Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) Opens New USO Lounge
The United Service Organizations (USO) has opened an upgraded lounge at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW). The lounge is located (airside) in Terminal C and is open daily from 08:00 to 20:00 (8 pm). This renovation took four months and $200,000 to complete. The new lounge is ready to welcome active or reserve military and their dependents. "Volunteers with the USO say if there is room, and there usually is, retired military are welcome here as well."
The USO Midway Center lounge renovations include new furniture, updated flooring, new appliances, and revamped interiors. The lounge provides a stocked kitchenette, computers, printers, free Wi-Fi access, books, magazines, and an area to watch television or play video games. The renovations also expanded the lounge’s capacity by 30%.
Midway's enhanced USO Center offers our service members and their families an inviting space to relax and recharge, exemplifying Chicago's deep appreciation for the dedication and sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform.
Mayor Brandon Johnson
According to the USO website, there are two lounges at Chicago Midway airport: the airside lounge and one landside (near baggage claim). The landside lounge is used mostly for sailors from Naval Station Great Lakes en route to duty assignments around the world.
The USO Midway Center (MDW) hosted more than 29,000 guests last year. In 2023, the center launched a series of programs, including a Super Bowl watch party, holiday celebrations, military branch celebrations, and more. The lounge at Midway currently has a staff of 75 volunteers, some of whom travel as far as an hour to volunteer their time.
Travelers passing through Midway International Airport are also encouraged to visit a gallery exhibit celebrating America’s war veterans titled “American Heroes: Portraits of Service,” located in the pedestrian walkway between the CTA Orange Line station and the airport’s concourses.
Additionally, the USO operates lounges at Terminals 2 and 3 at O’Hare International Airport (ORD), serving hundreds of thousands of military travelers annually. The USO operates seven centers throughout Illinois, offering specialized in-person and virtual programs to all active duty, reservists, military spouses, and dependents. Together with a network of hundreds of Illinois-based volunteers, they donate nearly 20,000 hours of service annually to our brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces.
Closing Thoughts
It's great to see a remodel of a USO lounge, especially one that is airside. This allows passengers to be close to their gates and still relax before boarding.