Flights
Flights to Waukegan
Flying to Waukegan for a game, a concert or a show? The airport you pick decides the rest of the trip more than the fare usually does. This page lists the 3 airports with scheduled flights near Waukegan, how far each is from the centre and which is nearest each of the city's main venues. StubOrder lists 180 upcoming events in and around Waukegan (counted Nov 8, 2026); fares are searched live when you pick your dates.
The closest airport to downtown Waukegan is Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), 26 miles away. Also within 42 miles: MDW (39 mi), MKE (41 mi). For Marriott Theatre, the nearest is ORD at 15 miles. Search CHI to compare every Waukegan airport at once.
Airports serving Waukegan
Nearest first. Distances are straight-line from the centre of Waukegan, which is the fair way to compare airports with each other; the drive is always longer.
| Airport and distance from the centre | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) 26 mi (41 km) | Large | Nearest to Marriott Theatre, Genesee Theatre, The Vixen, Mainstage Theatre at James Lumber Center, Raue Center For The Arts, Impact Fuel Room and Barrington's White House. |
| Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) 39 mi (63 km) | Large | None |
| General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) 41 mi (67 km) | Large | Nearest to De Simone Arena. |
Nearest airport to each Waukegan venue
The busiest venues in and around Waukegan, each with its own nearest airport. A stadium in the suburbs is often nearer a different airport than downtown is, so this is the table to book from.
| Venue | Nearest airport we list | Second option |
|---|---|---|
| Marriott Theatre Hotels near Marriott Theatre | ORD, 15 mi | MDW, 30 mi |
| De Simone Arena Hotels near De Simone Arena | MKE, 21 mi | ORD, 46 mi |
| Genesee Theatre Hotels near Genesee Theatre | ORD, 27 mi | MDW, 40 mi |
| The Vixen Hotels near The Vixen | ORD, 31 mi | RFD, 44 mi |
| Mainstage Theatre at James Lumber Center Hotels near Mainstage Theatre at James Lumber Center | ORD, 27 mi | MKE, 41 mi |
| Raue Center For The Arts Hotels near Raue Center For The Arts | ORD, 28 mi | RFD, 40 mi |
| Impact Fuel Room Hotels near Impact Fuel Room | ORD, 23 mi | MDW, 38 mi |
| Barrington's White House Hotels near Barrington's White House | ORD, 17 mi | MDW, 32 mi |
- De Simone Arena is nearer MKE (21 mi) than ORD (46 mi).
Best airport for most Waukegan events
Each upcoming event in and around Waukegan counted against the first airport we list for its venue, as of Nov 8, 2026. More than one airport is first for a real share of them, so the right one depends on where you are going.
| Airport | Share of events | Of the busiest venues |
|---|---|---|
| ORD | 7 of 8, including Marriott Theatre | |
| MKE | 1 of 8, including De Simone Arena |
Flying in for a Waukegan event
In the next 30 days (counted Nov 8, 2026): 77 events in and around Waukegan; 69% on Fri–Sun; 37 of the 77 with a set time start at 7 pm or later, local time.
Fly in the day before an evening event: a delayed afternoon flight is a missed show. Plan to fly home the morning after, because the last departures of the night often leave before a late finish lets out. The dates below set the search to do exactly that, around each event.
Shaun Cassidy
Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois
From about $74.00View TicketsPatti LaBelle
Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois
From about $126.00View TicketsSara Evans
Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois
From about $74.00View TicketsBlack Violin
Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois
From about $63.00View TicketsMannheim Steamroller Christmas
Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois
From about $100.00View TicketsMannheim Steamroller Christmas
Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois
From about $101.00View TicketsTyler Henry
Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois
From about $113.00View TicketsGavin DeGraw
Genesee Theatre, Waukegan, Illinois
From about $91.00View Tickets
Search flights for:
- Nov 13: Shaun Cassidy
- Nov 14: Patti LaBelle
- Nov 19: Sara Evans
- Nov 20: Black Violin
- Dec 5: Mannheim Steamroller Christmas
- Dec 6: Tyler Henry
- Dec 11: Gavin DeGraw
- Dec 12: Songs You Remember
Flying in to Waukegan: checklist
- Book the airport for your venue. For Marriott Theatre it is ORD, 15 miles away; the table above has the rest.
- Compare the airports at once. Search CHI instead of one airport to see fares into the Waukegan airports it covers side by side.
- Arrive the day before an evening event, and plan the flight home for the next morning.
- Names exactly as on the ID. The airline compares the booking with the ID at the airport.
- Check the bag allowance. It is shown on every fare; extra bags are not part of the fare price.
Plan the rest of the trip
Frequently asked questions
Are fares shown on this page?
No. Airline fares change by the minute and depend on your exact dates, airports and travellers, so this page shows none. Pick your dates in the search form and StubOrder asks the airlines live; every fare it shows is the total for all travellers, taxes and fees included.
How many events are in Waukegan in the next 30 days?
77 in and around Waukegan in the 30 days from Nov 8, 2026, when this page's figures were counted. 69% of them fall on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, and 37 of the 77 with a set start time begin at 7 pm or later, local time.
How far is ORD from downtown Waukegan?
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is 26 miles (41 km) from downtown Waukegan in a straight line. The drive is always longer than the straight line, and the roads near the venues are busiest at event times, so allow more than a map suggests.
What is the closest airport to Waukegan?
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is the closest airport with scheduled flights to downtown Waukegan, 26 miles away in a straight line. StubOrder also lists MDW (39 miles) and MKE (41 miles).
Which Waukegan venues are closer to MKE?
Of the busiest Waukegan venues, De Simone Arena (21 mi, against 46 mi to ORD) is nearer MKE than ORD in a straight line. Fares differ by date, so compare both when you search.
Which airport is best for Marriott Theatre?
The closest airport to Marriott Theatre is Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), 15 miles away in a straight line; Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is 30 miles. Fares differ by date, so compare both when you search.
How many airports serve Waukegan?
StubOrder lists 3 airports with scheduled passenger flights within 100 km (62 miles) of downtown Waukegan: Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) and General Mitchell International Airport (MKE). Airlines also sell CHI as one code covering several Waukegan airports, and the search form accepts it.
Can I buy event tickets and flights together?
Not as one purchase. Event tickets come from our resale marketplace and flights from our travel partner and the airlines, as separate bookings with separate confirmations. Neither depends on the other, so if an event moves, your flight does not change automatically.
Which airport is best for De Simone Arena?
The closest airport to De Simone Arena is General Mitchell International Airport (MKE), 21 miles away in a straight line; Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is 46 miles. Fares differ by date, so compare both when you search.
Which airport is nearest most Waukegan venues?
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is the first airport we list for the venues holding 82% of upcoming events in and around Waukegan (as of Nov 8, 2026); MKE for 18%. Distances are straight lines from each venue.
