Midway Airlines
Midway Airlines was the name shared by two separate US based carriers. Neither airline is operating any longer, with the first Midway shutting its doors in 1993, and the second Midway closing down in 2003. This shared name has caused confusion among passengers and the aviation industry alike. The second Midway was started by some of the founders of the first Midway, but the companies are two separate entities.

Midway Airlines is also often confused with British Midlands Airlines, with some people mistakenly referring to the airline as British Midway; a mix of the popular British Airways and British Midland. British Midland, (NOT British Midway) flies all over the UK and abroad, to destinations as far flung as L.A. and Manila, Philippines.

Midway Airlines Number One – Chicago
The first incarnation of Midway Airlines was in Chicago in 1976. The airline was founded specifically to bring more air traffic to Chicago Midway Airport, from which Chicago’s Midland Airlines got its name. At its peak, the airline flew to 40 destinations all over the US and the Caribbean. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) was a secondary hub for the first Midway Airlines. Too fast growth and increased fuel prices during the first Gulf War lead to bankruptcy for Midway Airline number one, however, and it ceased operations in 1991.

Midway Airlines Number Two – Raleigh – Durham
Some of the execs from Midway Airlines number one decided to try their hand at running an airline a second time in 1993, this time based at the Raleigh Durham International Airport. Raleigh was experiencing a business boom, and Midway Airlines thought they could capitalize on this business travel boom. However, major carrier American Airlines had the same idea at the same time, and moved into RDU Airport simultaneously. Midway Airlines took many reservations during this period, and Midway Airline jobs were popular in the Raleigh employment market, but it just wasn’t enough to beat American. The 9/11 terror attacks were the final financial blow to Midway Airline number two, and the airline closed its doors for good in 2003. Southwest Airlines moved into Midway’s routes in both Raleigh and Chicago.