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Big City in the U.S. 2024

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It’s official — Chicago is the Best Big City in the U.S. for a historic eighth year in a row. Home to connected airports, acclaimed restaurants and hotels, and the largest convention center in the Western Hemisphere, Chicago is the perfect place for meetings and events of all sizes.

Learn more about Chicago and start planning your meeting in the country’s Best Big City.

Getting to the best big city

Chicago’s connected airports (more than 1,200 daily direct flights) and central location (85M people live within a day’s drive) make getting to Chicago easy for all attendees.

In 2024, Official Aviation Guide named O’Hare Airport the most connected airport in the country and Midway Airport ranked among the top U.S. airports at 22nd.

O’HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

  • One of the country’s most connected airports
  • 8 total runways, the most of any commercial airport in the U.S.
  • 953 daily direct flights to 165 U.S. cities
  • 111 daily direct flights to 59 international destinations
  • 17 miles from downtown Chicago
  • Named Best Airport in North America for the 20th consecutive year

MIDWAY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

  • 218 daily direct flights to 78​ U.S. cities
  • 8 daily direct flights to 9 international destinations
  • 10 miles from downtown Chicago
  • Hub for 3 major airlines
  • Rapid transit to downtown
  • $75 million concessions upgrade with 70 new dining and retail brands

Getting to Chicago

Convention Collection

McCormick Place is the largest and most flexible convention center in North America, with a lakefront campus of connected restaurants, hotels, and venues.

McCormick Place

  • 2.6 million square feet of exhibition space
  • 4 buildings with 10 ballrooms and 289 meeting rooms 
  • One of the world’s most connected buildings for Wi-Fi
  • Offsets 100% of electricity usage with clean wind energy
  • Connected to the 10,000-seat Wintrust Arena
  • Campus linked by climate-controlled promenades and skybridges

Onsite Hotels

  • 3,000 campus-connected rooms
  • 1,258-room Hyatt Regency McCormick Place
  • 1,205-room Marriott Marquis Chicago
  • 466 rooms via Hiltons at McCormick Place

Explore McCormick Place

Where to stay: the Millennium Park collection

Where to stay: The Navy Pier Collection

Where to stay: The Mag Mile collection

More Chicago venues

Enjoy rooftop views, fascinating history, award-winning cuisine, and more at these only-in-Chicago spaces.

Grand Lux Cafe
LM Studio Chicago
The Salt Shed

Meeting Professionals Guide

Start planning your Chicago event with our digital guide, filled with information on the city’s venues, suppliers, things to do, and more.

Explore the guide

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Accessibility in Chicago

Chicago wouldn’t be the country’s Best Big City without the resources, programs, and people that make it inclusive and accessible for everyone.

Explore accessibility resources

Explore vibrant neighborhoods

Chicago is a tapestry of neighborhoods, each filled with its own character, history, and things to do and see.

Chinatown Dining
Chinatown

Experience old and new Chinese culture and cuisine in this century-old neighborhood.

Start exploring

Ming Hin Cuisine

Hotel Florence_front entrance_Photo by Eric Allix Rogers_Courtesy of Historic Pullman Foundation
Pullman

The city’s first National Monument is a must-see experience for history and architecture buffs.

Start exploring

Pullman National Historic Park

Bronzeville Winery
Bronzeville

Explore a living monument to African American history in the city’s “Black Metropolis.”

Bronzeville Winery

Avondale Bowl
Avondale

Find under-the-radar eateries, neighborhood bars, storefront theatre, and a casual vibe.

Start exploring

Avondale Bowl

Stony Island Arts Bank
South Shore

Here you’ll find a spacious beach, historic cultural center, and a one-of-a-kind arts hub.

Start exploring

Stony Island Arts Bank

Nha Hang in Uptown
Uptown

This historic hot spot is known for dynamic entertainment and nightlife, with a thriving cultural corridor.

Start exploring

Nha Hang

CC Osaka Garden 2
Hyde Park

This cultural hub is home to globally renowned museums and popular parks and beaches.

Start exploring

Jackson Park

Explore more Chicago neighborhoods

A Chicago style welcome

Chicago has a way of making everyone feel at home, with inclusive global communities that represent cultures from all over the world.

bean-night

Explore Chicago hotels, flights, deals, and more

Plan your trip

Expedia
Expedia
Expedia
Expedia

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Chicago Visitors Guide

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