PICKUP OVERVIEW
Where to pick up at MDW.
Picking someone up at Midway? Find the 61st Street Cell Phone Lot, lower-level curb pickup, Kiss and Ride, terminal parking, ride-app pickup, and accessible options.
CURRENT MDW CONDITIONS
Airport conditions
Airport-wide FAA delay status and the latest aviation weather observation. Use ArrivalCue’s homepage tracker for a flight-specific pickup plan.
CHOOSE YOUR PICKUP
Choose your pickup
Choose the situation that matches your pickup at MDW.
A friend or family member is driving
Private curb pickup
- Traveler
- Go to the lower-level outer curb only after bags are ready.
- Driver
- Wait at the Cell Phone Lot, then make the active curb pickup without waiting on the roadway.
The terminal roads are busy
Kiss and Ride meetup
- Traveler
- Exit baggage claim through Door 6, then follow signs through the Orange Line connection to Kiss and Ride.
- Driver
- Use Kiss and Ride at 59th and Kilpatrick when the group agrees to avoid terminal roadways.
Uber or Lyft
Ride-app pickup
- Traveler
- Follow the app and airport directions to the designated upper-level pickup area.
- Driver
- Ride-app pickup is on the upper terminal level, separate from the private lower-level curb.
The traveler is delayed
Attended Cell Phone Lot wait
- Traveler
- Call the driver only after you are ready for the curb handoff.
- Driver
- Stay with the vehicle in the Cell Phone Lot; do not convert a curbside lane into a waiting area.
PICKUP AND WAITING LOCATIONS
Where to wait or park
Open the place you need before entering the terminal area.
WAIT BEFORE PICKUP
MDW Cell Phone Lot
61st Street and Cicero Avenue, south of the main airport entrance.
Open MDW Cell Phone Lot in Google Maps ↗AVOID TERMINAL ROADWAYS
MDW Kiss and Ride
59th Street and Kilpatrick Avenue, with a signed terminal walk.
Open MDW Kiss and Ride in Google Maps ↗PRIVATE PICKUP
MDW lower-level outer curb
Use only once the traveler is ready for the active handoff.
Open MDW lower-level outer curb in Google Maps ↗MDW-SPECIFIC DETAILS
Important details
MDW uses different levels for private cars and ride apps
Private pickup is at the lower-level outer curb, while designated ride-app pickup is on the upper terminal level.
Kiss and Ride is the off-terminal coordination option
It is a signed, walkable alternative when the driver and traveler agree to avoid terminal roadway congestion.
Sources
Airport guidance can change. Follow current signs and staff instructions. Review dates apply to the source facts listed in our guide data.
- MDW pickup and drop-off ↗Source facts reviewed August 25, 2026
- Chicago airport ride-app pickup ↗Source facts reviewed August 25, 2026
- Official MDW airport website ↗