Easiest Airport to Access Chicago via GA?

In fairness Coleman is one of the nicest FBOs in that area. They're gonna get every bit of their fees from all the rich Chicago types who have their lake cabins down on the south shore.

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Swimming_Way_7372@reddit

Thats a lot less than we pay. I guess they know they can just charge a lot and people with planes will pay whatever it is.

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Gary was easy last time we did it. We took an Uber once and last time we took the train. FBO dropped us off and picked us up at the train station. Joliet (after hours portalet), Lewis Uni and Lansing (agree with comment on sketchy bathrooms) were all good when we stopped on our way to OSH but I have no idea about rail access.

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dashdriver@reddit

I’ll second Gary. Cheaper than Midway and only a little longer to downtown via Uber. Last time I went it was something like 42 minutes to downtown via Uber.

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Kdog0073@reddit

If you need a train to the city, 06C and KPWK are your best bets. 06C has one fairly close by- Schaumburg Station on the Milwaukee District West Metra line. Technically, KPWK’s closest one is easily walkable (Wheeling Station), but that line (North Central Metra) is pretty infrequent. Your best bet would be to get a ride to Des Plaines station (Union Pacific Northwest Metra). If you really need to be on an ultra budget, you can pick up Pace Route 221 a few streets south of the airport to Cumberland station (also UPNW). CTA blue line Rosemont station is also an option if you take the 221 for the full length.

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ashtranscends@reddit

Schaumburg (06C) is just west of ORD. It’s a great little airport with no landing fees, and a train station close by that can take you into the city.

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BradKfan2@reddit

MDW is great, a little pricey but for me it would’ve costed the same as driving/parking a car downtown. The cheapest option might be 1C5, uber to whatever metro line is close to it (I forget)

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frisbee_wafflesnatch@reddit (OP)

So Midway is (I guess) obviously most convenient. Which FBO does everyone recommend assuming I can stomach the costs. Atlantic has prices listed online and it looks like at minimum I’m paying a $57 facility fee, $10 security fee, and $2 / hr to park. Don’t see any daily rates listed for Signature but their handling fee is $41.20 and infrastructure fee is $8. Would probably be worth the expense for the experience and quicker trip into town.

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Ancient_Narwhal_9524@reddit

MDW has landing fees too. I’m not sure what it is for a light plane but it’s at least $150 for a jet

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prex10@reddit

Midway and take the Orange Line. Otherwise Aurora ARR has Metra access but you'd need to uber from the airport to the train station

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frisbee_wafflesnatch@reddit (OP)

Seems like I thought Lewis University was another decent option when I first looked. Not a lot of love for Gary in these comments.

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Ancient_Narwhal_9524@reddit

GYY is a nice airport but the surrounding area is a wasteland

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prex10@reddit

Gary is not convenient as you'd imagine to the city. The train is about a 1 mile from the airport in a city you don't want to wander around.

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BagOfMoneyNoChange@reddit

Meigs Field.

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frisbee_wafflesnatch@reddit (OP)

I will never forgive Daly.

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N40189@reddit

Agree. Now it looks like Cleveland has ideas to close Burk Lake Front.

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frisbee_wafflesnatch@reddit (OP)

Have been into Burke and it’s great and very convenient. Makes we wish I had my ticket when Meigs existed that much more.

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K9pilot@reddit

Make sure if you go into Burke you park in front of the Tower vs. at Signature. $6 to park - 5 minute walk to R&R HoF. Great day trip, mean controller (probably was just having a bad day).

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frisbee_wafflesnatch@reddit (OP)

Actually made the mistake of parking w Signature. I think they cut me a deal tho.

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dbhyslop@reddit

I think they let me park for free because I was paying $9/gallon for avgas.

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K9pilot@reddit

I saw an obscure comment about public ramp parking, asked the ground controller (not crabby) and he said park in front of the tower next to another plane. Walked inside - super nice manager, took our $6 and gave us walking directions.

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MovieEuphoric8857@reddit

The controller has been having a bad day for the last 10 years

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SnooBeans4114@reddit

Funny on departure I asked him how he wanted me to depart to the west at what altitude. He got pissy saying I should know how to depart the area and he told me to call Cleveland.

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MovieEuphoric8857@reddit

Sounds about right. Probably the same guy got real agitated because I asked him what my miss approach instructions were after a practice ILS. He told me that tower isn’t allowed to give headings to VFR traffic

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SFDukie@reddit

Nor should you (forgive Daley)

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Cessnateur@reddit

When he finally croaks, I want to find an old porta-potty, cut out the bottom, and place it over his gravestone to make it easier and more comfortable for people to desecrate it.

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thefouthblindmouse@reddit

I am disappointed I never got to land there, too young. However I always used it in MSFS. KARR was my main airport during training.

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FluffusMaximus@reddit

*Cries in MSFS 4.0*

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SFDukie@reddit

Oh man. A crime!

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hutthuttindabutt@reddit

KDPA is awesome. Maybe too far from Chicago for you though but it’s not too bad

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aye246@reddit

FBO can probably offer a ride to the Metra station to take into the loop.

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time_adc@reddit

Meigs?

