Closing the Door on ’24

2024 was a whirlwind of excitement at MKE. From new flights to new events to new airport partners, we continued to grow and provide better service and offerings to our passengers. Join us as we look back on a banner year for Milwaukee’s hometown airport, and then look ahead to even better things to come.

RNC comes to MKE

Milwaukee played host to the 2024 Republican National Convention – bringing a global audience to the region for the largest convention ever held in the area. MKE saw a significant increase in flights, trained a host of new volunteers to serve the heavy airport traffic, and decorated the terminal to create an atmosphere befitting such a historic event for the region. We also launched an innovative marketing campaign inside DCA airport in Washington, DC, to encourage conventiongoers to book their travel directly to MKE.

Expanded TSA PreCheck Enrollment

We already pride ourselves on how quickly a traveler can get from their car to their gate at MKE, and that only got faster when TSA expanded their PreCheck enrollment services in 2024. Passengers can now apply for the program seven days a week at one of the CLEAR kiosks inside the Airport’s Main Terminal, with no appointment needed.

Art Partnership with MIAD

As the first touch point for millions of travelers reaching Milwaukee each year, MKE has an important platform to showcase what makes our community shine. We were proud to launch a new partnership with the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) to feature student art installations on Concourse D. The first display, PROJECT REFRAME from MIAD graduate Liz Geoffrey, features custom-printed postcards with uplifting messages and will soon give way to a new student-produced installation in 2025.

MKE Family Travel Nights

Traveling with little ones doesn’t have to be stressful. MKE was proud to host a pair of MKE Family Travel Nights at the Airport in 2024 – free events to offer practical tips for families on navigating the airport and making their way through security, installing child safety seats and harnesses on the airplane, addressing questions around packing and traveling with baby equipment and supplies, and much more. Thanks to support from our partners at the TSA, Children’s Wisconsin, and Alaska Airlines, these events were a huge success!

New Dining and Shopping Options

Spending less time looking for parking or going through security means more time for enjoying our dining and shopping amenities in the terminal, and we were thrilled to expand our menu of offerings even further in 2024. A pair of new Dunkin Donuts locations opened on Concourses C and D, while our new MKE Lakeshore Supply store opened on Concourse D, featuring Wisconsin-themed gifts, grab-and-go food selections, snacks, and self-serve Costa Coffee.

Flying High in 2025

While there’s so much new right inside MKE, we’re also opening new doors to destinations near and far. Sun Country Airlines just started new nonstop international service from MKE to Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, along with increased flights to Cancun, and will continue flights to these warm weather destinations through Spring Break 2025. We also recently announced that Southwest Airlines will be adding exciting new nonstop service from MKE to Austin, TX beginning March 6.

We can’t wait to see what other new destinations, new amenities, new programs, and new partnerships are on the horizon for the year ahead!