Midway vs O'Hare: Which Chicago Airport Should You Use?

Midway vs O'Hare: The Quick Answer

Midway (MDW) is 8 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. O'Hare (ORD) is 17 miles northwest. For limo transfers, Midway runs $75 flat from downtown versus $95 from O'Hare. Drive times: Midway 20-30 minutes off-peak, O'Hare 30-40 minutes off-peak. Midway is closer for Loop, western, and southwest suburban trips. O'Hare wins from the North Shore and northwest suburbs.

Most Chicago travelers compare the two airports for limo pricing and pick the wrong one. The actual cost depends on three things: pickup location, vehicle tier, and time of day.

Bottom line:

• ORD is closer if you're north or northwest — Schaumburg, Itasca, Arlington Heights, Park Ridge
• Midway is closer for south and southwest — Naperville, Bolingbrook, Tinley Park, Oak Lawn
• Limo flat rates from Midway start at $75 vs $95 for O'Hare on most downtown trips
• Travel time differs 15-25 minutes depending on origin

This guide covers exact pricing from major Chicago suburbs, vehicle options, and when to fly out of which airport based on your starting point.

Flat-Rate Limo Pricing: ORD vs Midway

From	ORD (Sedan)	ORD (SUV)	MDW (Sedan)	MDW (SUV)
Downtown Chicago	$79	$115	$75	$109
Schaumburg	$89	$135	$129	$179
Naperville	$95	$149	$89	$135
Oak Brook	$95	$135	$89	$129
Bolingbrook	$109	$159	$89	$129
Tinley Park	$129	$179	$89	$129
Aurora	$115	$159	$99	$145
North Shore (Winnetka)	$115	$169	$135	$189
Milwaukee suburbs	$209	$269	$239	$299

All flat rates include gratuity, tolls, parking, and meet-and-greet at the airport. No peak pricing ever.

Book an airport limo or call (224) 801-3090.

Travel Time Differences

ORD vs Midway from common Chicago origins:

From	ORD travel time	MDW travel time	Closer airport
Schaumburg	25 min	50 min	ORD
Naperville	35 min	30 min	MDW (slightly)
Downtown	30 min	25 min	MDW
Tinley Park	50 min	25 min	MDW
Winnetka	30 min	50 min	ORD
Aurora	40 min	35 min	MDW

Don't just look at distance — factor in Tollway vs surface streets, time of day (rush hour matters), and whether there's parking at your origin point.

Distance From Each Major Chicago Destination

If you're staying downtown or visiting a specific Chicago landmark, here's how the two airports compare on raw mileage:

Destination	From ORD	From MDW	Closer
The Loop	18 mi	9 mi	MDW
Magnificent Mile	19 mi	11 mi	MDW
Navy Pier	19 mi	11 mi	MDW
McCormick Place	22 mi	8 mi	MDW
United Center	15 mi	9 mi	MDW
Wrigley Field	17 mi	14 mi	MDW
Hyde Park	26 mi	9 mi	MDW
Northwestern University (Evanston)	17 mi	23 mi	ORD
O'Hare-area hotels	<1 mi	23 mi	ORD

For 80% of downtown and South Side destinations, Midway wins on distance. The exceptions are anywhere north of the Loop and the northwest corridor along I-90.

Vehicle Options for Airport Runs

Vehicle	Capacity	Hourly	Best for
Lincoln Continental Sedan	3	$85/hr	Solo executive, single bag
Cadillac Escalade ESV	6	$115/hr	Family, multi-bag, group
Mercedes Sprinter	12-14	$149/hr	Wedding party, sports team
Stretch Limo	8-10	$199/hr	Bachelor/bachelorette, formal events
Mini bus	16-20	$229/hr	Corporate group, larger family
Motorcoach	40-56	$299/hr	Conference shuttle, large group

For a typical solo airport run, the Lincoln Continental sedan handles 99% of cases. Upgrade to Escalade ESV when you have 4+ bags or 4+ passengers.

Flight Tracking & Free Wait Time

This is where limo service beats rideshare reliably:

• Real-time flight tracking — your driver pulls up exactly when you land, not 30 minutes later
• Free wait time — flight delayed 90 minutes? No peak pricing, no surcharge, your driver is there
• Curbside pickup — driver meets you at the door, helps with bags
• Meet-and-greet inside (premium option) — driver meets you at baggage claim with sign

Rideshare has none of this. A 90-minute delay on Uber means you wait for a driver to accept the ride after you land, then they drive 15-25 minutes to your terminal.

