A Day at Midway: Chicago's Other Spotting Airport

O'Hare gets all the attention, and for good reason, but Midway is the airport I find myself recommending to anyone visiting Chicago who wants to spot. It is smaller, it is wedged tightly into the city grid, and that tight footprint puts you closer to the action than you can usually get at a big hub. Here is how I spend a day spotting at MDW.

O'Hare vs Midway: Two Different Vibes

O'Hare is a sprawling global hub with widebodies from all over the world, but its sheer size keeps you far from the runways. Midway is the opposite. It is a compact field boxed in by neighborhoods on all sides, which means the runways and the airplanes are right there. The trade off is variety; Midway is overwhelmingly a domestic narrowbody airport, so if you want 777s and A350s, O'Hare is your spot. If you want frequent, close passes and an easygoing day, Midway wins.

Why Midway Is Great for Spotting

Because the airport is hemmed in by streets and parks, the public roads around it sit remarkably close to the action. You get tight approaches, low departures right over your head, and a constant rhythm of traffic without the long waits you sometimes get at a bigger field. The volume is genuinely impressive for a single main complex of runways, and the steady flow means you are rarely standing around for long. It is a fantastic place to practice panning and tracking because the airplanes come by so often.

Best Spots to Watch

The neighborhoods around the field offer several good vantage points depending on the wind and the active runway. Look for the public parks and quiet residential streets near the approach and departure ends, where you can frame aircraft low over the rooftops. The airport's own parking structure is a classic elevated option that gets you above some of the fences. Wherever you set up, pay attention to the active runway and the sun, and be respectful; these are people's neighborhoods, so park legally and keep driveways clear.

Getting There Is Half the Appeal

This is Midway's secret weapon: you can take the train straight to it. The CTA Orange Line runs from downtown Chicago right to the Midway station, which makes a spotting day refreshingly car free. Hop off the L, walk to your chosen spot, and you are watching airplanes within minutes. For anyone visiting the city without a rental car, that easy access is a huge part of why I send them to Midway over O'Hare.

What You Will See

Midway is a narrowbody machine. Expect a steady parade of 737s in particular, since the airport is a major base for low cost domestic flying, plus a healthy mix of other single aisle jets throughout the day. Keep your eyes open for the occasional business jet, since Midway has long been popular with corporate and charter traffic, and you will sometimes catch fractional and charter operators mixed in with the airliners. Every so often a diversion or a special charter wanders in and rewards the patient.

Timing and Light

As with any field, plan around the wind and the sun. Check which way the airport is running before you go, then pick a spot that puts the light behind you. Mornings and late afternoons give the warm, low angle light that makes liveries glow, while midday is harsher but still productive given how often aircraft come by. Because Midway stays busy across the day, you have a lot of flexibility to chase the best light rather than just the best traffic.

Make a Day of It

One of the joys of Midway is that it sits in a real, lived in part of the city, so you are never far from a taqueria, a coffee shop, or a bite to eat between movements. Grab lunch nearby, refuel, and head back out for the afternoon push. A relaxed pace suits this airport; it is just as much about enjoying a steady stream of airplanes in an unpretentious setting as it is about chasing rare metal.

A Few Photography Notes

The close quarters that make Midway fun also mean you will deal with fences and tight angles, so a lens hood and a little patience help. Shoot through gaps, get low to clean up your backgrounds, and use the neighborhood rooftops and trees as foreground when it suits the shot. The compactness is a feature, not a bug; lean into the urban context and you will come home with images that feel unmistakably Chicago.

Final Thoughts

If O'Hare is the headline act, Midway is the dependable local show you will keep going back to. It is close, it is busy, it is easy to reach, and it gives you airplanes at a distance that bigger airports rarely allow. Next time you are in Chicago with a camera, take the Orange Line south and give Midway an afternoon. I think it will surprise you.