dmlove

We arrived at Midway Friday night around 10:00 p.m. Called for the shuttle to our airport hotel -- no problem. Just before the shuttle was going to leave the airport, we heard an exchange between the driver and a family on the curb that went something like this --

Family: Do you go to the Marriott?
Driver: Yes, the Marriott Midway. Is that where you're staying? (the shuttle goes to various hotels).
Family: We're staying at the Marriott O'Hare.
Driver: This is Midway Airport. Are you sure you're staying at the Marriott O'Hare and not the Marriott Midway?
Family: O'Hare, isn't it the same airport?

Hopefully, they went back inside, called Marriott and switched to the Midway hotel, but the cluelessness was just so shocking to us (we're the type who know before we get there the phone number for the shuttle bus, how much the El costs, etc., the right subway line to take, etc.; even if we don't plan our actual visit, the logistics are all taken care of)

4khansen

Obviously, infrequent travelers who made the assumption that they only major airport in Chicago was the O'hare/Midway .

Let's hope they found their way home...

nytraveler

A lot of people who haven't been to large cities don;t have the concept of multiple airports.

A poster on another board bought cheap tickets to Islip to go to NYC - and then was astonished to find that getting from one to the other can easily take 3 hours. And they had saved only about $100 total from flights going into LGA.

dmlove

I know, I felt sorry for them. It was late and obviously their first time in Chicago, and they had a young child with them. I do hope they worked it out.

Citylghts

I've been stopped several times in the city by people asking for directions to the airport or the train station.

When I asked which airport (of the two) or train station (of the four), I received looks like I asked them to explain quantum physics. I've always tried to help, but couldn't help wondering if they actually made to where they wanted to go. :-\

dfr4848

I've heard plenty of similar stories from friends in Chicago. It is rather amazing [my family thinks I'm so anal that I've already figured out the fare and cab # from airport to hotel before we leave home]. But if you don't travel much or are not familiar with large cities, I can see such mistakes happening. We have similar stories down here with DAL/DFW and HOU/IAH.

dmlove

I've never heard of it happening, but there are THREE major airports in San Francisco -- San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. If you ended up in Oakland by mistake, at least you could get into the city by BART. But if you ended up in San Jose by mistake, forget it!

missypie

It could have been a travel agent error....they might have asked for an airport hotel....Years ago, I called a TA to book the Disneyland Hotel. The rate she quoted me was too good to be true. I kept asking, "Are you sure that this is the Disneyland Hotel, that is a part of Disneyland?" After I asked about three times, the TA said, "Yes, it's the Best Western Disneyland Hotel." AAAAAAAAAH!

FainaAgain

It's all Chicago's fault! Why do they need more then one airport! Who ever heard of such a luxury!

And why do they need more then one Marriott in Chicago?

Now, seriously. I live in San Francisco with 2 major airports. Each time taking a shuttle TO an aiport, I have to answer the driver's question which one I'm going to, 2-3 times. And so is every passenger in the van.

Yes, there were cases when people didn't even know which airport they were flying out from!!

xxJoyfulxx

The worst thing about that situation is how different OHare and Midway are too! It can be quite a surprise to those not from Chicago. Midway is NOT in a good part of town and is also more congested traffic wise. O'Hare at least has it's own roads and navigation system.
They might be our major airports but they are vastly different also.
Poor thing, it can be confusing and I hope it all got straightened out.

NewbE

I once had a coworker who missed an entire morning of client meetings because when he landed in Atlanta (!), he told the cabbie "The Marriott"; and when the cabbie said "You mean the airport Marriott?", Dopey replied "Sure, I think so." Nope, he didn't know *which Marriott* we were all staying in, and apparently it didn't occur to him until too late that there are dozens in Atlanta. That was the one and only business trip he ever took for that particular company, poor dude.

bamababe

I have to admit i'm one of those poor souls who have never been to Chicago. So knowing that I'll ask this question. What do you mean that Midway is not in a good part of town? I'm flying in there for a meeting and staying @ McCormick Place. Is it safe to be out?

CAPH52

Midway is not in a great neighborhood. But I wouldn't call it a bad part of town. I've driven there by myself to pick my daughter up many times. In fact, I prefer driving to Midway rather than O'Hare as I find it less intimidating.

McCormick Place isn't near Midway, bamababe. How are you getting from the airport to your hotel? Assuming that you're taking a shuttle or cab, you're not really going to be "in the neighborhood".

I don't think you have any reason to be concerned. Relax and enjoy your trip!

bamababe

I am taking the shuttle to the hotel so I don't think I have to worry. Thanks for clearing that up. I'm looking forward to my trip.

dmlove

We took the "el" from Midway to the Loop -- it was perfect, and $2.00.

Citylghts

Bamababe, it's not that Midway is in a bad neighborhood, it's just that there aren't the amenities surrounding it like ORD.

While ORD has lots of hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues, the immediate area around Midway is mostly residental. A couple miles farther it gets more industrial with things like the Sun-Times printing plant and the Tootsie Roll factory, but nothing to draw you there except the airport.

Stick with the shuttle. If you take the L, you'll have to go to the loop, then take a cab from there back down to McCormick Place.