When ORD vs MDW Matters

Choose ORD when:

• Flying long-haul international (more direct routes)
• Your origin is north or northwest Chicago suburbs
• You want a wider choice of carriers (American, United hubs)

Choose Midway when:

• Flying domestic Southwest (most flights)
• Your origin is south or southwest Chicago suburbs
• You want shorter security lines (typically faster than ORD)

For limo cost specifically: from south or southwest suburbs, MDW is consistently $20-50 cheaper than ORD. From north or northwest suburbs, ORD is consistently cheaper.

Which Should I Fly Into? Decision by Where You Live

Skip the map math. Find your area below — this is the airport we'd put you in if you called dispatch and asked.

Fly O'Hare (ORD) if you're in:

• North Shore — Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Highland Park. ORD is 25-35 min via I-94; Midway adds 15-25 min crossing the city. (See our O'Hare to Evanston run.)
• Northwest corridor (I-90) — Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Arlington Heights, Itasca, Park Ridge. ORD is barely 20-30 min out. The O'Hare to Schaumburg sedan is $89-$99; the Midway version is $40+ more and 20 min longer.
• DuPage north — Itasca, Wood Dale, Bensenville sit almost on O'Hare's doorstep.
• Any international or long-haul flight — ORD's carrier mix wins regardless of where you start.

Fly Midway (MDW) if you're in:

• The Loop, South Loop, Hyde Park, Bronzeville — MDW is 8-9 miles out, a 20-30 min run. From downtown the Midway to downtown sedan is $75 vs $79 to ORD (see the rate table above).
• Western suburbs (I-55 / I-88) — Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook, Oak Brook. The Naperville to Midway sedan is $89; ORD from Naperville runs $95-$115 and 5-15 min longer.
• South and southwest — Orland Park, Tinley Park, Oak Lawn, Frankfort, Mokena. Midway is 20-30 min; ORD means 45-55 min and a $40-$50 premium.

Either works — pick on price if you live in:

• Wrigleyville / Lincoln Park / North Center — ORD 17 mi, MDW 14 mi. Close enough that the cheaper flight wins.
• West Loop / Near West Side — a near-tie at 15-16 mi either direction.

The honest rule: north of the Loop, fly O'Hare. The Loop and everything south or west of it, fly Midway. Both get the same flat rate, the same flight tracking, and the same chauffeur — see the full Chicago airport limo service menu for every route and vehicle.

Cheapest Way From Midway to O'Hare (And Vice Versa)

A surprising number of Chicago travelers need to get between the two airports — connecting flights, lost-bag retrieval, or split-airline trips. Your options:

• Limo flat rate: $89 sedan or $129 SUV, direct, 35-50 minutes depending on traffic. Includes meet-and-greet and wait time. Best for tight connections.
• Rideshare: $40-70 base, surge-prone, no flight tracking. Risky for under-2-hour connections.
• CTA Blue Line + Orange Line: $2.50, but 90+ minutes door-to-door with a transfer through downtown. Only if you have 3+ hours.
• Taxi: $55-80 metered, no flat rate, no flight tracking.

For a connecting flight under 3 hours apart, book a limo. The $89 flat rate is cheaper than a missed flight rebooking fee.

Booking Lead Time

• Same-day: usually available, especially mid-day. Call (224) 801-3090.
• Next-day: always available unless a major event is in town
• Holiday weekends: 1-2 weeks out (Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas)
• Mondays at 5 AM: book by Sunday afternoon (busiest slot of the week)

Why Limo vs Rideshare for Airport

The honest math at $89 ORD flat rate vs Uber Comfort with surge (~$60-100 typical, $147 with surge):

• Reliability: never surge, vehicle is always there
• Quality: late-model sedan/SUV, professional chauffeur in suit
• Wait time: flight tracking + free wait — Uber penalizes 5+ min waits
• Recourse: dedicated dispatch at (224) 801-3090 if anything goes wrong

For airport runs specifically, limo isn't expensive — it's predictable. Predictable matters more than cheap when you're trying to make a flight.

More Than Airport Transfers

The same chauffeurs and fleet that handle your ORD and MDW runs cover the rest of Chicago:

• Chicago black car service — executive sedans for daily meetings, client pickups, and a clean ride downtown when you're not flying.
• Chicago party bus rental — 20-40 passenger buses with LED lighting and a bar for bachelor parties, brewery tours, and game nights.
• Chicago wedding limo — stretch limos and Sprinters for the bridal party, with one dispatcher coordinating every vehicle.
• Full airport limo menu and flat-fare pricing — every route, every vehicle, every fare in one place.

Booking between the two airports? See the O'Hare to downtown and Midway to downtown flat rates, or get the Cadillac Escalade for groups with luggage.

Book an airport limo — same-day usually available.