CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) – The Chicago Department of Aviation is preparing for a busy and safe travel weekend this Memorial Day.
While numbers still remain below 2019 travel figures, O’Hare International Airport is expecting to see 827,000 passengers pass through between Thursday, May 27 and Tuesday, June 1– an increase of 565 percent over the same period last year, based on projections from airline carriers.
Meanwhile, Midway International Airport will see an additional 224,000 passengers, an increase of 433 percent, over the holiday weekend.
“As Chicago’s airports see increased numbers of passengers, there is no greater priority than providing a safe and secure environment for travelers and employees alike,” said CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee, in a statement. “We are anticipating the increases during this Memorial Day travel period and upcoming summer months, and we remind everyone that although COVID-19 restrictions have been relaxed in some settings, Chicago’s airports still require face coverings.”
Before heading to the airports this Memorial Day, travelers are encouraged to visit www.flychicago.com for information on current travel requirements.
The Chicago Department of Aviation has been in close contact with federal and public health partners at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) to strictly adhere to their recommendations to combat COVID-19 at Chicago’s airports. These measures include:
• enhanced cleaning and sanitation of all surfaces in accordance with all CDC guidance;
• ventilation that exceeds CDC recommendations;
• hundreds of new hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the airports, as well as hundreds of Plexiglas barriers to ensure passenger and employee safety;
• hundreds of social distancing markers on floors in areas where lines form;
• public address announcements in English, Spanish and Polish.
CONCESSIONS/AMENITIES
Food, beverages and essentials are available at both airports with safety protocols in place to continue to ensure the traveling public’s safety. Additional contactless payment options are available.
PARKING UPDATES
Both airports feature ample public parking capacity, but O’Hare’s Terminal 5 parking lot is experiencing some limitations during peak periods. Passengers parking and flying out of Terminal 5 are encouraged to check www.flychicago.com/T5Parking for real-time updates and allow extra time to park at alternate parking lots.
At Midway, message board display signs direct passengers to access available parking off of Cicero Avenue and also provides shuttle service to move passengers quickly and efficiently to the terminal. Additional signage at Midway is utilized throughout the new checkpoint area to guide travelers through the new configuration. Traffic updates are also available on Midway’s Radio Station (1630 AM) within a one-mile radius of the airport.
GROUND TRANSPORTATION
The CDA and the Transportation Security Administration encourage passengers to arrive at the airport two hours before domestic departures and three hours ahead of international departures to ensure adequate time for ticketing, baggage check, security screening and travel to the airline gate.
Train service on Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) via the Orange and Blue Lines provides passengers an affordable, efficient route between downtown and the airports, with service offered 24/7.
For passenger pick-up, drivers are reminded it is illegal to stand along airport and surrounding roadways and shoulders. Ongoing construction on the arrivals curbsides at Terminals 1, 2 and 3 has reduced overall curbside capacity. Drivers are encouraged to utilize airport cell phone lots, as well as the convenient hourly parking garages, which allow drivers to park for up to one hour for $3 at O’Hare and $5 at Midway, to avoid traffic congestion. When picking up passengers, please watch for construction on the lower level arrival areas in Terminals 1, 2 and 3. Pay extra attention in these areas, as traffic patterns have changed.
MEMORIAL DAY
In remembrance this Memorial Day, red, white and blue wreaths are on display at the Butch O’Hare exhibit in O’Hare’s Terminal 2. At Midway, a wreath is on display at the Battle of Midway exhibit on Concourse A and flags are posted in various locations to observe the holiday.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The public is reminded that access to airport terminals at both O’Hare and Midway International Airports is restricted at all times to ticketed passengers, those assisting passengers, badged employees, and others with legitimate airport business.
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