Midway Airport

After 95 years, Midway Airport gets a lounge

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Chicago’s Midway Airport getting its first lounge

Each year, more than 22.7 million people fly through Chicago’s Midway International Airport (MDW).

But while they can access amenities that include a yoga room, permanent and temporary art exhibits, and a wide variety of dining and shopping outlets, there is no independent or airline-affiliated lounge.

And in the airport’s 95-year history, there has never been one.

But this time next year that should change.

The Club, which operates lounges in close to 20 US airports, is coming to MDW and will offer complimentary food and beverages and what is promised to be an “inviting, relaxing environment.”

The Club MDW will located in the airport’s Central Market area, at the intersection of Concourses A and B. And, like the other lounges in The Club’s network, will be available to all travelers, regardless of airline and class of service. Access will be available via the Priority Pass program or a $50/per visit fee.

Fun, helpful, quirky news from airports near you

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The social media team at StuckatTheAirport.com is updating our Twitter follow lists this week.

Here are some of the fun, useful, informative, and just plain cute airport tweets we spotted today.

Travel Tidbits from airports near you

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Please tune in Tuesday to part 2 of my ‘appearance’ on the Dallas Love Field podcast, Love Field Stories. We’ll be chatting about the great art collection at the airport and learning the stories behind some of the pieces.

Airport traditions are back: Flowers on Mother’s Day

Since 2009 (except for a pandemic pause) Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) has been handling out carnations to moms traveling through the airport on Mother’s Day. We’re glad to see the tradition continued this year.

Discounts for Military at O’Hare

During May active, retired, and veteran members of the US Military will be eligible for discounts at both O’Hare and Midway Airports.

Tuesday Travel Tidbits

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Hawaiian Airlines plans to offer free Wi-FI

Hawaiian Airlines has inked a deal with Starlink, the SpaceX satellite network, to provide complimentary high-speed internet onboard flights between the islands and the continental U.S, Asia, and Oceania as early as next year.

The airline plans to equip select Airbus A330 and A321neo aircraft, as well as an incoming fleet of Boeing 787-9s, with Starlink’s satellite internet connectivity service.

“We waited until technology caught up with our high standards for guest experience, but it will be worth the wait,” said Hawaiian Airlines President and CEO Peter Ingram, in a statement.

Free Coloring Books at O’Hare and Midway Airport

If you are passing through Chicago’s O’Hare or Midway Airport anytime soon, be sure to stop by an info desk to ask for one of the free activity and coloring books. The books are available in English and Spanish and can be downloaded as well.

Free stuff and prizes when you explore Indiana

Indiana

The deals team at Stuck at The Airport loves creative travel campaigns, free stuff, and prizes.

And Visit Indiana Week, which runs May 1-7, has it all.

Admission is free to all Indiana State Parks on May 1. That also happens to be the Hoosier State’s free fishing day as well.

Throughout the week, anyone who checks in using the Indiana State Nature Passport becomes eligible for a grand prize that includes a 2022 State Parks Pass, a $50 gift card for camping, and a subscription to Outdoor Indiana magazine.

Indiana also has a Culinary Trails  Passport and throughout May, anyone who checks in on the I Scream for Ice Cream Trail is eligible to win a gift card from one of the trail stops, courtesy of Indiana Foodways Alliance.

Restaurant Week at ORD & Midway Airports

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Chicago Restaurant Week is underway now through April 4, with special events and a wide variety of prix fixe menus offered throughout the city.

The food festival extends to Chicago’s airports.

Restaurants at both O’Hare and Midway Airports are offering special meal and drink pairings and there are chef demos and special events as well.

The airports are also sharing recipes and celebrating iconic dishes with short videos all week.

Here’s a sampling.

Ready for Halloween? Airports seem to be.

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We’ve been keeping an eye on how airports are gearing up to celebrate Halloween this year.

Pumpkin Palooza

In Chicago, O’Hare International and Midway Airports are hosting pumpkin carving contests.

Cute Canine Costumes

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) shared a photo of one of its its therapy dogs, Buddy Holly, in a Halloween costume.

We’ll be keeping watch for more.

