Welcome to Chicago!

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On behalf of the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), welcome to O’Hare and Midway International Airports. It’s an exciting time for Chicago’s airports, and we’re happy you’re here to be a part of it!

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Thanks to Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot’s steady and sensible leadership with a focus on equitable recovery, Chicago’s airports had a great summer and are ready for a sensational fall.

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Passenger traffic is gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels, with lots of exciting updates on the horizon for our terminals that will make the travel experience better than ever.

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Several major construction projects are wrapping up at O’Hare this year. Our Terminal 5 expansion will bring new gates and amenities this fall, our Lower Level Utilities and Pavement Repairs project just wrapped up road work in the Arrivals lanes, and crews have finished two years of pavement repairs and structural support work on the Main Parking Garage. Learn more about these exciting improvements in the At the Airports section (pg. 46 to 49).

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Our airport community was also thrilled to host the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) and the group’s 37th annual Airport Business Diversity Conference this summer in downtown Chicago. You can find a recap of this year’s conference, with the theme “Redefining Aviation Opportunities Together,” on pg. 51.

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The theme, “Redefining Aviation Opportunities Together,” focuses on how airports do business to keep diversity and inclusion in the forefront. The opportunities in aviation are endless, and AMAC is dedicated to advancing the full participation of minorities and women in employment and contracting opportunities throughout the aviation industry.

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The CDA is also looking forward to hosting the Airports Going Green (AGG) Conference in Chicago from November 14-16 in partnership with the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE). Learn more about the conference, which will highlight sustainability efforts in the aviation industry, on pg. 57.

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Thank you for reading, and for choosing to fly to O’Hare and Midway.

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Sincerely,
Jamie L. Rhee
Commissioner
Chicago Department of Aviation