The 5 Busiest Airports in Illinois, Ranked

Illinois boasts around 107 public and private airports, and 12 of them are classified as commercial service airports. The FAA defines a commercial service airport as one that boards (enplanes) at least 2,500 passengers per year, offers scheduled service, and is publicly owned.

While the state has dozens of airports to choose from, there are two main hubs and three smaller ones on the FAA’s list of busiest airports in Illinois. Even the smallest airport in Illinois serves well over 150,000 passengers each year. Explore the five busiest Illinois airports below.

MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (161,562)

MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV) saw 161,562 enplanements in 2021. It’s an Illinois airport that’s less than 30 minutes from St. Louis, Missouri, and sits adjacent to Scott Air Force Base in Mascoutah.

As MidAmerica St. Louis Airport has experienced steady growth, with an increase of 48.54% between 2020 and 2021, an expansion added 41,000 square feet to the terminal in 2023. Solar-covered parking is also in the works and is expected to be ready for use in 2025.

Allegiant Airlines is the only airline serving the airport. Passengers flying out of BLV enjoy non-stop flights to:

• Arizona (Phoenix)
• Florida (Destin, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Orlando/Sanford, Sarasota/Bradenton, and Tampa Bay)
• Georgia (Savannah)
• Nevada (Las Vegas)
• South Carolina (Charleston and Myrtle Beach)T

The airport has almost 1,800 parking spaces in the lot adjacent to the two-level terminal. Within the terminal are amenities that include grab-and-go meals or sit-down meals, vending machines, free Wi-Fi, a pet area, and water-filling stations. St. Louis is less than 30 miles to the west, and the I-64 makes for a quick trip between the airport and Downtown St. Louis.

General Downing-Peoria International (237,442)

In 1932, more than 250 businessmen purchased 195 acres on which they built Peoria Airport, creating an airport midway between St. Louis and Chicago. Five years later, they gave the airport to the Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria, an organization that owns the airport today.

It’s an airport that saw enplanements grow by 48.61% between 2020 and 2021, which is why a two-story addition went up in 2016, bringing the airport to 125,000 square feet with 14 gates. In 2021, General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport (PIA) saw 237,442 enplanements, which puts it in fourth place for the busiest Illinois airport. Three airlines provide non-stop or connecting flights: Allegiant, American Airlines, and United. Passengers can travel to:

• Arizona (Mesa)
• Colorado (Denver)
• Florida (Destin, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Punta Gorda, Sarasota, and St. Petersburg)
• Illinois (Chicago)
• Nevada (Las Vegas)
• North Carolina (Charlotte)
• Tennessee (Nashville)
• Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth)

Located 7 miles west of Downtown Peoria, PIA is right off the 474 and close to Route 24 and Route 116. The airport stands out as having free parking, no matter how long you plan to be away on a business trip or vacation. There’s a main lot north of the terminal and a satellite lot west of the terminal. Food is available before and after security checkpoints, and there’s a gift shop near Gate 6.

Quad Cities International (246,248)

Thirty acres of pasture near the Iowa-Illinois border were turned into Quad Cities International (MLI) in 1935. In 2021, the airport saw enplanements increase by 64.68%, rising to 246,248. As the airport sees more traffic, improvements are underway, including a solar panel parking garage designed to supply half of the airport’s energy needs. Located off the I-280 and Route 150, passengers using MLI have their choice of short-term and long-term lots north of the terminal. The two lots hold approximately 2,000 vehicles.

Four airlines serve the airport, including Allegiant, American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines. Non-stop flights go to nine destinations:

• Arizona (Phoenix/Mesa)
• Colorado (Denver)
• Florida (Punta Gorda, Orlando/Sanford, and St. Petersburg/Clearwater)
• Georgia (Atlanta)
• Illinois (Chicago)
• Nevada (Las Vegas)
• Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth)

Quad Cities International Airport has a gift shop and restaurant, and across from those establishments is the Art in the Airport gallery. A full business center, free Wi-Fi, and coat check are other guest services.

Chicago Midway International (7,680,617)

One of three Chicagoland airports, Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) ranks 26^th on the FAA’s national list of busiest commercial airports. The area known as Chicagoland has three airports, but Gary/Chicago International Airport is just over the border in Indiana, so it doesn’t qualify as an Illinois airport.

Over 7.6 million enplanements took place in 2021, an 81.29% increase from 2020. Chicago Midway is west of Downtown Chicago off Cicero Avenue, close to Marquette Park and Wintrust Sports Complex at Bedford Park.

MDW has seven airlines providing direct flights to 77 U.S. cities and 11 international destinations in Canada, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Those airlines are:

• Allegiant
• Avelo
• Delta
• Frontier
• Porter
• Southwest
• Volaris

A six-level terminal garage offers hourly and daily parking, and there’s also an economy garage and parking lot. Online parking reservations are available. Other MDW services include an airport Yoga Room in Concourse C and a newly renovated USO Center that reopened in late 2023. Passengers enjoy unlimited free Wi-Fi, lactation pods, airport hotels, vending machines, and more than two dozen eateries and shops. The City of Chicago Public Art Program provides art throughout the terminal.

Chicago O’Hare International (26,350,976)

More than 26.3 million enplanements took place in 2021, putting Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in fourth place for the busiest airport in the U.S. and the busiest Illinois airport. This was an increase of 80.41% over 2020. The airport is massive and covers more than 7,000 acres between Park Ridge and Elk Grove Village.

Chicago O’Hare is a main hub for flights to almost every city around the world, including many international non-stop flights. For that reason, ORD’s domestic and international airlines create a long list, but here are some of the larger airlines at the airport.

• AeroMexico
• Air Canada
• Air France
• American Airlines
• Austrian Airlines
• British Airways
• Delta
• Finnair
• JetBlue
• KLM
• Southwest
• TAP Air Portugal
• United

As one of the biggest airports in the U.S., expect the range of services to be just as impressive. Standard amenities like Wi-Fi, charging stations, and ATMs are available. There’s also a USO Center, onsite chapel, Yoga Room, airport hotels, and dozens of local restaurants and shops. For parking, the main garage is adjacent to the domestic terminals, while Lot D is adjacent to International Terminal 5. Three economy lots round out the options for airport parking at ORD.

The FAA’s Busiest Airports in Illinois Rankings

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