Terminal Maps and Info - Airport History and Facts
Chicago Midway's Early MDW History
Chicago Midway Airport was first opened as a commercial airport in 1927, under the name Chicago Municipal Airport. Prior to this, the location served as a much smaller airspace for airmail services. The airport was renamed Chicago Midway in 1949, in rememberance of the Battle of Midway in 1942.
The Battle of Midway
Midway Atoll is a tiny cluster of islands located in the Pacific Ocean, roughly 2,200 nautical miles from Tokyo, and 2,800 nautical miles from San Francisco, placing it roughly 'midway' between Japan and the USA (hence the name).
The Battle of Midway took place in 1942 during the Second World War, and was a crucial deciding factor in weakening Japan's hold on the Pacific Ocean.
At Midway Airport, the Battle of Midway Memorial commemorates the men and women who fought in this battle, and also in WWII as a whole.
Chicago Midway Airport Facts and Statistics
- In September 2011 alone, planes using Midway Airport carried over 2,000 tonnes of cargo
- MDW's principal airline is Southwest
- The primary airports for flights departing or origin for flights arriving to MDW are Denver (DEN), Atlanta (ATL), Minneapolis (MN) and Orlando, FL (MCO).
