Travelers Say This Illinois Airport Isn’t As Affordable As It Used To Be

Illinois Airport Costs Take a Surprising Turn

With the busiest travel week of the year underway, a new report took a look at costs across North America, and a big surprise was uncovered for Illinois travelers. Midway International Airport in Chicago ranked the 10th most expensive in America, beating out its much larger and better-known neighbor, O'Hare.

READ MORE: Illinois Travelers: Did You Know They Deny These At TSA?

How Midway Ended Up in the Top 10

The ranking comes from Casino.ca, which analyzed 50 of the busiest airports across the continent and, instead of looking at flight prices, added up the average costs of airport drinks, hotel stays, and parking. The crazy thing is, I have stayed at hotels near O'Hare, drank at O'Hare, and parked at O'Hare, and I can't believe they didn't make the top 10.

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What Travelers Are Paying at Midway Now

Midway did, however, and they averaged, $258.10, putting them just behind Miami, San Diego, and San Francisco. The days of considering Midway as the cheaper, easier option are obviously over. Then again, is there anything really cheaper and easier these days?

READ MORE: Illinois’ Favorite Airport, According to Locals

What This Means for Rockford Travelers

For us in Rockford, we still have the Rockford Airport, and to me, it is a great option, but it is limited in destinations, so we might use Midway for Southwest flights instead. This study suggests those costs are climbing faster than people realize.

The Hidden Price of Holiday Travel

The report isn't meant to steer people away from Midway but to raise awareness of the hidden costs of airport travel that can ultimately push a trip way over budget. It's happened to me multiple times, and it can happen to you. During the holidays, it's something many of us can't afford.

[H/T USA Today]