in. If arriving by taxi/shuttle, you can be in the security line in 60 seconds at most. Orange Line downtown in 30 minutes or go anywhere in the system for $2.50.
Food sucks, though. And no lounges.
Food sucks, though. And no lounges.