---
type: Airport Family Guide
title: "Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) with Kids: Every Family Facility, Mapped"
description: Midway has a family lane at every checkpoint, 1 play area, 2 nursing rooms and 6 open restrooms — verified against flychicago.com August 2026.
resource: https://www.velivolotravel.com/family-airport-guide/chicago-midway-international-airport-mdw
tags: [airport, family, travel, MDW, us-midwest]
timestamp: 2026-08-03
---

# Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) with Kids: Every Family Facility, Mapped

**Short answer:** Chicago Midway International Airport is one of the few U.S. airports with a named family security lane — TSA Diamond Self-Select lanes signed for travelers with children run at every checkpoint. Midway also has a real Kids Play Area on Concourse A, two nursing rooms, and six open all-gender restrooms. There is no sensory room and no stroller rental.

**Velivolo family score:** 6.8/10 (Decent)

Midway is small compared with O'Hare, but genuinely strong for families: TSA Diamond Self-Select Family Lanes run at every checkpoint, a real Kids Play Area sits on Concourse A near an FAO Schwarz toy store, and two nursing spots cover Concourse A and Concourse C. Family restroom counts are murkier — Midway's own accessibility page cites six open all-gender restrooms while separately noting two more, temporarily closed, at baggage claim. There is no sensory room and no stroller rental, but six named restaurants carry a kid-friendly menu.

## Quick facts

- Midway's Kids Play Area sits on Concourse A near Gate A5, directly across from an FAO Schwarz toy store.
- A TSA Diamond Self-Select Family Lane runs at every one of Midway's security checkpoints.
- Midway has two nursing spaces: a Mother's Room on Concourse C beside the Yoga Room, and a Mamava pod on Concourse A at Gate A5.
- Midway's Terminal Accessibility page counts six open All Gender Restrooms, with two more temporarily closed at the south end of baggage claim.
- Midway offers no stroller rental anywhere in the terminal.
- Six restaurants at Midway, including Harry Caray's and Connie's Pizza, appear on the airport's own kid-friendly dining list.

## Facility matrix

| Facility | Status | Terminals | Security side | Hours | Age limit | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's play area | available | Concourse A | post-security | Not published | Not published | free |
| Nursing room / lactation pod | available | Concourse A, Concourse C | post-security | Not published | — | free |
| All Gender / single-user restroom | available | Concourse A, Concourse B, Baggage Claim | both | Terminal hours | — | free |
| Baby changing table | available | All concourses | both | Terminal hours | — | free |
| Sensory room | none | — | unknown | — | — | n/a |
| Family security lane | available | All checkpoints | pre-security | Checkpoint hours | Families with small children | free |
| Stroller rental | none | — | unknown | — | — | n/a |
| Dedicated family lounge | none | — | unknown | — | — | n/a |

## Play areas

| Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kids Play Area | Midway Terminal · Concourse A · Near Gate A5 | post-security | A carpeted play space with cushy seating for parents, two Nuts on Clark popcorn machines alongside, the FAO Schwarz toy store directly across from it and the Concourse A Food Hall a few steps away. | https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/amenities/Pages/Kids-Play-Area.aspx |

## Nursing rooms

| Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mother's Room — Concourse C | Midway Terminal · Concourse C · Next to the Yoga Room | post-security | Midway publishes no key or code requirement. The room has comfortable seating, a sink and wash area, and a wall-mounted TV. | https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/amenities/Pages/mothers.aspx |
| Mamava lactation pod — Gate A5 | Midway Terminal · Concourse A · Gate A5 | post-security | Midway names Mamava as the manufacturer but publishes no access instructions for the pod. | https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/amenities/Pages/mothers.aspx |

## Family restrooms

| Name | Location | Security side | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concourse A — All Gender Restroom at Gate A9 | Midway Terminal · Concourse A · Gate A9 | post-security |  | https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/accessibility/Pages/Terminal-Accessibility.aspx |
| Concourse A — All Gender Restroom at Gate A4A | Midway Terminal · Concourse A · Gate A4A | post-security |  | https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/accessibility/Pages/Terminal-Accessibility.aspx |
| Concourse A — All Gender Restroom in the Gate A4A walkway | Midway Terminal · Concourse A · Gate A4A walkway | post-security |  | https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/accessibility/Pages/Terminal-Accessibility.aspx |
| Concourse B — All Gender Restroom at Gate B15 | Midway Terminal · Concourse B · Gate B15 | post-security |  | https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/accessibility/Pages/Terminal-Accessibility.aspx |
| Baggage Claim — All Gender Restrooms, north end (2) | Midway Terminal · Baggage Claim · North end of baggage claim | pre-security |  | https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/accessibility/Pages/Terminal-Accessibility.aspx |
| Baggage Claim — All Gender Restrooms, south end (2) | Midway Terminal · Baggage Claim · South end of baggage claim | pre-security |  | https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/accessibility/Pages/Terminal-Accessibility.aspx |

