Chicago airports expect nearly 2 million travelers over July 4th Weekend

Travelers flock to O'Hare Airport as July 4th surge gets underway

Chicago’s airports are expecting over 1.86 million travelers this Fourth of July weekend, an 11% jump from last year.

CHICAGO - O’Hare and Midway airports are bracing for a busy Fourth of July Weekend, with more than 1.86 million travelers expected to pass through their terminals — an 11% increase over last year.

Airlines project travel will surge from today through Monday.

Chicago July 4th travel

By the numbers:

O'Hare will be dealing with the lion's share of travelers, with roughly 1.54 million people expected over the six-day period — up 11% from 2024 and 9% higher than 2019, the airport's busiest year on record.

Officials expect the busiest travel day at O'Hare to be on Sunday when over 300,000 passengers are expected to go through the airport. That's nearly 40% more passengers than O'Hare takes on a daily basis.

What they're saying:

"Whether it is our world-renowned festivals, our beautiful parks and beaches, or the many cultural and sporting events taking place, no city compares to what Chicago has to offer in the summertime," Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement. "From the moment travelers step off of a plane at O’Hare or Midway, we are ready to make them feel at home."

Kennedy Expressway delays

For those driving to O'Hare:

Travelers heading to O’Hare by car should be aware of ongoing construction on the Kennedy Expressway. The Illinois Department of Transportation is in the final phase of a reconstruction project scheduled for completion later this year.

While outbound express lanes are now open to O'Hare, travel time from downtown to the airport often takes over an hour.

Officials strongly recommend using public transportation options, including the CTA Blue Line and Metra, to avoid heavy congestion.