Chicago Executive Airport

Founded in 1925 as Gauthier's Flying Field, Palwaukee Municipal Airport has grown over the past 70 years from a 40-acre grassy open area with dirt runways to a general aviation airport servicing the metropolitan Chicago area as one of the nation's busiest reliever airports.

Historically, Chicago Executive Airport's growth reflects the development of its neighboring communities. Chicago Executive Airport continues to grow today with an official plan aimed at facilitating a responsible role for the Airport as a part of the surrounding communities.

Today, Chicago Executive Airport is home to 325 aircraft, including 57 corporate jet aircraft. More than 167,000 takeoffs and landings were logged annually at Chicago Executive Airport in recent years. Chicago Executive Airport consists of three active runways and covers more than 412 acres; Chicago Executive Airport is the fourth busiest airport in Illinois and plays a crucial role as a reliever for the region, which includes O'Hare International Airport.

The Airport operates 24 hours a day year round. The air traffic control tower is staffed by the FAA and operates daily between 6 a.m. weekdays (7 a.m. weekends) and 10 p.m. The primary users of Palwaukee include private airplane owners, flight schools, businesses who maintain their company aircraft at the Airport and major national corporations.

Currently, the Airport is involved in a modernization project to bring it up to federal standards, which includes improving runways and building taxiways and aprons.

Chicago Executive Airport is managed under the guidance of the Chicago Executive Airport Board of Directors' an advisory board of members from each municipality who consider both current and long-term plans for the Airport. The Airport is expected to bring prestige and economic development for both municipalities through careful planning.