## Security with children

- **Family lane:** Midway is one of the few US airports that advertises a family lane by name. flychicago.com states: "The security checkpoint lanes are signed for three types of travelers: business/experienced travelers, casual travelers and travelers with children. The Family Lanes at the security checkpoint are designated for families traveling with small children that may need extra time to get through security." The Terminal Accessibility page adds that these are TSA Diamond Self-Select lanes and that they are available at every TSA checkpoint at Midway.
- **Strollers and car seats:** TSA rules apply: strollers, umbrella strollers, baby carriers, car seats and booster seats go through the X-ray, and anything too big for the belt is inspected by hand. Take your child out and carry them through the walk-through metal detector.
- **Formula, milk and baby food:** Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks and baby food including puree pouches are allowed over 3.4 oz (100 ml) and do not need to fit in a quart bag. Your child does not have to be travelling with you to carry breast milk. Declare them at the start of screening and take them out of your bag.
- **Shoes:** Children 12 and under can leave their shoes, light jackets and headwear on during screening.
- **PreCheck:** TSA's PreCheck programme lets children 17 and under join an enrolled adult in the PreCheck lane free of charge.
- Source: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children

## Getting between terminals

There is no people mover or shuttle to learn at Midway — flychicago.com lists one terminal with three concourses, A, B and C, radiating from the Central Market hall. Every family facility is inside that one building: the Kids Play Area and Mamava pod on Concourse A at Gate A5, the Mother's Room on Concourse C, All Gender Restrooms on Concourses A and B and at baggage claim. Elevators serve the Federal Inspection Area, the interstitial area and Concourse C by the Chapel, and every restroom in the airport is wheelchair accessible.
- Source: https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/accessibility/Pages/Terminal-Accessibility.aspx

## Layover plans

### 1–2 hours — Clear the Family Lane, grab a quick play break

1. Look for the TSA Diamond Self-Select lane marked for travelers with children at your checkpoint — it runs at every Midway checkpoint.
2. If you have a few minutes to spare, the Kids Play Area on Concourse A near Gate A5 is worth the detour, especially if your gate is nearby.
3. Grab something from the Concourse A Food Hall a few steps from the play area before heading to your gate.

### 3–5 hours — Base yourself around Gate A5

1. Head for the Kids Play Area on Concourse A near Gate A5 — it's the densest cluster of family amenities in the terminal.
2. The Mamava lactation pod sits right beside the play area if you need to nurse or pump.
3. Let kids browse FAO Schwarz across from the play area, then eat at the Concourse A Food Hall or Billy Goat Tavern nearby.
4. If you need the Mother's Room instead, it's on Concourse C next to the Yoga Room — allow extra walking time.

### Overnight — Midway isn't built for an overnight wait

1. The Kids Play Area, Mother's Room and Mamava pod all keep to Midway's terminal hours — the airport publishes no overnight access details.
2. There's no sensory room and no dedicated family lounge to retreat to; the Kids Play Area at Gate A5 is the closest thing.
3. Confirm your airline's own overnight gate-check and waiting policies before committing to wait it out with young children.

## Your rights

- **Lactation:** As a U.S. hub airport, Midway falls under the FAM Act's requirement — part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, PL 115-254 — that medium and large hub airports provide a private, non-bathroom space for nursing. Midway meets this with two spaces: the Mother's Room on Concourse C, next to the Yoga Room, and a Mamava lactation pod on Concourse A at Gate A5, both past security.
- **Changing tables:** The same FAM Act provisions require changing tables in both men's and women's restrooms at covered airports. Midway states that changing stations for young children are in most restrooms throughout its terminals, though it does not confirm which specific restrooms have them, whether men's restrooms are equipped the same way as women's, or document an adult-sized changing table anywhere in the airport.
- **Liquids:** TSA's national rule applies at Midway: formula, breast milk, toddler drinks and baby food including puree pouches are allowed over 3.4 oz (100 ml) and do not need to fit in a quart bag, and your child does not have to be travelling with you to carry breast milk. Declare these items at the start of screening and take them out of your bag.
- **Boarding:** Priority boarding for families with young children is set by your airline, not by Midway — check your carrier's own policy before you fly, since Southwest, the dominant carrier at Midway, handles boarding differently from most other airlines.
- **If it is missing:** Midway doesn't publish a dedicated contact for family-facility questions. Ask at any information point in the terminal — the same desks that hand out free sensory bags and Sunflower lanyards — or raise a screening-specific concern directly with the TSA officers at your checkpoint.
- Source: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children

## FAQ

### Does Chicago Midway Airport have a play area for kids?

Yes. Midway has a Kids Play Area on Concourse A, near Gate A5, past security — a carpeted space with cushioned seating for parents, kid-sized tables and toy animals, right across from an FAO Schwarz toy store and a few steps from the Concourse A Food Hall. Two Nuts on Clark popcorn machines sit alongside it too, so it doubles as a snack stop. Midway does not publish opening hours, an age range or whether the play area is supervised, so treat those details as unconfirmed until you're there. It's the single densest cluster of family-friendly stops anywhere in the terminal, with the Mamava lactation pod right beside it.

