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How Early to Get to Midway Airport 2026 Guide to Security and Check-In

How early to get to Midway Airport depends on your airline, your bags and the day you fly. Most travelers should arrive 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international one. This guide uses the latest 2026 wait time data to help you plan.

Book Online Now Midway Departures

Updated October 17, 2026 / By Midway Limo Service

Quick answer: Get to Midway 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international flight. That is the TSA and airline advice. Midway security lines are usually short: in August 2026 the average wait was under 3 minutes, but the longest wait hit 34 minutes. Add extra time on holiday weekends and for flights before 8 a.m.

How early to get to Midway Airport, by trip

Use this table to pick your arrival time. Times are before your flight's departure.

Your trip	Arrive at Midway	Why
Domestic flight, checking bags	2 hours	Time to drop bags before the cutoff and get through security
Domestic flight, carry-on only	90 minutes to 2 hours	No bag drop, but security can still back up at busy times
International flight (Mexico or the Caribbean)	3 hours	Earlier check-in cutoffs and passport checks
Thanksgiving week or holiday weekends	Add 30 to 60 minutes	More travelers, longer lines and busier roads
No REAL ID or passport	Add at least 30 minutes	Extra ID checks at security cause delays

Airline check-in and bag cutoffs at Midway

Miss your airline's cutoff and you may lose your seat, even if you are already in the terminal. These are the airlines that fly from Midway and their deadlines.

Airline	Check bags by	Be at the gate by
Southwest (domestic)	45 minutes before departure	10 minutes before departure
Southwest (international)	60 minutes before departure	Check your boarding pass
Delta (domestic)	Check in 30 minutes before	15 minutes before departure
Delta (international)	Check in 60 minutes before	45 minutes before departure
Frontier	Check-in and bag drop close 60 minutes before	Check your boarding pass
Allegiant	Check-in closes 45 minutes before	Check your boarding pass
Volaris (Mexico)	Usually 60 minutes before. Check with Volaris	Bring your passport

Southwest is the biggest airline at Midway and uses Concourses A and B. Delta, Volaris and Allegiant use Concourse A. Frontier uses Concourse C. Southwest also flies from Midway to Cancun, Montego Bay and Punta Cana.

Security

Midway TSA wait times in 2026

Midway publishes its TSA wait times each month. The numbers are good news for most flyers.

August 2026

Short Average Waits

Average wait: under 3 minutes
Average at peak times: 11 minutes
Longest wait: 34 minutes

July 2026

Busy Summer Travel

Average wait: under 4 minutes
Average at peak times: 14 minutes
Longest wait: 23 minutes

Busy Hours

When Lines Grow

Early mornings, about 5 to 8 a.m.
Late afternoons, about 4 to 7 p.m.
Sundays and holiday weekends

How security works at Midway

Midway has one main TSA checkpoint, on the bridge over Cicero Avenue between the terminal and the concourses
Once you are through, you can walk to Concourses A, B and C without going through security again
TSA PreCheck lanes are usually open from about 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check before a very early flight
CLEAR lanes are open from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the main terminal
Midway does not post live wait times online. The MyTSA app shows how busy the airport usually is at that hour

REAL ID rules in 2026

Since May 7, 2025, you need a REAL ID, a passport or another accepted ID to fly. REAL ID cards have a star in the top corner. If you have no accepted ID, TSA now charges a $45 Confirm.ID fee, which started on Feb 1, 2026. It covers 10 days of travel. Pay it online before you fly, and expect a longer wait at the checkpoint.

Flying from Midway for Thanksgiving 2026

Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov 26, 2026. It is the busiest travel week of the year. Last Thanksgiving, nearly 350,000 travelers passed through Midway in 7 days. TSA set its all-time record on the Sunday after Thanksgiving 2025, with more than 3.1 million people screened in one day across the country.

The busiest days are usually the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Nov 24 and 25
The Sunday after, Nov 29, is usually the busiest day to fly home
Arrive 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours before a domestic flight that week
Check bags early. Airline cutoffs do not change on busy days
Leave extra time for traffic on I-55 and Cicero Avenue

Christmas falls on a Friday this year, Dec 25, and New Year's Day on Friday, Jan 1. Plan for busy weekends around both.

How long it takes to get to Midway

Your arrival time only works if you leave home on time. Midway is about 10 miles southwest of the Loop.

From	Typical drive
Downtown Chicago (the Loop)	20 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic
Oak Lawn	15 to 20 minutes
Orland Park	25 to 30 minutes
Tinley Park	25 to 35 minutes
Bolingbrook	30 to 40 minutes
Naperville	35 to 45 minutes

The CTA Orange Line runs from the Loop to Midway in about 20 to 25 minutes. Driving yourself? The Terminal Garage costs up to $43 a day and the Economy Lot up to $15 a day. Drop-off is on the upper level at the Departures curb. You cannot wait at the curb, so drivers picking you up later should use the free Cell Phone Lot at 61st Street and Cicero Avenue.

Let us handle the timing

With our Midway departures ride, you give us your flight time and we set your pickup time. We plan for traffic and security, then drop you at the Departures curb by your airline. You skip the parking garage and the long walk.

Flat airport rides from $99 by SUV
Pickup time planned around your flight
Early morning pickups, any day of the week
Book your ride home at the same time, with flight tracking

Questions

Midway Arrival Time Questions

How early should I get to Midway Airport?

Arrive 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international flight. Add 30 to 60 minutes on holiday weekends.

Is 90 minutes enough time at Midway?

Often, yes, for a domestic flight with no checked bags. Midway security waits averaged under 3 minutes in August 2026. But peak waits can top 30 minutes, so 2 hours is the safer choice if you are checking bags.

How long is the security line at Midway?

Usually short. In August 2026 the average wait was under 3 minutes, the average at peak times was 11 minutes and the longest wait was 34 minutes.

When does Southwest stop checking bags at Midway?

For domestic flights, Southwest asks you to check bags at least 45 minutes before departure. For international flights it is 60 minutes. You need to be at the gate at least 10 minutes before departure.

What are the busiest times at Midway security?

Early mornings from about 5 to 8 a.m. and late afternoons from about 4 to 7 p.m. Sundays and holiday weekends are busier too.

Do I need a REAL ID to fly from Midway?

Yes, or another accepted ID like a passport. Without one, TSA charges a $45 Confirm.ID fee, which you should pay online before you fly. Expect a longer wait.

How early should I get to Midway for Thanksgiving?

Plan on 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours before a domestic flight. The Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after are usually the busiest days.

Does Midway have TSA PreCheck and CLEAR?

Yes. PreCheck lanes are usually open from about 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and CLEAR is open from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Where is drop-off at Midway?

Departures drop-off is on the upper level. Stop at the curb in front of your airline. Waiting at the curb is not allowed.

Plan Your Trip