Long lines at O'Hare, Midway may mean more travelers choosing Mitchell International

MILWAUKEE -- Planning to travel this summer, and dreading the long lines at the airport? There has been a lot of talk about long lines at airports like Midway and O'Hare -- and the long wait times may be influencing travelers to choose General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee as an alternative.

Checkpoint lines across the country have reached marathon lengths thanks to an influx of passengers, with one- or even two-hour wait times being reported in recent weeks.

The TSA has announced the hiring of more than 750 officers by mid-June and added more part time and overtime hours to help alleviate some of the congestion.

The agency is also relocating dogs to help out at the busiest airports.

The worry is the lines are only going to get worse once the summer travel season kicks off.

Airlines for America, an airline trade group, predicts the number of passengers this summer will rise 4% over last year's all-time high. That translates to almost 10 million more people.

And with the TSA's continuing woes, that means more hours-long delays at security checkpoints, more bags held up at the airport and more missed flights.

"It's stressful," a passenger at General Mitchell International Airport said.

Regina Poledica said she showed up extra early for her flight out of Mitchell Airport Sunday, May 22nd.

"I was quite worried. We got here pretty early because we were worried about the lines," Poledica said.

Rich Mueller said there haven't been lines at Mitchell like some travelers have experienced at airports like O'Hare. FOX6 News on Sunday noted the lines at Mitchell Airport were nothing like the congestion that has been reported at Midway and O'Hare.

"It seems like everything flows faster," Mueller said.

The only reason Robert Webber was held up on Sunday was because FOX6 News flagged him down.

"I fly out of West Palm Beach. It's very much like Mitchell. It's small. It's very efficient -- easy to get in and out of," Webber said.

Some travelers feel Mitchell Airport is a feasible alternative to O'Hare and Midway -- just about 90 minutes away.

"I know people who do (choose Mitchell over O'Hare). I know a couple who are going to do it this week," Mueller said.

An option to speed things up is utilizing the "PreCheck" security lanes, which move much faster because passengers don't have to remove their shoes and belts or take out liquids or laptops.

The TSA reports that 75% of PreCheck lanes moved people through in under 10 minutes on Monday, May 16th.

"I mean, why not? It's cheap and it's good for five years. I mean $85, five years? If you're flying more than a couple times a year, you'll be in and out," Mueller said.