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Car hire at Chicago Midway Airport - Gateway to Illinois

Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) is the second-busiest airport in the state of Illinois and serves passengers flying to destinations right across North America and beyond. Situated just ten miles south-west of Chicago city centre, it has the advantage of being reached in less than thirty minutes using the ultra-efficient CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) Orange Line buses, regional buses and the city's downtown/suburban shuttles.

Handling around 22 million passengers each year, Chicago Midway Airport held the distinction of being the world's busiest airport between 1932 and 1961, after which Chicago O'Hare Airport emerged as the city's main international gateway. Since then, MDW has been operating as a suitable alternative for cost-conscious travellers and their families with a more competitive fares policy to dozens of popular holiday destinations.

Chicago (America's third-largest city) is a diverse metropolis with a thriving arts scene, bustling shopping districts and an exhaustive selection of bars and restaurants to offer. The best city views can be enjoyed from the top of the Willis Tower and John Hancock Center, both of which have large observation decks promising breathtaking 360-degree vistas. Other Chicago city highlights include the Art Institute of Chicago, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium and the fabulous Field Museum.

With a car hire from Chicago Midway Airport you can see all the city's sights (and there are many) before heading out into the glorious state of Illinois to enjoy a series of fun-filled day-trips. A 90-minute drive along the shores of Lake Michigan takes you to Milwaukee, a very picturesque city with a host of top tourist attractions, most notably the excellent Milwaukee Art Museum set in a stylish building. Other options include Davenport (two-and-a-half hours away by car) and South Bend, a city famous for its Farmers' Market and fascinating History Museum.

For almost 70 years, Auto Europe has been one of the leaders of the international car rental industry. We offer the highest quality of service at more than 28,000 locations in 190 popular destinations all over the world, including Chicago. Our main focus is to offer our clients not only the best car hire deals on the market but also a personalised, customer-orientated online experience featuring a user-friendly booking engine which lists the lowest rates of all the top international and local car hire suppliers.

For help with your booking, please feel free to get in touch with our rental specialists who are always ready to serve you and help you find the cheapest prices in the Windy City. For more information about visiting Chicago and the rest of the USA by car, please consult our USA Driving Guide for tips on paying tolls, finding petrol stations, age restrictions, driving distances, etc. Please also visit our Chicago car hire reviews page to see the user ratings and comments posted by previous Auto Europe customers in the city.

Airport Information

Located on the south-west side of the city, just 12 miles (19 kilometres) from the Loop business district, Chicago Midway Airport is second only to O'Hare in terms of passenger numbers in the state of Illinois. Originally built in 1923, it covers a total area of over a square mile - 650 acres or 260 hectares - and has five runways, three concourses and an extensive range of on-site services and amenities. Named in honour of the Battle of Midway, a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II in 1942, it served as Chicago's primary airport until the opening of O'Hare in 1955.

Chicago Midway Airport (MDW)
Address: 5700 S Cicero Ave, Chicago, IL 60638, USA
Telephone: +1 773 838 0600
Airlines operating at Chicago Midway Airport: The list of the most important airlines operating at Chicago Airport includes Allegiant Air, Avelo Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection, Frontier Airlines, Porter Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Volaris.

Where to pick up my car hire at Chicago Midway Airport

To pick up your car rental at Chicago Midway Airport, just head for the dedicated car rental centre located at 5150 West 55th Street, which is in very close proximity to the terminals. A free shuttle bus to the car rental desks is available from right outside the Arrivals Hall, very close to the lower level door 2 outside the Baggage Claim section. The shuttle operates around the clock with departures every 15 minutes.

Car hire operating hours

	Avis at Chicago Midway Airport 5150 West 55th Street, Chicago, USA 60638 +1 773 948 7001	Opening Hours: Daily 7am-10pm
	Budget at Chicago Midway Airport 5150 West 55th Street, Chicago, USA60638 +1 773 948 7002	Opening Hours: Daily 7am-10pm
	Hertz at Chicago Midway Airport 5150 West 55th Street Chicago, USA 60638 +1 773 735 7272	Opening Hours: Daily 6am-midnight

Terminals

Completed in 2001, Chicago Midway Airport's impressive terminal complex has a total of 43 aircraft gates on three concourses. Concourse A has 17 gates, Concourse B has 23 gates and Concourse C has 3 gates. It is a world-class air transportation facility with first-rate shopping, fine dining and state-of-the art technology.

Airport Facilities

The airport provides award-winning and comprehensive facilities and services, including shops and restaurants to cater for all needs. There are a number of additional amenities to help passengers relax and fly more comfortably, such as a yoga room where travellers can mediate, practice or unwind before or after a flight. The Mother's Room in Concourse C provides nursing mothers with a private space to breast-feed, plus there are a few hotels nearby offering high-quality accommodation for those requiring an extended stay or seeking somewhere to rest in-between flights. Passengers interested in art will see many ​exhibits en route through the airport, as well as the Battle of Midway exhibit, which is one of the most popular areas in MDW. Facilities and services for disabled travellers and for treating medical emergencies are also available.

How to get to and from Chicago Midway Airport

MDW is very well designed and passengers who rent a car at Chicago Midway Airport are often surprised at how easy it is to navigate their way out of the airport and head for the town centre. An efficient shuttle bus connects the airport with Chicago O'Hare every hour from early morning until late at night, departing from the Midway Transportation Center which is located at the eastern part of the terminal building and connected by a walkway. Bolstered by the rapid transit services operating to the Loop, Chicago Midway has become an increasingly vital component in the city's vast transportation system. From MDW, passengers can also catch a train to the city centre and other destinations in the vicinity of Greater Chicago. Midway is served by the Chicago Transit Authority’s 'L' trains which run to downtown Chicago and the Loop with a travel time of around 20-25 minutes. The CTA Orange Line is the one that serves both downtown Chicago and Midway Airport, and passengers arriving at Chicago Midway can board Orange Line trains at the Midway Transportation Center. Licensed taxis are metered and are located at the airport's cab rank and departures area, with a typical journey time of around 30 minutes either into or out of the centre of Chicago (outside the morning and evening rush hour).

Parking Tips

Chicago is a very popular destination for visitors, especially in and around the Millennium Park area where a range of options exist, such as the Millennium Park Garage, Millennium Lakeside Garage, Grant Park North Garage, Grant Park South Garage, Aon Center Garage and Michigan Plaza Garage. On-street parking is available but in high demand, so if you do find a space, be sure to check the local street signs to find out if a residential permit is required or if parking is not disallowed during certain hours for street cleaning, rush-hour traffic, etc. Parking is handled by one-per-block kiosks, which require you to enter your license plate number. The kiosks will accept coins or credit cards. If the kiosk fails for any reason, there should be a phone number to call to report it and ensure you don't receive an undeserved ticket. If you are going to be doing a lot of street parking, there is a ParkChicago app that allows you to pay for parking with your phone. There are several short- and long-term parking options available for travellers who book a car hire at Chicago Midway Airport and need to leave it there a while, with a large car park offering direct access to the airport's main terminal building.

Useful links

Chicago Midway Airport