Community Corner
Winter Weather? A Chicago Flyer’s Wego Guide
Be prepared for O'Hare and Midway delays. See how Wego helps you find alternate flights and hotel rooms in a pinch.
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As Chicago residents know, winter weather is a powerful force of nature. While a few inches of snow might not be enough to shut down the city, a major storm can quickly turn the best-laid travel plans into a frustrating mess. When snow hits Chicago’s O’Hare (ORD) or Midway (MDW) airports, it can cause a ripple effect of delays and cancellations that impact flyers across the country.
This hyperlocal guide, powered by Wego, is your playbook for navigating winter travel from Chicago. Wego, one of the biggest travel apps globally, compares flight and hotel prices from hundreds of airlines and online travel agencies. It gives you the tools you need to stay flexible and find alternate routes when you need them most.
By using smart search tactics and planning ahead, you can turn a potentially stressful situation into a manageable one.
Understanding Chicago’s Airport Woes
Chicago’s winter weather presents a unique set of challenges for travelers. The region’s notorious snow and ice storms, coupled with the sheer volume of traffic at O'Hare, can quickly lead to widespread delays. A snow-related closure at O'Hare can ground thousands of flights, making it nearly impossible to rebook on a whim. While Midway, being a smaller airport, is often more manageable, it is by no means immune to the effects of a significant winter storm.
The key to a successful winter travel plan is to be proactive and informed. Don't wait until you're already at the airport to find out your flight has been canceled. Instead, check for travel alerts directly on your airline's website or on the official O'Hare and Midway airport websites. If a storm is approaching, you can begin looking for alternative routes on Wego before the mad scramble at the customer service desk begins.
The Multi-City Search: Your Rebooking Strategy
When a cancellation happens, an airline will usually try to rebook you on their next available flight. However, with limited seats and thousands of other stranded travelers, this might mean a long, multi-day delay. This is where Wego's multi-city search becomes a powerful rebooking tool.
Instead of waiting for the airline’s next available flight, you can use Wego's multi-city tool to search for a new, creative route. For example, if your direct flight from O'Hare to Miami is canceled, you could search for a flight from Midway to Fort Lauderdale, a nearby airport with similar flight options. You could even search for a flight from O’Hare to a city like Nashville or Atlanta, and then a separate, quick flight from there to your final destination, piecing together a journey that gets you home faster.
The Nearby-Airport Strategy
The most common advice for travel from Chicago is to compare O’Hare and Midway. But in a winter weather emergency, you should think even bigger. For travelers in the surrounding suburbs, a nearby airport might be a more reliable option.
Consider airports like Milwaukee’s Mitchell International (MKE), which is only about 90 minutes north of Chicago. Or, depending on your location, Gary/Chicago International Airport (GYY) in Indiana might be a viable alternative.
While these airports have fewer flights, they can serve as valuable backup options when O'Hare and Midway face major disruptions, and Wego’s search functionality can help you quickly compare flight times and availability from all of these locations. It’s about having a backup plan that goes beyond the obvious, giving you a way out of the city when the primary airports are gridlocked.
Finding Last-Minute Shelter: The Hotel Search Tactic
Winter weather cancellations often mean spending an unexpected night near the airport. Instead of scrambling for the last overpriced room, you can use Wego to quickly find and book a hotel. The Wego app has a powerful "I need a place tonight!" feature that immediately pulls up last-minute deals and available rooms from thousands of hotels and booking sites.
When your flight is canceled, open Wego's hotel search, and click on "I need a place tonight!" With your location services enabled, the Wego app will instantly show you the available rooms nearby. You can then filter results by price, rating, or location, like “nearest to airport” or “nearest to city center,” which is a must-have for a flexible situation. This gives you a decisive advantage over other travelers rushing to the front desk, ensuring you find a comfortable and affordable place to wait out the storm.
For Chicago residents, preparing for winter travel is a necessity, not an option. By using Wego's tools to plan ahead, you can turn a potentially stressful situation into a manageable one, ensuring that you get to your destination safely and without breaking the bank. The next time you see a storm brewing, pull up Wego, check your options, and get ready to travel smarter.
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