Chicago Air Show - How to Watch the Chicago Air Show from the Base Airport

Most of the Chicago Air and Water Show planes and aircraft are flown out of the Gary Jet Center in Gary, Indiana.

You can avoid the crowds downtown Chicago and watch the planes as they take off and return from the Chicago Air and Water Show at their home base airport. The Gary Jet Center is right next door to the Gary Chicago Airport. You can park and view from the airport.

Chicago Air & Water Show - Schedule & Fast Facts

See Chicago Air & Water Show Photos from the Gary Airport

6001 West Industrial Highway
Gary, IN 46406
(219)949-9722 phone
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The Gary Jet Center is roughly next door at 5401 W. Industrial Highway.

In 2008, my family and I were fortunate enough to receive an invitation to watch the Chicago Air and Water Show from its airport base in Gary. It was a welcome alternative to fighting the downtown crowds and offered up-close and in-flight looks at most of the planes. Many visitors brought lawn chairs and camped out behind the chain link fences surrounding the airstrip, as pictured above. Pilots often taxied near them, waved, or gave the thumbs up signal. You could also watch the elaborate pre-flight checks and take-off procedures practiced by some of the flight teams.

You might want to bring binoculars for extra close-up looks. See some of the photos I took that day from the tarmac, including shots of the F-22 Raptor, the T-6 Texan and more. I should add that you need special access to get the tarmac privileges. That's not normally part of the viewing opportunity in Gary.