Chicago Midway (MDW) to New York LaGuardia (LGA)

Distance, flight time and the air traffic controllers who guide you.

Quick answer

Chicago Midway (MDW) to New York LaGuardia (LGA) is 723 miles in a straight line, about 1h 57m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 7 air traffic control facilities along the way.

723miles
628nautical miles
1,164kilometers
~1h 57mestimated flight time
+1 htime change on arrival
Eastinitial heading

Who handles your flight

Every airliner is passed from one air traffic control facility to the next. On the most direct path, these are the teams that guide you, in order. Weather and traffic can send a flight through other centers, so your actual flight may differ a little.

  1. MDWTowerChicago Midway Tower (MDW)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. C90TRACONChicago TRACON (C90)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZOBCenterCleveland ARTCC (ZOB)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZNYCenterNew York ARTCC (ZNY)Starts your descentThank them →
  6. N90TRACONNew York TRACON (N90)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
  7. LGATowerLaGuardia Tower (LGA)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

New York LaGuardia (LGA) to Chicago Midway (MDW)

LGA → N90 → ZNY → ZOB → ZAU → C90 → MDW

About the airports

Chicago Midway International Airport

Chicago, IL

Codes: MDW · KMDW

Time zone: Central

Control tower: Chicago Midway Tower (MDW)

Thank the tower →

LaGuardia Airport

New York, NY

Codes: LGA · KLGA

Time zone: Eastern

Control tower: LaGuardia Tower (LGA)

Thank the tower →

More routes

All flight routes →

How we figure this out

Distance is the great-circle distance between the two airports, the shortest path over the curved Earth. Flight time assumes an average airliner speed of about 500 mph plus about 30 minutes for taxi, takeoff and landing. The list of facilities follows the same path, using each airport's tower and approach control and the FAA's en route center boundaries.

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Common questions

How long is the flight from Chicago Midway (MDW) to New York LaGuardia (LGA)?

About 1h 57m gate to gate for the 723-mile trip. Flying east, you often pick up a tailwind, so it can be a little shorter.

How far is Chicago Midway (MDW) from New York LaGuardia (LGA)?

723 miles (628 nautical miles, 1,164 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Chicago Midway (MDW) to New York LaGuardia (LGA)?

Usually 7 facilities: Chicago Midway Tower (MDW), Chicago TRACON (C90), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB), New York ARTCC (ZNY), New York TRACON (N90) and LaGuardia Tower (LGA). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.

Is there a time change between Chicago Midway (MDW) and New York LaGuardia (LGA)?

Yes. New York LaGuardia (LGA) is 1 hour ahead of Chicago Midway (MDW).

Updated October 2026

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