In 2024, Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) will establish a passenger lounge for the first time in its history. According to the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA), which operates O’Hare International Airport and MDW, “Club MDW will be available for all travellers regardless of airlines or class of service.”
Passengers will be able to use the lounge with a $50 day pass, or by becoming members of Priority Pass, a firm that gives access to independent airport lounges. Priority Pass has tiers of yearly membership costs ranging from $99 to $469 for the most premium level. Furthermore, the Midway lounge will provide complimentary food and beverages.
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The airport’s services are around 95% domestic and are dominated by Southwest Airlines. They have more than 90% market share at MDW. MDW, which has been in operation since 1927. It has never had a passenger lounge of the sort that has become customary at hub airports.
Construction timeline for the Chicago Midway International Airport lounge
Construction on the lounge is slated to begin early next year, with CDA eyeing a fall 2024 opening.
Currently, the three busiest airports in the United States without airport lounges are Chicago Midway (MDW), Dallas Love Field (DAL), and Houston Hobby (HOU). These are three of Southwest’s major hubs, and the airline does not run its own lounges. However, some Southwest travellers might benefit from lounges. Thus it is interesting that no lounge operator has bid on a lounge like this, at least until now.
Jamie Rhee, commissioner of the CDA, states that the “new lounge in the heart of Midway is the next step in elevating the passenger experience as Midway continues to see travel numbers that outpace pre-pandemic statistics.”
The 3,300-square-foot lounge will be positioned at the junction of MDW Concourses A and B. The design will “draw inspiration from Chicago’s rich architectural history, featuring high-contrast, monochromatic tones,” according to the CDA.
