On busy MDW holidays, Reserved Parking locks in a space
At Chicago Midway (Main terminal), Reserved Parking gives you a pre-booked spot in the premium section of the main parking garage, right by the terminal walkways. You pay a premium over the regular daily garage rate, but you skip circling levels at 5:30 a.m. on a Monday when the garage starts to fill. It’s aimed at people who care more about knowing they’re parked than saving the last few dollars per day.
Reserved Parking sits in the main garage across from the terminal, so you’re usually 2–5 minutes on foot from your car to the Main terminal doors. This is on-airport, not a remote lot, so there’s no shuttle wait, no 10–15 minute ride, and no guessing if a bus will be full. If you’re hauling two checked bags and a car seat, that short walk is the whole point.
You book Reserved Parking online for specific dates, entering your arrival and departure times down to the hour. The system holds your space in a premium area of the garage for that entire window, even if you hit I-55 traffic and pull in an hour later than planned. Pricing varies by day and season, and the site shows the daily total before you confirm, so you can compare it to standard daily garage parking or off-airport lots that run shuttles every 10–20 minutes.
There are no consistent complaint themes in recent reviews, but treat your reservation times realistically: build in an extra 1–2 hours on the back end in case your return flight to Midway runs late. One practical tip: print or screenshot your confirmation with the QR code before you leave home, so if your phone dies at 11 p.m. in the garage, you still get in and out without a delay.