O’Hare Airport, Midway Airport, and Meigs Field all have their own personalities and characteristic vibes. O’Hare is big and glossy, like a well-cared-for racehorse, while Midway is small and scrappy, like a loyal terrier. And Meigs Field is like a little bird that may soon be lost to lakefront homogenization. You don’t need to visit them all, by any means, but you might as well enjoy the one you do pass through en route to and from Chicagoland.

O’Hare Airport, on the city’s suburban Northwest side, is the busiest airport in the world, and on a holiday weekend, you can believe it. A hub for United Airlines, you can’t walk through its terminal without hearing Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” going through your head. Those darn ads! Then you realize they’re piping it in. Talk about brand recognition!

O’Hare is easily accessed by public transportation. The Blue line goes directly to the airport’s core and you can find your way from there to any of four terminals, (cunningly numbered 1, 2, 3, and 5). Allow plenty of time to reach the gate, because the distances seem immense when you’re loaded with luggage, and signage can be confusing for a first-timer. If you are headed for Chicago from O’Hare, you can share a cab with fellow travelers, ride in solitary splendor, take a van or the CTA, or rent a car. During rush hours, the $1.50 ride on the CTA is almost always a wise choice, as the 40-minute trip is not subject to the delays of traffic jams, but you should allow at least an hour to get to or from downtown by any conveyance.

Midway Airport, on the Southwest side, was known as Municipal Airport till 1949, when it was renamed to commemorate WWII’s Battle of the Midway. It’s exactly one square mile in area, set within the boundaries of 55th St., Cicero, 63rd and Central Avenue. O’Hare took over the distinction of “world’s busiest” on its opening, but Midway held the title first. It is not presently a lovely airport, but it is a reliable alternative for bargain fare departures. Renovations and improvements are underway. The CTA Orange Line serves the airport from early in the morning till quite late at night, but call the CTA at 312-836-7000 to confirm that they will get you to the gate on time. The area around Midway is not known for its scenic attractions. Bring a book.

Merrill C. Meigs Field was born on the lakefront site of the 1933-34 World’s Fair. An air traffic control tower was erected in 1952, and a terminal in 1961. Now used for light planes, corporate jets, and helicopters, the field is important to a small but sturdy constituency of pilots and corporate executives. Nevertheless, Mayor Daley’s ongoing effort to return the area to parkland has so far been stymied, and Meigs has been granted another five years of operation at this writing. Although the visibility on the lakefront is terrible, and the winds’ cross-currents worse, you can’t beat the location. Those of us who actually enjoy the sound of a chopper, for whatever perverse reason, may look up with pleasure as we near the the Field Museum or Shedd Aquarium to see a Sikorsky swing overhead.

Tip: The terminal building at Meigs Field has the only local observation deck open to the public. Call 312-744-4787 for hours.