An aerial view of Chicago’s Midway Airport. [Shutterstock/Henry C. Jorgenson]
Key Takeaways:
Chicago Midway Airport (KMDW) will redesignate Runway 13C/31C as 13L/31R on June 12, while the existing Runway 13L/31R will be decommissioned.
These airfield changes are part of ongoing safety improvements, implemented following a series of safety mishaps at the airport.
A key incident prompting these changes was a February 2025 near-miss where a FlexJet crew mistakenly crossed an active runway due to confusion over taxi instructions, the runway's appearance resembling a taxiway, and sun glare.
Chicago Midway Airport (KMDW) will redesignate its runways on June 12. Runway 13C/31C will become Runway 13L/31R, while the existing Runway 13L/31R will be decommissioned.
The Chicago Department of Aviation announced the planned airfield changes as part of ongoing safety improvements at the city’s second-busiest airport.
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Ryan is Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group, overseeing a portfolio that includes FLYING, AirlineGeeks, AVweb, Plane + Pilot, KITPLANES, and AircraftForSale.com. He founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has more than a decade of experience across aviation media, airport operations, airline workforce planning, and Part 135 regulatory compliance. His experience ranges from time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing aviation industry executives. Ryan holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and is an adjunct instructor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