### Does Midway Airport have a family security lane?

Yes, and it's one of Midway's biggest advantages over most U.S. airports. Flychicago.com states that checkpoint lanes at Midway are signed for three types of traveler — business or experienced travelers, casual travelers, and travelers with children — and the Family Lanes are specifically designated for families with small children who may need extra time. These are TSA Diamond Self-Select lanes, and Midway runs one at every single security checkpoint in the terminal, not just a subset of them. That's a genuine rarity: most airports, including Midway's much larger sister airport O'Hare, don't advertise a dedicated family lane at all. Standard TSA rules still apply beyond the lane itself — children 12 and under can keep shoes, light jackets and headwear on, and kids 17 and under fly through PreCheck free with an enrolled adult.

### Where is the nursing room at Midway Airport?

Midway actually has two nursing spaces, both past security. The Mother's Room sits on Concourse C, next to the Yoga Room, and Midway describes it as having comfortable seating, a sink and wash area, and a wall-mounted TV. The second option is a Mamava lactation pod on Concourse A at Gate A5, right beside the Kids Play Area — useful if your gate is on that side of the terminal and you also want the kids occupied. Midway names Mamava as the pod's manufacturer but doesn't publish how to unlock it, so don't assume the free Mamava app will work without checking on-site; it also doesn't confirm whether the Mother's Room has a power outlet or a lock, or publish opening hours for either space.

### Does Midway have family or all-gender restrooms?

Midway has single-user All Gender Restrooms spread across Concourse A, Concourse B and baggage claim, and every one of them works as a private family restroom. There's a wrinkle worth knowing about, though: Midway's own Terminal Accessibility page states there are six All Gender Restrooms, but then it goes on to list eight units — three on Concourse A (at Gate A9, Gate A4A and the A4A walkway), one on Concourse B at Gate B15, and two each at the north and south ends of baggage claim. The gap is explained by the two units at the south end of baggage claim, which the same page marks temporarily closed with no reopening date given — the six figure appears to count only the open ones. Midway doesn't say whether any of them have baby changing tables.

### Does Midway have a sensory room for autistic or neurodivergent travelers?

No, Midway does not have a dedicated sensory room. What Chicago's airports offer instead is a set of shared sensory-friendly resources that cover both Midway and O'Hare: downloadable sensory maps that mark high- and low-sensory areas of the terminal, a Midway-specific social story that walks a child through what to expect before the trip, a point-of-view video of the journey through the airport, and free sensory bags stocked with fidgets, headphones and visual aids, available from any information desk. These resources are aimed at the same audience a purpose-built sensory room would serve, even though Midway itself has no dedicated room or supervised sensory space. If your child needs a quiet moment, the Mother's Room on Concourse C is the closest thing to a private space, though it isn't built or marketed for sensory needs.

### Can I rent a stroller at Midway Airport?

No. Midway offers no stroller rental anywhere in the terminal — its amenities index lists hotels, the Yoga Room, the Mother's Room and lactation pods, airport art installations and the Kids Play Area, and nothing resembling a rental counter or service appears on it. There's no dedicated stroller rental page anywhere on flychicago.com/midway either, which rules out a service that simply isn't advertised. If you need a stroller inside the terminal, bring your own and plan to gate-check it, since Midway publishes no gate-check policy of its own — that's set entirely by your airline. Midway also gives no guidance on where a gate-checked stroller ends up or how to retrieve it after landing, so check with your airline's ground staff if that matters for your connection.

### What restaurants at Midway are good for young kids?

Midway actually names its own kid-friendly picks, which is unusual — most airports leave you guessing. Harry Caray's, at Gate A9, serves chicken bites grilled or fried, a brioche-bun burger and a nine-grain grilled cheese, all with fries. Einstein Bagel Bros., near Gate A7, offers a variety of bagels including pizza bagels, plus smoothies and milkshakes. Billy Goat Tavern & Grill sits right in the Concourse A Food Hall, a few steps from the Kids Play Area, with cheezborgers, hamborgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders and fries, and grilled cheese. Connie's Pizza in the Central Market has a mini thin cheese pizza, breadsticks with a fountain drink, and rigatoni with house-made cheese sauce. Big City Chicken at Gate B5 covers Concourse B with chicken tenders and fries, and Hudson News & Gifts at Gate A5 stocks grab-and-go boxes like PB&J and turkey-and-cheese lunchboxes, Lunchables, Uncrustables and pudding with cookies.

