Uptick in Memorial Day travel expected
It's go time at O'Hare and Midway International airports as Memorial Day weekend travel takes off.
A projected 1.5 million passengers are expected to use either of the two airports between Thursday and Tuesday, the Chicago Department of Aviation reports.
The numbers represent a 2.8 percent increase from fliers in 2011.
At O'Hare, the country's second busiest airport, 1.04 million travelers will spend time over the holiday, representing a 2.5 percent uptick from 2011. Thursday should prove the most crowded day at O'Hare with 260,000 passengers anticipated.
Midway should see a 3.5 percent bump from 2011 with 440,000 fliers touching down and taking off. The busiest day at the South Side airport this weekend is Friday with 67,000 travelers projected.
Because of the volume of air traffic, passengers are advised to arrive two hours in advance of domestic flights and three hours ahead of international flights.
Families traveling with children at O'Hare can take advantage of the “Kids on the Fly” recreational area at Terminal 2 and the “Play it Safe” site at the International Terminal.
For more information, check out www.ohare.com.