BlaakLane.com books Chicago Executive Airport car service for private jets at PWK, including the Signature and Atlantic FBOs, at a fixed fare shown before you confirm. A vetted Chicago affiliate chauffeur is timed to your arrival and waits at the FBO entrance. A planeside pickup needs ramp approval from both the FBO and the aircraft operator and is never guaranteed.
Booking a chauffeur at Chicago Executive
Pick Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) as the pickup in the reservation engine on this page or the book page. The notes should hold the FBO, the tail number or trip number, and the lead passenger's mobile. Add the destination, whether a house in Winnetka, an office in Deerfield or a hotel on Michigan Avenue, and choose the vehicle. The fare is fixed on screen before you confirm, and a slow Edens Expressway will not change it.
Bookings are handled by our reservations and dispatch desk in Toronto, open 24/7, and driven by a vetted Chicago-area affiliate operator from the LimousineWorldwide.Directory network under the BlaakLane.com written standard. You get the operator, the chauffeur and the vehicle in the confirmation.
Chicago Executive Airport, formerly Palwaukee
Chicago Executive Airport lies on the border of Wheeling and Prospect Heights, about 20 miles northwest of the Loop, and is owned jointly by the two villages. It was known for decades as Palwaukee, which is why the code is PWK. It has no scheduled airlines and serves corporate flight departments, charters and private owners, many of them based at the headquarters campuses of the northern suburbs. Background is on Wikipedia.
Signature and Atlantic
Signature Aviation and Atlantic Aviation operate FBOs at PWK. They use different entrances and car areas on opposite parts of the field, so the handler's name is the key detail. We list them as places to meet you, not as BlaakLane.com partners, and each FBO controls where cars wait and whether they can approach aircraft.
Is planeside pickup possible at PWK?
The standard pickup is at the FBO's front door. Planeside pickup, with the car on the ramp beside the aircraft, is possible only when the FBO and the aircraft operator both approve ramp access for that vehicle and chauffeur. In deep winter, with snow removal and de-icing on the ramp, the answer is often no. We ask on your behalf and confirm the reply in writing; we do not guarantee it.
International arrivals and customs
Business jets arriving from Canada, Europe or Mexico must clear U.S. Customs and Border Protection, with passenger and crew manifests filed before departure. Your FBO and flight department will confirm whether the flight can clear at Chicago Executive at your arrival time or needs to stop elsewhere first. Passengers keep their passports and deal with CBP themselves; the chauffeur waits outside. Included international waiting, 60 minutes, counts from the moment you land.
Drive times from PWK
| Destination | Typical drive | Main route |
|---|---|---|
| Northbrook / Deerfield offices | 10-20 min | Lake-Cook Road or I-294 |
| Glenview | 10-20 min | Milwaukee Avenue |
| Highland Park / Lake Forest | 20-30 min | US-41 or I-94 |
| Winnetka / Kenilworth | 20-35 min | Willow Road |
| Evanston / Northwestern | 25-35 min | Dempster Street or I-94 |
| Schaumburg | 25-35 min | Palatine Road and I-290 |
| O'Hare International | 20-35 min | I-294 south |
| Rosemont convention district | 20-30 min | I-294 south |
| Magnificent Mile / Gold Coast | 40-65 min | I-94 (Edens and Kennedy) |
| The Loop | 40-70 min | I-94 |
The Tri-State Tollway (I-294) is run by the Illinois Tollway. The Edens and Kennedy expressways into the city are the usual bottlenecks at rush hour and on game days.
Winter at a Chicago airfield
From December to March, snow, lake-effect squalls and de-icing can add time on both ends of a flight. Flight tracking lets the chauffeur follow the actual arrival, and SUVs are the sensible choice when the roads are icy. If the aircraft diverts to O'Hare, Midway or another field, tell dispatch and the car will be rerouted.
Events that fill the northern FBOs
Chicago's calendar brings private jets in waves. Lollapalooza usually takes over Grant Park in late July or early August, the Chicago Marathon is usually run in October, and McCormick Place hosts large trade shows through the year, including the radiology congress that usually runs from late November into early December. Cubs, Bears and Blackhawks games add traffic in their seasons. On busy dates, book both legs early; group programmes with several vehicles are planned by a coordinator and confirmed in writing. Choose Chicago lists events.
Which vehicle should I book?
For an executive heading to a Deerfield or Northbrook headquarters, the Luxury Executive Sedan or the Executive First Class Sedan (Maybach) each carry two passengers and two bags. A family arriving for a North Shore weekend with golf bags and suitcases suits an Executive Black SUV or a Standard Black SUV (six passengers, six bags), and in winter the SUVs are the steadier ride. A board or sales team of up to 12 travelling to one office fits a Sprinter Van (12 small bags), while a same-day investor group with carry-ons only can use the Sprinter Luxury Jet Van (seven passengers). A Standard Sedan handles a single crew member heading to a nearby hotel.
Every vehicle is four model years old or newer, with Rolls-Royce, Maybach and Bentley accepted up to seven years. A Rolls-Royce or Bentley is available on request through vetted partners and confirmed in writing. See the fleet.
Corporate campuses and hourly days
Many flights into PWK serve the corporate campuses of the northern and northwestern suburbs. A visiting team doing several meetings can keep the car with hourly chauffeur service, minimum three hours, and companies with regular traffic can use a corporate account with monthly invoicing and traveller profiles. See also corporate car service.
Discreet arrivals on the North Shore
Chauffeurs do not display names at the FBO, do not photograph aircraft or passengers, and follow gate rules at private homes and clubs. Name the security lead as the contact if there is one. More on VIP chauffeur service and private aviation and FBO transport.
Other Chicago airports, stations and cities
Airline flights use O'Hare or Midway, and Amtrak trains arrive at Chicago Union Station. City pages: Chicago chauffeur service and Milwaukee, usually 75 to 105 minutes north of PWK by road.
What the fare includes
The price you confirm covers the car and chauffeur on the route you booked. Waiting of 60 minutes is included after international flights and 30 minutes after domestic ones, then it is charged in 15-minute blocks. Child seats are free on request. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours ahead; 72 hours or less costs 10%, 48 hours or less 50%, and 24 hours or less or a no-show 100%. Planning ranges are on rates.