### Is Midway or O'Hare better for families flying with kids?

It depends what you need. Midway is the more purpose-built airport for a family layover: it runs a TSA Diamond Self-Select Family Lane at every checkpoint, has a real Kids Play Area on Concourse A across from FAO Schwarz, and everything sits inside a single terminal building with three concourses off one central hall — nothing to navigate between with a stroller. O'Hare is far larger, with more airlines, more gates and more raw amenities overall, but it doesn't advertise a dedicated family security lane the way Midway does, and its old Kids on the Fly play area has closed, replaced by a Family Lounge in Terminal 2. If your flight only connects through one of them, Midway is the easier airport to move through quickly with young children; O'Hare is unavoidable for many international and long-haul connections that Midway simply doesn't serve.

### Does Midway have baby changing tables?

Yes, generally — Midway states that changing stations for young children are located in most restrooms throughout its terminals, which is a broader baby-changing footprint than many small-to-medium airports publish. What Midway doesn't do is name which specific restrooms have them, confirm whether men's restrooms are equipped the same way as women's, or say anything about adult-sized changing tables — neither its Terminal Accessibility page nor its accessibility guide mentions an adult changing bench anywhere in the airport. So if you're traveling with a child who needs a standard changing table, you should find one in most restrooms you pass, but if you need an adult-sized unit, Midway simply doesn't document having one, and you should plan accordingly before you fly.

### Is Chicago Midway Airport easy to navigate with young children?

Yes, more than its size might suggest. Midway is a single terminal building with three concourses — A, B and C — fanning out from the Central Market hall, so there's no shuttle, no people mover and no long inter-terminal walk to manage with a stroller and bags. Every family amenity sits inside that one building: the Kids Play Area and Mamava pod on Concourse A near Gate A5, the Mother's Room on Concourse C, and All Gender Restrooms spread across Concourses A and B and baggage claim. Elevators serve the Federal Inspection Area, the interstitial area and Concourse C by the Chapel, and every restroom in the airport is wheelchair accessible. The trade-off for that compact layout is that Midway is a much smaller airport than O'Hare, with fewer gates and fewer flight options overall — the ease comes from its size, not from being especially large.

## Related airports

- [Chicago (ORD)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/ohare-international-airport-ord.md) — Chicago's other, much larger airport — more gates and airlines, but no family security lane the way Midway has.
- [Kansas City (MCI)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/kansas-city-international-airport-mci.md) — Another Midwest hub worth checking if your connection runs through Kansas City instead of Chicago.
- [Cincinnati (CVG)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/cincinnati-northern-kentucky-international-airport-cvg.md) — A smaller Midwest hub for families comparing options beyond Chicago's two airports.
- [Cleveland (CLE)](https://www.velivolotravel.com/okf/airports/cleveland-hopkins-international-airport-cle.md) — A similarly sized Midwest airport if you're weighing smaller, more manageable terminals against Midway.

## Sources

- [Midway — Kids Play Area (2026)](https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/amenities/Pages/Kids-Play-Area.aspx) — Kids Play Area location and description; confirms no stroller rental in the amenities index
- [Midway — Mother's Room / Lactation Pods (2026)](https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/amenities/Pages/mothers.aspx) — Mother's Room and Mamava pod locations and descriptions
- [Midway — Terminal Accessibility (2026)](https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/accessibility/Pages/Terminal-Accessibility.aspx) — All Gender Restroom count and locations, elevators, wheelchair-accessible restrooms
- [Midway — Traveling with Children (2026)](https://www.flychicago.com/midway/ServicesAmenities/services/Pages/children.aspx) — Family security lane details, changing station statement, stroller journey
- [Chicago Airports — Sensory-Friendly Travel (2026)](https://www.flychicago.com/sensory) — Sensory maps, social story and sensory bags; confirms no sensory room at Midway
- [TSA — Traveling with Children (2026)](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children) — TSA screening rules for strollers, liquids, shoes and PreCheck
- [Midway — Kid-Friendly Meals & Bites (PDF) (2026)](https://www.flychicago.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Midway/ArchivedPDFs/MDW%20Promotions/Lil%20Flyers%20Kids%20Menu.pdf) — Named kid-friendly restaurants and dishes across concourses

**Last checked:** 2026-08-03