Getting around · Milwaukee
Getting to and from MKE: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Milwaukee airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $25–$35 to Downtown Milwaukee, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Lot. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check MKE TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminal
- 1
- Checkpoint
- 1
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- Yes
- Global Entry
- On site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from MKE — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$25–$35
to Downtown Milwaukee
Drive time
15–25 min
8 mi to Downtown Milwaukee
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $25–$35 to Downtown Milwaukee on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Outside Baggage Carousel 3 on the lower level; cross the baggage claim roadway and follow signs to the taxi lane behind the rental car area. Metered taxis; ~$25-35 to downtown Milwaukee.
The MKE cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Lot. Surface lot off Airport Spur Drive/South Howell Avenue; 15 designated spaces. Driver staging queue on St. Jasper Avenue off West College Avenue. There's a posted limit of about 30 minutes, so wait there until your traveler has their bags and is at the curb. 30 minutes free while waiting for an arriving passenger. Driver must remain with vehicle.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare MKEparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at MKE
Uber pickups follow signs near Baggage Carousel 1 on the lower level; Lyft pickups follow signs outside Baggage Carousel 2 on the lower level. Uber and Lyft have slightly different designated pickup spots (Carousel 1 vs Carousel 2); check your app for the assigned zone.
Dropping off? Drop off on the upper/Departures level; active loading only. Milwaukeehas a single terminal, so there's no wrong-curb risk — any door gets you to check-in and security.
Driving to MKE — routes & drive time
MKE sits about 8 miles from Downtown Milwaukee, a drive of roughly 15–25 minutes via I-894/I-43 north to I-94 east into downtown Milwaukee; Howard Ave and S 27th Street provide surface alternatives — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to MKE by train or transit
No rail directly to the terminal. MCTS GreenLine stops at the baggage roadway traffic island (Exit 2); Route 80 stops on the ticketing curb. A free shuttle connects the terminal to the Milwaukee Airport Amtrak Rail Station; the Amtrak Hiawatha Line runs to Chicago Union Station (~90 minutes).
Fare: MCTS bus fare approximately $2.25. Amtrak Hiawatha varies (~$25-50 to Chicago Union Station).
Hotel and city shuttles to MKE
Hotel courtesy vans from the lower-level curb. Complimentary airport shuttle runs every 10 minutes between Concourse C and the Main Terminal. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to MKE?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $7/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Milwaukee runs about $60. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 9 days — for a quick trip, parking usually costs less; for a long one, getting a ride does.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare MKEparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at MKE
MCTS buses are wheelchair accessible. Accessible taxis and rideshare serve MKE.
Late or overnight arrival? MCTS bus has limited late-night service; taxis and rideshare operate around the clock.
Returning a rental on the way out? On-airport rental car facility; follow Rental Car Return signs. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Recently changed: New Concourse E (international) under construction, expected 2027. Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified MKE's ground-transport details as of June 29, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is ORD (Chicago O'Hare), about 67 miles from MKE in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from MKE — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go MKE
MKE TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ MKE
How much is a taxi to or from MKE?
A metered taxi to Downtown Milwaukee typically runs about $25–$35, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Outside Baggage Carousel 3 on the lower level; cross the baggage claim roadway and follow signs to the taxi lane behind the rental car area.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at MKE?
Uber pickups follow signs near Baggage Carousel 1 on the lower level; Lyft pickups follow signs outside Baggage Carousel 2 on the lower level. Uber and Lyft have slightly different designated pickup spots (Carousel 1 vs Carousel 2); check your app for the assigned zone. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the MKE cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Lot — Surface lot off Airport Spur Drive/South Howell Avenue; 15 designated spaces. Driver staging queue on St. Jasper Avenue off West College Avenue. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is MKE from Downtown Milwaukee?
MKE is about 8 miles from Downtown Milwaukee — roughly 15–25 minutes by car depending on traffic, via I-894/I-43 north to I-94 east into downtown Milwaukee; Howard Ave and S 27th Street provide surface alternatives.
Is there a train from MKE to Downtown Milwaukee?
Not directly. No rail directly to the terminal. MCTS GreenLine stops at the baggage roadway traffic island (Exit 2); Route 80 stops on the ticketing curb. A free shuttle connects the terminal to the Milwaukee Airport Amtrak Rail Station; the Amtrak Hiawatha Line runs to Chicago Union Station (~90 minutes).