Mayor Brandon Johnson has marked the start of a major airfield upgrade at Chicago Midway International Airport, joining Southwest Airlines, Commissioner of Aviation Michael J. McMurray, and local construction and union representatives to break ground on a 47 million USD runway rehabilitation project.
The initiative, focused on Runway 13C/31C and its intersecting taxiways, represents the largest single infrastructure investment at Midway in 2025.
The work includes resurfacing the runway, reconfiguring taxiway geometry to meet updated federal standards, and installing new safety features, such as runway guard lights. A new access road for emergency services will also be built to improve response times in the event of an aviation incident.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said:Midway International Airport is one of the largest employers on the South Side, providing thousands of Chicagoans with quality jobs in a dynamic, ever-changing industry. As we continue to Build Better Together across this city, this type of critical infrastructure investment is key to furthering economic growth and opportunity, while also providing for an even safer air travel experience for generations of Midway flyers to come.
I thank Southwest Airlines and the Illinois Congressional delegation for their financial support of this project, and I look forward to continued partnership with all the airlines that call Chicago’s neighborhood airport home: Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Porter Airlines, Southwest, and Volaris Airlines.
K-Five Construction Corporation will lead the work, which has been in development since 2022. The CDA has applied for over 37 million USD in federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the FAA’s Airport Improvement Grant programme.
As part of related changes, the existing Runway 13L/31R, which has been closed since 2023, will be permanently decommissioned on 12 June. On the same day, the newly upgraded Runway 13C/31C will be re-designated as Runway 13L/31R. This change has been communicated to pilots and operational staff in line with federal aviation protocols.
Steve Sisneros, Vice President Airport Affairs at Southwest Airlines said:We are appreciative of the partnership from the City of Chicago to launch this critical project that invests in the future of Chicago Midway. As Midway and Southwest both transform, we look forward to serving Chicagoans for years to come.
The runway project forms part of Midway’s broader five-year capital improvement plan, which includes additional upgrades such as improved lighting in the Economy Parking Garage, terminal roof works, and restroom modernisation. It also follows the completion of the 400 million USD Midway Modernisation Programme in 2023, which enhanced the terminal’s screening capacity and retail offering, along with improvements to the main parking structure.