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China-Ryder@reddit

Those were the days

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Feelin_Dead@reddit

Gary LOL. Book a commercial flight home. Odds are fair your aircraft will not be there or will not be airworthy when you return.

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banditoitaliano@reddit

Midway is easy enough, just lots of $$ in fees. Last time I was there we just took an Uber to our destination (West Loop) which was MUCH faster than getting the FBO to give you a ride to the Orange L station and taking the train in. Depends on the time of day though, but either way you’ve got options at MDW.

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Pilot_Tim@reddit

I've flown in to LOT many times in my Cherokee. The only downside is no mechanics at the field. I had an issue once and the guys over at JOT were really helpful on the phone and after I got airborne even tracked me to my fuel stop in MO and checked in. I will probably land at JOT next time but LOT is a nice airport. I have landed at Clow before. The corn was level with the top of the plane on both sides of the runway, was pretty neat. I would have loved to get a video of my TO from the POV of the FBO because I'm thinking it would have looked like a plane just took off from the middle of a corn field.

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packardrod44@reddit

That's changed now. There's a shop on the field now at KLOT.

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imblegen@reddit

This seems like a good exercise in flight planning for you. Look at all your available options and compare difficulty of the flight, costs, time, etc. to make the best plan.

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Several_Sink801@reddit

You win the most unhelpful comment of the day!

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imblegen@reddit

An award I truly deserve

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frisbee_wafflesnatch@reddit (OP)

The flight planning isn’t an issue. Just seeing if anyone had any real world experience and maybe an FBO they liked around town.

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imblegen@reddit

Looking back, I’d like to apologize. I didn’t mean that to come across as snarky as it did. I was in the middle of 4 consecutive ground lessons today, so the instructor brain “I don’t know, what do you think?” kicked in. I think I was trying to point out that “flight planning” encompasses more than just the flight itself sometimes. Asking for other pilots’ experiences is a great step in the process. Ignore me and keep doing your thing.

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1z0z5@reddit

06C, DPA, and PWK are all relatively close to Metra station that will take you downtown. Not walkable, but all within 10 minutes in an uber.

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Double-Ad9382@reddit

Anywhere but Gary.

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anotherstevest@reddit

Last summer I landed Schaumburg and was there for a long weekend. I got a rental car through the FBO so I didn't investigate other ground options. That said, it wasn't as expensive as the other options I looked at and it all went easy and smooth.

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noahhl@reddit

Lansing (IGQ) is great for cheap fuel and free overnight parking, but no public transit (and no FBO/sketchy bathroom access). If renting a car is an option, there is an Enterprise at the airport that tends to have decent prices.

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Rx1rx@reddit

This was my preference as well, better than PWK and GYY all in all. But I could expense an uber both ways.

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L0LTHED0G@reddit

I flew into Waukegon (KUGN) last year. You can catch an Uber from there to the station. FBO was super helpful, and because the self-pump was OOS they dropped the price of full-service for me. Told me [overnight transient is free](https://waukeganairport.com/airport-information/), so if cost is a concern (when isn't it?) that's an option. I came from SE MI, so I came up passing over Gary. Flying over Lake MI just under the Bravo was some absolutely beautiful flying, especially heading home with the sun starting to set.

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BigDiesel07@reddit

Not a pilot but live in SE MI and I love to know that a random plane I see in the sky might be a fellow redditor!

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L0LTHED0G@reddit

There's dozens of us! DOZENS!

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thefouthblindmouse@reddit

KARR is close enough. I'll just need to rent a car.

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Neither-Way-4889@reddit

Midway

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Left_Chemistry_9739@reddit

aka Palwaukee

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Lanky-Rabbit8694@reddit

I think if you are going more north side pwk is pretty common or ugn . Never done Schaumburg. Dpa is sorta out there as is lake in the hills and aurora. Midway is right there but yeah you gotta pay for that convenience for sure

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FridayMcNight@reddit

Midway is pretty easy. You can take the train in, but you'll need a ride from the FBO to & from the train station. The extra wait for the FBO driver to pick you up and drop you off might make it a wash compared to landing at other airports though. They waive some of the fees if you buy the pricey avgas. If I recall, they usually have VFR traffic using a different pattern/runway than the IFR traffic. You can give the tracon ops desk a call to get the details. I've parked at Atlantic a few times. It's more expensive, but fairly normal as big city airports go. Last time I was there (last July) the runway and taxiway markings are faded AF. Makes it a little more challenging.

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N40189@reddit

Midway is not bad just be ready for transient fees.

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Calm_Fox5007@reddit

PWK or you could fly to UGN and try to grab the Metra. I think you can park for free at UGN’s south ramp

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity: --- Looking to fly my Cherokee to Chicago and take the train in to downtown. Looks like landing at Gary and taking the train over is a good option as the station is right there near the airport. Is there an airport with better / faster train access to downtown? Would be coming VFR from the South. --- Please downvote this comment until it collapses. Questions about this comment? [Please see this wiki post before contacting the mods](https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/wiki/index/rflyingtower/). --- I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. If you have any questions, please [contact the mods of this subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/flying).

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