HOLIDAY CHEER TAKES FLIGHT

CDA collects over 1,800 Letters to Santa at O'Hare, Midway

The Letters to Santa mailboxes installed last month at O’Hare and Midway International Airports collected more than 1,800 postcards from travelers of all ages who wanted to send their holiday wishes to the North Pole!

Letters that included a mailing address received a response by mail, while those that included an email received a digital response from Santa Claus himself.

Chicago's airports welcome nearly 4.8 million travelers this holiday season

The CDA is welcoming nearly 4.8 million passengers at O’Hare and Midway during the year-end holiday travel period between Dec. 19 and Jan. 5, based on airline projections. That total marks a nearly 6% increase from 2024’s holiday season.

O’Hare is expected to welcome more than 4 million passengers, an average of nearly 224,000 travelers per day and a 7.5% increase from the 2024 holiday season. At Midway, airline projections show nearly 770,000 passengers are expected, averaging about 42,000 travelers per day over the holiday season.

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LOOKING BACK ON A HISTORIC YEAR

Celebrating the CDA’s biggest accomplishments in 2025

There’s no denying that 2025 was a historic year for Chicago’s airports.

As the year draws to a close, the CDA put together a Top 10 list to celebrate some of the biggest accomplishments at O’Hare and Midway:

1. ORDNext and the Groundbreaking of The New Concourse D
2. Midway Runway 13L-31R Rehab
3. O’Hare’s Busiest Summer Ever
4. New Concessions at O'Hare and Midway
5. Papa Blu
6. Midway Family Nights
7. Sensory Campaign
8. World Class Connectivity
9. Eno AirMAX Conference
10. Snow Removal Operations

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Celebrating 70 years of 'O'Hare Moments'

For more than 70 years of commercial air travel, O’Hare has been the stage for some of life’s biggest moments, from first flights to marriage proposals and everything in between. To celebrate, the CDA is asking travelers to share their special moments from across O’Hare’s seven decades.

Through a cross-channel marketing campaign and targeted in-airport digital displays, the “O’Hare Moments” campaign encourages travelers to celebrate their first flights, family reunions, farewells, and other milestones.

Chicagoans and travelers alike can reflect on how life in a global city has enriched their lives and bound them to far-away places and family members. Current and retired workers at and around O’Hare, for their part, can express their deep ties to the airport and take pride in the lasting impressions they’ve created.

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CDA donates toys, coats to local communities this holiday season

As part of the CDA's Dec. 12 holiday party, department staff, contractors and vendors collectively donated more than 400 toys to ChiGivesBack, which supports children and families across Chicago’s communities.The Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel downtown hosted the party, the theme of which was "An Evening of Giving," and donated to Toys for Tots on behalf of the CDA.

The department also held a coat drive and distributed 321 new winter coats to students at Joshua D. Kershaw Elementary School in Englewood and George Rogers Clark Elementary School in Austin, along with 52 coats to a local shelter.

CDA joins ACI Marketing and Communications Conference in Kansas City

Members of the CDA team joined the Airports Council International Marketing and Communications Conference from Dec. 2-4 in Kansas City, Missouri, where industry leaders gathered to explore how strategic collaboration can captivate travelers and attract investment.

Angie Kocerka, the CDA’s Deputy Commissioner of Marketing, Partnerships and Air Service Development, joined airport officials from Orlando, Milwaukee, and Edmonton onstage for a panel discussion to share best practices and insights on how the CDA’s partnership with Choose Chicago strengthens hometown pride and boosts our city’s connectivity.

RAISING HOLIDAY SPIRITS

Making Midway 'Merry and Bright'

Midway’s concessionaires offered travelers complimentary gift wrapping in the Central Market this holiday season for all items purchased at the airport's retailers. Staff dressed as elves were stationed at a table outside EVOLVE by Hudson as part of the “Merry & Bright at MDW” promotion, which also featured festive cocktails at a pop-up bar in the Central Market.

Global Traveler readers vote O'Hare 'Best Airport in North America'

CDA Commissioner Michael McMurray attended Global Traveler magazine’s 22nd Annual GT Tested Reader Survey Awards ceremony Dec. 17 in Coral Gables, Florida, to accept two awards for O’Hare.

Global Traveler’s readers have voted O’Hare the Best Airport in North America for the 22nd consecutive year, along with Best Airport Dining for the second consecutive year.

Chicago Magazine spotlights O'Hare, Midway eateries

Last month, Chicago Magazine published “The Epicurean Guide to Chicago’s Airports,” in which the publication’s food writers highlighted their favorite places to eat and drink at O’Hare and Midway.

O’Hare highlights included Tortas Frontera by Rick Bayless and Pronto Sandwiches, while Arami and Billy Goat Tavern were among the team’s favorites at Midway.

Read the full list here

CDA coordinates with Illinois Tollway on I-490 construction

Mega projects like the new I-490 Tollway require coordination and collaboration. The CDA is grateful to the Illinois Tollway for its partnership and dedication in constructing new bridges, which will ensure that O’Hare’s runway lighting system will continue to support safe aircraft landings.

Take a look at the Illinois Tollway’s video about working with the CDA and FAA to relocate runway approach lighting systems on the western edge of the airport to accommodate the major tollway project.

THANKS A MILLION!

Travelers Aid Chicago helped more than a million passengers in 2025!

Volunteers with Travelers Aid Chicago assisted their millionth passenger at O’Hare Nov. 14 – reaching the milestone more than a month earlier than in 2024.

The CDA celebrated Travelers Aid staff and volunteers with confetti cannons and a photoshoot Dec. 4 in the Rotunda between Terminals 2 and 3. Travelers Aid staff and volunteers are stationed at seven information desks throughout all of O’Hare’s terminals, and regularly walk through the terminals to offer assistance to travelers needing directions, guidance, information, or crisis intervention.

• American Airlines: O'Hare (ORD) to Savannah, Georgia (SAV) daily seasonal service starts Jan. 6.
• Copa Airlines: ORD to Panama City (PTY) 2x daily service grows to 16x weekly Jan. 8.
• Southwest Airlines: Midway (MDW) to Phoenix (PHX) 7x daily service grew to 9x daily on Dec. 19.
• Spirit Airlines: ORD to Miami (MIA) daily service grows to 12x weekly Jan. 9.
• United Airlines: ORD to Las Vegas (LAS) 5x daily service grows to 7x daily Jan. 8.
• Volaris: MDW to Durango, Mexico (DGO) 3x weekly service grew to 4x weekly Dec. 1.