Informational video about the Chicago Airport System

Awards Received by the Chicago Airport System

Biography - Richard L. Rodriguez, Commissioner, Department of Aviation

Bike to the Airport

The Chicago Airport System - comprised of two major airports, Chicago O’Hare and Midway International - is the centerpiece of the nation’s aviation network. The airports are owned and operated by the City of Chicago. The Department of Aviation is responsible for the management, planning, design, operation and maintenance of O’Hare and Midway. The Chicago Airport System is fully self-supporting and receives no local taxpayers dollars.

An executive staff of nearly 25 people oversees an extended staff of approximately 2,000 employees who maintain the daily operations of the Chicago Airport System.

In 2006, 56 passenger carriers operating out of 178 gates carried more than 76.5 million passengers at O'Hare.

In January, 2007, it was announced that O'Hare International Airport won the Global Traveler Award for Best Airport in North America. O'Hare was awarded this honor by readers that participated in a survey that ran in the magazine from February 2006 to August 2006. O’Hare International Airport was voted in November 2004 "Best Airport in North America" in Business Traveler Magazine’s Annual Reader Survey for the seventh consecutive year. Midway International Airport was awarded the 2004 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Public Innovator Award for Physical Design. The Department of Aviation is committed to continually improving and enhancing Chicago’s airports.

This site provides both general information about our airports and specific information related to your travel plans. It includes airline locations and contact numbers, concession information, parking rates, transportation to and from the airports, and much more. The site also includes fun and interesting information, such as the history of Chicago O’Hare and Midway International Airports; the story of O’Hare International Airport’s namesake, Butch O’Hare, as well as Bessie Coleman’s story and other educational facts.