Definition
A commercial service airport on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, with the FAA location identifier KMDW (ICAO) / MDW (IATA). It is one of two primary airports serving the Chicago metropolitan area and is referenced in FAA charting examples to illustrate approach chart naming conventions, where the airport's official name appears on the chart heading.
Plain English
A specific airport in Chicago, often used in FAA training materials as an example of how approach charts are titled and named.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument procedure charts, chart titles, airport information pages, clearances, and flight planning entries for the Chicago area.
Derivation
Named 'Midway' in 1949 to honor the Battle of Midway, a pivotal World War II naval battle. The airport originally opened in 1927 as Chicago Air Park and later Chicago Municipal Airport before being renamed.
Why Pilots Care
Using the exact airport name helps a pilot confirm that the correct chart, procedure, destination, and clearance all refer to the same airport.
Intuition Check
Do not read “Midway” here as meaning “halfway.” It is part of the airport’s official name.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor used the approach chart for Chicago Midway International Airport to show how the airport name appears at the top of the chart.
Example Sentence 2
Approach charts for Chicago Midway International Airport list multiple ILS procedures aligned with its parallel runways.