What you're seeing over Milwaukee
Over Milwaukee, the low airliners are mostly flying to or from Milwaukee Mitchell International, about six miles south of downtown, while many of the higher ones are heading for Chicago. Mitchell is served by Southwest, Delta, American, United and others, and since Chicago O'Hare is only about 80 miles south, plenty of travelers from northern Illinois use Milwaukee as an alternative.
Milwaukee's position on Lake Michigan makes it a crossroads for flights from Canada, the upper Midwest and the Pacific Northwest heading to Chicago, so a steady stream of O'Hare arrivals descends across southeastern Wisconsin and over the lake. Closer to home, the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 128th Air Refueling Wing flies KC-135 tankers from Mitchell, and Timmerman Airport on the northwest side adds general aviation. Each summer, EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, about 80 miles north, turns the region's sky into the busiest in the world for small planes. If a jet over the lakefront is descending southbound, there is a good chance it is bound for Chicago rather than Mitchell.
Airports near Milwaukee
- commercialMKEMilwaukee Mitchell International Airport
KMKE · 6 miles south of downtown
Wisconsin's busiest airport, south of downtown, also home to the Air National Guard's 128th Air Refueling Wing. Live traffic at MKE ↗ - general aviationMWCLawrence J. Timmerman Airport
KMWC · 8 miles northwest of downtown
A general aviation airport on Milwaukee's northwest side. Live traffic at MWC ↗ - relieverUESWaukesha County Airport
KUES · 17 miles west of downtown
A business-aviation airport west of Milwaukee. Live traffic at UES ↗ - general aviationENWKenosha Regional Airport
KENW · 31 miles south of downtown
A general aviation airport between Milwaukee and Chicago. Live traffic at ENW ↗ - general aviationOSHWittman Regional Airport
KOSH · 73 miles northwest of downtown
Oshkosh's airport, home of EAA AirVenture, about 80 miles north of Milwaukee. Live traffic at OSH ↗
Common traffic over Milwaukee
Southwest is Mitchell's largest airline, flying 737s, while Delta, American, United, Alaska, Frontier, Allegiant, Spirit and others add more with A320-family jets and regional jets. FedEx and UPS freighters serve MKE.
Mitchell has five runways; the longest runs north-south, with a second major runway running east-west:
- South flow, landing toward the south: arrivals descend from the north over Bay View, St. Francis and the city's south side, and departures climb out over Oak Creek and Franklin.
- North flow, landing toward the north: arrivals come in from the south over Oak Creek, and departures climb out over the south side toward downtown before turning.
- East-west operations put arrivals or departures over Cudahy and the lakeshore on one side and Greenfield and West Allis on the other.
O'Hare arrivals from the north are a constant overhead presence, often descending through 15,000 to 25,000 feet over southeastern Wisconsin and the lake as they head toward Chicago.
The Wisconsin Air National Guard's 128th Air Refueling Wing flies KC-135 tankers from Mitchell. Each July, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh brings thousands of small planes, warbirds and military aircraft through the region, with many passing over Milwaukee on their way to and from Oshkosh. Helicopters include Flight For Life medevac, Milwaukee County Sheriff's aviation and news crews. The Milwaukee Air and Water Show along the lakefront has featured military jet teams in some summers.
Aircraft you'll often see here
Boeing 737-800
narrowbody airliner
Boeing 737 MAX 8
narrowbody airliner
Airbus A320
narrowbody airliner
Embraer E175
regional jet
Bombardier CRJ900
regional jet
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
military aerial refueling tanker
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
single-engine piston airplane
Cirrus SR22
single-engine piston airplane
Plane-spotting tips for Milwaukee
The roads around Mitchell's perimeter, especially near the runway ends along Layton Avenue and Howell Avenue, give views of arrivals and departures. The Mitchell Gallery of Flight, in the airport's terminal, has exhibits and views of the field. Along the lakefront, Bradford Beach and the parks near the Milwaukee Art Museum give views of O'Hare arrivals descending over the lake and of the occasional seaplane. During EAA AirVenture, the sky over the region fills with small planes, warbirds and formation flights. Winter brings crisp, clear days, while summer lake fog can hide aircraft over the water. The lakefront parks in Cudahy and South Milwaukee, east of the airport, give open views over Lake Michigan when Mitchell uses its east-west runway.
Milwaukee sky questions
Why are so many planes descending over southeastern Wisconsin?
Many flights from Canada, the upper Midwest and the Pacific Northwest heading to Chicago O'Hare begin their descent over southeastern Wisconsin and Lake Michigan.
What are the big gray planes at Milwaukee's airport?
They are KC-135 tankers flown by the Wisconsin Air National Guard's 128th Air Refueling Wing, based at Mitchell International.
Why are there so many small planes over Wisconsin in July?
EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, about 80 miles north of Milwaukee, is the world's largest fly-in, bringing thousands of small planes, warbirds and military aircraft to the region each summer.
Nearby cities
Planes over Chicago (81 mi) · Planes over Indianapolis (243 mi) · Planes over Detroit (252 mi) · Planes over Minneapolis (298 mi)