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Its that time of year again—the dawn of the dreaded holiday travel season in Chicago.
This year’s trip through O’Hare or Midway airports ahead of Thanksgiving might look a little different than in previous years, thanks to residual complications from the recent government shutdown.
Here’s the breakdown on traffic, weather, flight delays, and everything you need to know to get through the airport without a hitch!
Driving to the airport 
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Making your way to O’Hare is never easy if you’re coming from the city, but this year Chicagoans have one less traffic obstacle to worry about.
The Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation project finally wrapped in October after three years, bringing an end to a construction period that clogged up the main artery towards O’Hare for three years.
However, given the sheer number of people who travel for Thanksgiving each year, Chicagoans should still plan to arrive at the airport earlier than the standard “2 hours before takeoff” rule.
This means planning for potential traffic snags as thousands of people make their way to our city’s two major airports.
Skip the traffic, take the CTA 
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Those looking to skip the traffic all together can catch a hassle-free ride courtesy of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA).
The CTA offers 24-hour service to O’Hare via the Blue Line and service to Midway via the Orange Line from 4:59 a.m. to 1:34 a.m.
Flight delays and cancellations 
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With the government shutdown officially over, flight traffic in and out of Chicago is beginning to return to normal. That said, delays and cancellations are still possible due to weather and other factors.
Several storm systems are expected to impact portions of the U.S. next week from the Midwest to the East Coast and beyond. In Chicago, the National Weather Service predicts rainfall Monday and Tuesday.
Right now, both O’Hare and Midway are showing low levels of cancellations and delays, so things are looking up. To stay in the loop, travelers can check real time flight delay and cancellation updates at the Chicago Department of Aviation’s Fly Chicago site.
TSA delays 
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Delays at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints were another byproduct of the recent government shutdown.
Luckily operations are back on track, but Chicagoans could still encounter some longer-than-normal wait times trying to passing through TSA.
One thing’s for certain—it’s going to be busy at O’Hare and Midway next week. For more helpful tips and information, visit the official CDA site.