Milwaukee With Kids is proud to partner with Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport to help spread the word about their family-friendly amenities.
Let’s face it: traveling with kids can be stressful, especially when it involves air travel.
As a parent, the last thing you want is to deal with long lines, crowded spaces, and grumpy kids on your way to a vacation.
Recently, my family and I flew out of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport for a trip to Florida, and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy and convenient the experience was.
The airport’s family-friendly amenities, fun shops, and efficient security checkpoint made our journey much smoother than we anticipated.
As a result, we arrived at our destination feeling relatively energized and ready to start our adventure.
It’s no wonder they won the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) award for Best Airport for the last two years!
In this post, I’ll be sharing our experience flying out of Milwaukee’s airport with kids, and why it’s the perfect gateway for family travel.
1. Parking is easy (and affordable).
As a frequent traveler, I can attest that finding convenient and affordable parking at airports can be a daunting task.
This is especially true if you’re traveling with kids, as you don’t want to be stuck hauling luggage and wrangling your children through a crowded parking lot.
However, parking at Milwaukee Airport is a pleasant surprise for families.
You can park at the airport for your entire trip for just $14 per day in the garage and $8 per day in the saver lot. (Compare that to prices in big cities!), and you can easily book parking online.
There are convenient Parking Pay Stations throughout the terminal to speed up your exit from the parking facilities.
The airport’s parking facilities are located within walking distance of the terminal, which makes it easier for families to navigate and access them with minimal hassle.
There is a moving walkway on Level 3 that is heated and air conditioned. The walkway will transport you to the center skywalk and the terminal.
Pro Tip: You can earn points for free parking if you download and use the MKE Smart Park App.
2. There are children’s play areas.
We fly Southwest relatively often, so the Children’s Play Area in Concourse C is a little place that we know very well.
There are aviation themed climb-ons for the kids to burn off a little steam, and they can watch the airplanes taxi and take-off with views of the airfield.
The play areas in Mitchell Airport are conveniently located near gates, so families can keep an eye on the boarding process while their children play.
Children’s Play Area locations in the airport include:
- Concourse C – Across from Chilis
- Concourse D – Between Gates D30 & D34
Now that our kids are a little older, we like perusing the Renaissance Book Store, the Summerfest Marketplace, and the Mitchell Gallery of Flight.
3. Nurse and pump privately, if you wish.
Sometimes you just want a clean, quiet place to nurse or a bit of privacy for pumping.
Milwaukee Airport teamed up with Mamava to install lactation suites in the Main Terminal and Concourse C. Suites include power and USB outlets, fold-down shelf, comfortable seating and a mirror. A nursing room is available on Concourse D.
Mamava lactation suite and nursing room locations include:
- Main Terminal – Across from Miller Brewhouse
- Concourse C – Bronzeville
- Concourse D – Near the Children’s Play Area
There are also family restrooms throughout the airport that include additional space for luggage and strollers, changing tables, and child size toilets and sinks.
Changing tables are located in all restrooms throughout the airport.
4. Check your coat.
If you’re traveling from Milwaukee Airport to a warm-weather destination during the colder months, you may be dreading the idea of lugging around bulky winter coats and accessories.
That’s where the airport’s coat check service comes in handy.
For a nominal fee, you can leave your coats and other cold-weather gear at the coat check inside the Summerfest Marketplace store, which is located pre-security in the concession mall.
This frees up valuable luggage space, and gives you less to lug around with you at the airport and through security.
When you return from your trip, you can pick up your items and bundle up before you go outside.
The service is available November 1st to April 1st.
The location is easily accessible to travelers using any of the Airport’s concourses, and is available to travelers on all flights, seven days per week. The cost is two dollars per day, with a maximum charge of ten dollars.
Even during peak travel season when other airports are teeming with crowds, the Milwaukee Airport felt, well, like Milwaukee: not too big and not too small.
The check-in process is easy, and the lines were not too long.
The baggage claim is spacious and efficient.
Security lines are generally shorter and flow steadily.
And perhaps most importantly, we had ample opportunity to recombobulate ourselves outside of the security area.
Looking to plan your next trip with your kids?
Here are 5 family trips with nonstop flights from Mitchell Airport, including Orlando, Washington D.C., Seattle, and more.
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Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
