COMMISSIONER'S PAGE
A winter welcome from Chicago!
On behalf of Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) welcomes you to Chicago!
We all have much to be thankful for and to look forward to in this new year: connecting with family and friends, traveling for business, or a much-needed vacation. Happily, our City operates two great international airports that serve the needs of millions of travelers worldwide.
The safety and security of our customers is CDA’s number one priority, and that is especially important during this busy and bustling time of year. We are committed to providing safe and efficient terminal facilities, best-in-class services and amenities, sustainability practices, and opportunities for local and minority-owned concessionaires and service providers of all sizes.
Our airports — O’Hare and Midway — continue to serve as economic engines for the City of Chicago.For the fourth year in a row, O’Hare was ranked the most-connected airport in North America — and number three worldwide. We have added nearly30 new international routes in the past 22 months, and Chicago is one of only six cities in the world where someone can catch a direct fight to any of the six inhabited continents of the globe. O’Hare’s connectivity is only positioned to grow with O’Hare 21 — the $8.5 billion capital improvement program that will transform the passenger experience from curb to gate and allow all three major airline alliances to co-locate within their own terminals — ready for takeoff.
And Midway’s convenience and reputation for a great passenger experience continues to be enhanced through the Midway Modernization Program (MMP). Halfway into the program there is already increased security screening capacity, new locally-based food and beverage, and retail locations, and other capital improvements that have created 3,600 local jobs.
These two massive undertakings represent a nearly $9 billion investment in the future of our airports and the passenger experience for millions.
As you travel through O’Hare and Midway, take some time to enjoy our award-winning concessions and exciting shops throughout the terminals.
Again, on behalf of Mayor Lightfoot, we wish you safe journeys and a Happy New Year!
Jamie L. Rhee
Commissioner
Chicago Department of Aviation
