O'Hare and Midway Expect More Than 1.7M Passengers During Memorial Day Weekend

Flying out of town for the Memorial Day weekend? Arrive early and be prepared to stand in security lines.The Chicago Department of Aviation anticipates more than 1.7 million passengers will travel through O’Hare and Midway International Airports from May 26 through May 31.

Due to extended Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint wait times, the city’s aviation department advises travelers to arrive at least two hours before domestic flights, and three hours before international flights.

• Related: Midway Opens TSA PreCheck Enrollment Center

Overall, Midway anticipates 393,000 passengers passing through the Southwest Side airport during the six-day Memorial Day weekend travel period, a 4-percent increase over 2015. The city’s aviation department projects Friday, May 27, to be the peak travel day, with 74,000 passengers passing through.

During the next six days, O’Hare passenger volume is expected to reach 1.3 million, about the same level of passengers as the last year’s Memorial Day weekend. CDA anticipates O’Hare’s peak travel day to be Tuesday, May 31, with nearly 250, 000 passengers.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the federal government’s recent additions to TSA resources have already made an impact after O’Hare’s security bottleneck earlier this month.

This included nine new TSA canine teams, more than 250 new TSA screeners, shifting 150 TSA staff to full-time and tripling the amount of overtime authorized for TSA staff in Chicago, the city’s aviation department said in a news release.

Both airports have pledged to continue working on additional solutions to reduce TSA wait times and improve the passenger experience over the coming months.

Travelers can help expedite security screenings by limiting carry-on bags (you’re allowed two and a purse counts as a carry-on). If you’re flying out, visit TSA's website for travel tips and security updates.

If you’re a frequent flier for business or pleasure, consider enrolling in a trusted traveler program, such as TSA PreCheck or GlobalEntry to get through security checkpoints faster.