I visited Chicago’s Midway Airport's first-ever lounge: Here’s what it’s like
As a Chicagoan, I've visited a majority of the lounges at O'Hare International Airport (ORD), including the newest United Club. Although I occasionally fly out of Midway International Airport (MDW), there was no lounge to visit until September, 2024.
But after 96 years of doing without, Midway finally has a lounge for travelers passing through the city's smaller airport as of September.
Here's what it's like inside.
The Club MDW location
Midway only has one terminal for all concourses, and The Club MDW is located at the entrance to Concourse B, next to the Evolve store. It's just a short walk from the security checkpoint.
The Club MDW is open daily from 4 a.m. until 10 p.m.
The Club MDW access
Since it is not tied to an airline or credit card, The Club MDW is accessible to all travelers flying from Midway.
However, The Club MDW is part of the Priority Pass network, so members can access the club for free. Otherwise, $50 day passes are available to all Midway passengers with a valid departing boarding pass.
Guests can access The Club MDW within three hours of scheduled departure. Children age 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult, and travelers under age 2 are complimentary.
The Club MDW layout
At just 3,300 square feet, The Club MDW seats 67 people, but the lounge can accommodate up to 96 people in total, according to a lounge spokesperson. Overall, the space is bright and welcoming, despite it feeling a bit tight.
The lounge was quite crowded during my visit around 1:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, with nearly every seat taken. When you first walk into The Club MDW, you will see one large section with tables, providing the most space for dining, and a larger communal table toward the back. Aside from bar seating, the tables in the club are for one or two people; there are also individual desks.
Based on my visit and conversations with club employees, The Club MDW has routinely been crowded. That means some potential guests are likely being turned away. The good news is that people can join a waitlist by scanning a QR code at the door.
"After signing up to the digital waitlist, the platform shows queue times along with anticipated entry time and gives guests the ability to give feedback on their intent on returning," a spokesperson confirmed.
The Club MDW amenities
The Club MDW is a bit bare-bones compared to some larger clubs, so there are no real amenities. However, there are two gender-neutral restrooms, both of which have a changing table.
The Club MDW food and drinks
There is one buffet with complimentary hot and cold food items, along with soft drinks. In the fall, daily menu offerings included soup of the day (patate e fagioli was the soup when I was there); andouille sausage with bell peppers, onions and chili lime rice; soy-glazed tempeh; romaine and baby field greens salad (with toppings); rotini pasta salad; and couscous salad. Dessert options included chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, along with mini strawberry shortcakes.
The bar offers a variety of alcoholic beverages, including white, red, rose and sparkling wine; beer, including from local breweries Revolution Brewing and Two Brothers Brewing; and several signature cocktails, including two paying homage to Chicago — the Southside (gin with lime juice, simple syrup and mint) and the Chicago Fizz (aged rum with ruby port, lime juice and club soda). Nonalcoholic beverages such as sparking and still water, Coca-Cola products, coffee, and tea are also available.
Bottom line
The Club MDW is certainly a welcome addition for those who can use it. As a traveler with dietary restrictions, I appreciated the clarity in providing ingredient and allergen labels for the food — and the conscious choice to provide food options for those with restrictions.
In time, I would be concerned about capacity issues, especially for Southwest Airlines flyers, as Midway remains a key part of Southwest's network.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.