Flights out of Milwaukee Cheaper than Chicago, lower than National Average

Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) continues to be a low price leader in average airfares compared to Chicago’s O’Hare and the national average according to the latest Bureau of Transportation Statistics study released earlier this week. 

Average airfare at MKE was $374.42 in the 1st quarter of 2015, lower than 63 of the top 100 U.S. airports. When adjusted for inflation, MKE’s average airfare dropped 50 cents compared to 4th quarter 2014.

Milwaukee’s airfare was $14.29 lower than Chicago O’Hare’s, and $13.59 lower than the National Average.  Milwaukee’s average airfare has been lower than O’Hare’s for the past 31 quarters (7.75 years) and has been lower 89% of the time since 1995.

“As the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board recently noted, ‘With so many Chicago suburbanites already using Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport as their primary gateway,’ it’s clear that MKE is the preferred airport for Wisconsin and northern Illinois travelers,” said Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele. “MKE continues to provide an overall superior travel experience with lower fares, better service, fast and easy access, and cheaper parking.”

MKE’s average airfare is also one of the lowest in the Midwest when compared to other top 100 airports, including:

Madison                  $538
Minneapolis             $448
Detroit                    $425
Indianapolis             $405
Chicago O’Hare        $388
Kansas City             $386
Cleveland                $385
Milwaukee               $374

In fact, Milwaukee’s airfare is actually $107 less on average today than it was in 1995 when adjusted for inflation. If gasoline had followed the same trend, gas today would be 84 cents a gallon. 

Mitchell Airport offers nonstop flights to nearly 40 destinations coast-to-coast and 160 international destinations are available from Milwaukee with just one connection.  MKE is served by Air Canada, Alaska, American, Delta, Frontier, OneJet, Southwest, United and US Airways, and is the only airport in Wisconsin or Illinois with service from all the major domestic carriers. The complete list of nonstop cities can be found at www.mitchellairport.com.

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