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Photo courtesy of Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau
Just in time for a spring visit to Mackinac Island, United Airlines is adding direct flights from Chicago to northern Michigan.
Starting May 8, at least one United Express flight per day will travel from O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Pellston Regional Airport (PLN), just 15 miles south of the Mackinac Island ferry docks in Mackinaw City. Then, starting May 15, there also will be daily service from O’Hare to Chippewa County International Airport (CIU), about 30 minutes north of the St. Ignace ferry docks.
Once you land at either destination, you can take an airport shuttle to the ferry for a 15-minute boat ride to the island. Or, you could charter a flight to Mackinac Island Airport, then catch a horse-drawn taxi into town.
From Memorial Day through Labor Day, United will operate an additional daily flight to Pellston to make getting to the USA’s “Best Summer Travel Destination” even easier. Daily flights to both Pellston and Chippewa County will continue through September so you can experience why Mackinac Island was named the USA’s No. 2 “Best Place to Visit for Fall.”
Mackinac Island’s charming attractions and places to stay reopen for the season in waves from late April through mid-May. Both the Arnold Transit and Shepler’s Ferry lines will be providing daily boat service from Mackinaw City and St. Ignace in time for Sneak Peek Week, April 25-May 1. A morning cannon blast from historic Fort Mackinac marks the official opening day on May 2.
If you’d prefer a road trip instead of a flight, there are a couple of different options for getting from Chicago to Mackinac Island:
You also could add a car ferry to your trip with the Lake Express, which runs between Milwaukee and Muskegon, Michigan, or the S.S. Badger, which travels between Manitowoc, Wisconsin, and Ludington, Michigan. A car-free option would involve taking an Amtrak train to Grand Rapids, Lansing, or Flint, then boarding a bus to the ferry in Mackinaw City.
Whichever route you take to Mackinac Island, you’ll get to enjoy horse-drawn carriage tours, fudge samples, historic landmarks, and so much more in the place Travel + Leisure has hailed as the No. 1 “Best Island in the Continental U.S.”
Visit Mackinac Island
Plan your 2025 visit to Mackinac Island with ease! United Airlines now offers direct flights from Chicago to northern Michigan, making your trip more convenient than ever. Explore ferry options, travel tips, and seasonal attractions.
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