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O’Hare Anticipates One of the Busiest July 4 Weekends for Travel, With More Than 1.5M Passengers
A file photo of people walking at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. (Gabriel Ramos / iStock)
Chicago O’Hare International Airport is expected to see one of its busiest Fourth of July weekends this year, the Chicago Department of Aviation said Wednesday.
About 1.54 million travelers are expected to pass through O’Hare over the next six days, starting from Wednesday through Monday, according to a news release. The expected number of travelers is an 11% increase compared to last year’s Fourth of July weekend, according to city aviation officials.
The busiest day at O’Hare is expected to be Sunday. About 300,000 passengers are projected to pass through the airport Sunday, a nearly 40% surge from the airport’s daily average.
Chicago Midway International Airport is expecting to see about 320,000 passengers over the next six days, on par with last year’s numbers. Its busiest day is also projected to be Sunday, when 59,000 passengers are expected to pass through the airport.
City officials are asking travelers to arrive early to the airport as they may experience longer wait times at security checkpoints due to an increase in travelers.
Visitors and residents traveling through airports are also recommended to utilize public transportation, cell phone lots and ‘Kiss n’ Fly’ drop-off areas to help minimize traffic congestion.
Outbound express lanes on the Kennedy Expressway are now open to O’Hare, and can provide a quicker ride for motorists traveling between the Loop and the airport, according to a news release. Still, those driving to O’Hare on the Kennedy should expect significant delays, especially during peak hours, due to continued lane reductions related to the I-90/I-94 Kennedy Expressway reconstruction project.
Travel time from downtown Chicago to O’Hare on the Kennedy can exceed an hour.
The travel surge amid the Fourth of July holiday builds on early summer momentum as visitors arrive to attend major events and activities in the city, according to the aviation department. The NASCAR Chicago Street Race is scheduled to take place downtown this Fourth of July weekend.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]