Working on Halloween?

Denver International Airport (DEN) is sharing some Halloween-themed Zoom backgrounds.

Winning in Wichita

And Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) is having way too much fun with Halloween this year.

Room for more

Spot a great Halloween celebration at an airport? Please snap a photo and send it along.

Signs of the times: cool social distance signs at airports

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Signs and floor stickers reminding travelers to keep their distance in airport terminals are necessary right now.

We get that.

But at least some airports are giving their signs some local character.

In the sign above, you’ll see that Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is using Chinook salmon as a measuring tool. The airport has also enlisted the help of a moose and a Bald Eagle

These are animals locals will listen to.



Harrisburg International Airport (MDT), which is nearby Hershey Park in Pennsylvania, uses Kisses chocolates as their measuring tool.

We’re curious about how they figured out that 72 Kisses chocolates equals six feet and hope whomever was asked to lay the candies out to figure this out got to eat them.

Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF) has a long-running thing for plastic pink flamingos. So it makes sense that a flamingo pops up in the airport’s social distancing signs.

In Chicago, they use these cute floor stickers at O’Hare and Midway Airports to remind people to keep their distance.

And at San Diego International Airport (SAN) it makes sense that the measuring stick is a surfboard. Passengers are urged to stay at least one surfboard apart.

We’ll keep adding to this collection of creative airport social distance signs and stickers as new ones arrive.

If you see a one in your travels that you think fits, please snap a photo and send it along.

Finally! Unlimited free Wi-Fi now at O’Hare and Midway Airports

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Free Wi-FI at airport

They’re late the party, but last week the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) announced that unlimited free Wi-Fi from Boingo Wirelss is now available at O’Hare International and Midway International Airports.

Until now, free Wi-Fi at these airports was offered for just 30-minutes, but the system is now upgraded to a free, unlimited service that offers streaming capability, courtesy of advertisements that show up every 45 minutes.

Passengers still have the option of buying faster, ad-free Wi-Fi by buying a one-day pass or using a Boingo subscription.

Food fest at Chicago’s airports

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O’Hare International Airport’s second-annual Ticket to Taste takes place next week – on January 24, 2017 – and free tickets are available now.

The event takes place post-security in Terminal 5, but is open to anyone who nabs one of the tickets and show up between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m for entertainment, cooking demonstrations and discounted meals.

There’s even free parking

Participating restaurants include Hub 51, R.J. Grunts Burgers & Fries and The Goddess and Grocer along with Tortas Frontera by Rick Bayless and Tocco.

Details on getting tickets O’Hare’s Ticket to Taste are available here.

Can’t make it on the 24th? Don’t worry.

Ticket to Taste is the kick-off event for the Chicago Department of Aviation’s Airport Restaurant Week, which runs from January 27 through February 9 at both O’Hare and Midway airports and coincides with Chicago Restaurant Week.

Airport Restaurant Week includes live cooking demonstrations from airport chefs, celebrity guest chefs, and college student chefs as well as free samplings and discounts on special selections at 150 airport food establishments.

For schedules and more details about sampling schedules and specially-discounted meals during Restaurant Week at O’Hare and Midway click here.

Yum!

Air Carnival at O’Hare & Midway Airports

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ORD air carnival

Send in the clowns – well, at least the stilt walkers and the balloon-animal makers…

This summer Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway Airports are bringing back the Air Carnival – a program designed for children but certainly entertaining for all.

Air Carnival will feature face painting, balloon sculpting and stilt walkers at various spots in the terminals each week, as well as music, free food samples (including cheesecake and cotton candy) and appearances by Ronald McDonald, Mr. Potato Head and Anna, Elsa and Olaf from Disney’s popular movie, “Frozen”.

MIDWAY BALLOON SCULPTING

The Air Carnival will take place each Thursday in Midway Airport and each Friday in O’Hare from June 16th through August 12th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Air Carnival kicks off today (Wednesday, June 15) at Midway with The Chicago Blues All Stars playing in the Midway Boulevard food court starting at 12:30 p.m.

You can see the full schedule for Air Carnival activities scheduled at O’Hare here and at Midway here.