The airports also seeing a surge of passengers for the long holiday weekend.
The crowds have been steady all throughout the morning rush.
Thursday is expected to be the busiest day here at O'Hare, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation, while Midway will see the most travelers on Monday.
"This is crazy oh my gosh when I walked in, I was like hopefully we can make our flight. Laughs," traveler Barbara Slavens said.
Chicago area travelers, battling the crowds at O'Hare as they head out of town for the Memorial Day holiday.
"Monterey, California," traveler Jennifer Howe said. "My oldest son he's in the Navy and he's out there."
Marlynn Griffith, bringing her family to Austin, Texas, for her grandson's high school graduation.
She said she is excited for , "the hot weather...We kind of just forward it a little bit. It's kind of chilly in Chicago, but you know this is home."
Lots to celebrate for now 9-year-old Kaylani Grandberry, who's heading to the Bahamas, who is also celebrating her birthday.
Record-breaking travel is expected this weekend.
Nationwide, AAA predicts more than 45 million Americans will travel, topping the record - set back in 2005.
Here locally, between O'Hare and Midway - the Chicago Department of Aviation is expecting more than 1.86 million travelers... marking a 5% increase from last year.
United Airlines says they'll fly 67,000 seats on average a day out of O'Hare with Friday being their busiest day.
"This is our highest volume of flights we've ever flown in history," United Airlines customer service managing director, Laura Mandile said. "We're very excited about that and we're ready. We are excited to welcome our customers, this is like the kickoff to summer for us."
On the roads, AAA says about 87% of travelers or 39 million people will be driving between Thursday and Monday, up 1 million over last year.
I-DOT and Illinois State Police are ramping up efforts to pull over passengers not wearing their seat belt, part of their "click it or ticket campaign."
This will also be the first holiday travel period with the new Real ID requirement at airports.
"I think it's a combination of the REAL ID and then the holiday weekend so," Howe said.
"It's a lot," traveler Gabrielle Turner said. "It definitely is, but we'll get through anything like we do everything else. But it's a lot though just can't wait to get through it."
And with the Kennedy Expressway under construction, officials are urging people to perhaps take public transit to O'Hare.
And of course, arrive early, as TSA deals with the new REAL ID requirements.