Airports Brace for 2M Memorial Day Travelers

The Chicago Department of Aviation said this week that more than 2 million passengers were expected to pass through O’Hare and Midway international airports during the Memorial Day travel period, making it one of the city’s busiest holiday stretches of the year. Local reports citing the agency said the forecast covered the long weekend travel window beginning Thursday, with the largest share of passengers moving through O’Hare. The increase comes as Chicago enters the summer travel season and as airport officials prepare for heavier traffic at terminals, checkpoints and roadways serving both airports. Reports from CBS Chicago, NBC Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times all cited the same broad forecast from the aviation department. ### How many people are expected at each airport? O’Hare is expected to handle about 1.75 million passengers during the holiday travel stretch, according to the Chicago Sun-Times and NBC Chicago, both citing the Chicago Department of Aviation. Midway is expected to see about 292,000 passengers, which rounds to roughly 300,000 in television reports on the weekend rush. (cbsnews.com) The Chicago Department of Aviation has used a Thursday-to-Tuesday holiday window in prior Memorial Day forecasts, including its official 2025 and 2024 releases. In 2025, the city said it expected more than 1.86 million travelers over Memorial Day weekend, and in 2024 it projected more than 1.67 million passengers. ### How much bigger is this than last year? (chicago.suntimes.com) The 2026 O’Hare forecast is about 15% above the comparable 2025 Memorial Day period, the Sun-Times and NBC Chicago reported, citing the aviation department. Midway’s traffic is projected to rise about 3% from a year earlier, according to the Sun-Times report. The year-over-year increase follows a broader rise in traffic at Chicago’s airports. (chicago.gov) In March, the Chicago Department of Aviation said it expected more than 3.76 million passengers at O’Hare and Midway during the spring break travel period, with O’Hare alone projected to post a 13% increase from 2025. ### When are the busiest days expected to hit? Thursday was expected to be the busiest day at O’Hare at the start of the Memorial Day rush, according to local coverage citing airport projections. (chicago.suntimes.com) Midway was expected to see its heaviest passenger volume on Monday, when many holiday travelers return. CBS Chicago reported on May 22 that holiday travel was already underway at both airports. (chicago.gov) NBC Chicago separately reported that travelers should expect longer-than-usual wait times as the weekend began. ### What are officials telling travelers to do? The Chicago Department of Aviation has repeatedly urged passengers during major holiday periods to arrive early and to consider public transit to avoid roadway congestion around the terminals. (internewscast.com) In its prior Memorial Day guidance, the department pointed travelers to the CTA Blue Line for O’Hare, the CTA Orange Line for Midway and the FlyChicago website for checkpoint and airport information. (cbsnews.com) Chicago’s airport system has been preparing for larger seasonal volumes for more than a year. In March 2025, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the aviation department said airlines had scheduled nearly 17.8 million departing seats from June through August, which the city described as the busiest summer season in the airports’ history. ### What comes next after the holiday weekend? (chicago.gov) Monday remains the key return-travel day at Midway, according to local reports on the holiday rush, while O’Hare’s heaviest outbound push came at the start of the period. Travelers seeking updates on checkpoint conditions, roadway access and airport services can use FlyChicago and airline-specific alerts as the Memorial Day travel window runs through the end of the weekend period cited by the Chicago Department of Aviation. (chicago.gov) (internewscast.com)