Chicago's Midway Airport is lining up a big-money facelift on its private-jet side, with more than $100 million in proposed upgrades to hangars, private terminals and ramp space that serve corporate and charter flyers. The overhaul would reshape the small cluster of fixed-base operators on the South Side airfield and could change how business travelers move through Midway.
According to Crain's Chicago Business, the package of lease and redevelopment deals would top $100 million and involve long-term commitments from the airport's two main private-aviation operators. Crain's coverage describes a multi-year rebuild of Midway's corporate-jet facilities that would add hangar capacity along with upgraded passenger amenities.
Lease Deals Land On Council Agenda
The city has filed ordinance O2026-0026369 to authorize lease agreements with Atlantic Aviation Corp. and Signature Flight Support LLC, and the measure appeared on the Committee on Aviation agenda, per the Chicago City Clerk Committee on Aviation agenda. That document also lays out the window for written public comment submitted ahead of the hearing.
Two Operators, One Field
Atlantic Aviation and Signature Flight Support currently provide Midway's fixed-base services, including fueling, hangar space and line services, and are the tenants on the parcels targeted for redevelopment. The Chicago Department of Aviation's airport documents list Atlantic at 6150 S. Laramie Ave. and Signature at 5821 S. Central Ave., locations that would be central to the planned upgrades, per the Chicago Department of Aviation report.
Part Of A Wider Push
The FBO work comes as city aviation leaders have been moving ahead with a broader slate of Midway improvements and airport modernization efforts, officials told WTTW. City officials and the Department of Aviation say pairing airfield and safety investments with upgraded private-aviation facilities could help the airport capture more business traffic.
What’s Next
The proposed leases still need full City Council approval, and the Committee on Aviation review marked the first formal step. Public comment and the council's calendar will determine the timing and any conditions tied to construction and operations. If council members approve the ordinance, the operators would move ahead with redevelopment under the lease terms and city oversight outlined in the committee materials, per the committee agenda.
