Midway Airport

airport, Chicago, Illinois, United States

Also known as: Municipal Airport

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Last updated

July 17, 2026

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Midway Airport is one of the busiest airports in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It was established in the 1920s as Municipal Airport and was renamed Midway Airport in 1949 to honor the critical 1942 Allied naval victory in the Pacific. While it was once the busiest airport in the country, it has since become a regional hub, with O'Hare International Airport handling more traffic. Midway Airport is located on the Southwest Side of Chicago.1

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Chicago
Transportation
…the 1920s the city established Municipal Airport on the Southwest Side, which quickly developed into one of the country’s busiest air hubs. However, by the end of the 1950s, the advent of jet airliners and their requirement of longer runways threatened to make landlocked Municipal obsolete. After long debate, the…
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…the 1920s the city established Municipal Airport on the Southwest Side, which quickly developed into one of the country’s busiest air hubs. However, by the end of the 1950s, the advent of jet airliners and their requirement of longer runways threatened to make landlocked Municipal obsolete. After long debate, the…
Read More