IPW 2025 in Chicago: The Real Problem No One’s Talking About

Everyone Prepares for the Event — But Forgets How to Navigate It

IPW 2025 is going to be the most significant U.S. travel event of the year. Thousands of travel professionals, media reps, tourism boards, and international buyers will land in Chicago this June. They’ll have booked their flights, picked out hotels, and fine-tuned their pitches—but most of them will forget one crucial thing.

How they’re going to get around the city.

And when they land at O’Hare or Midway, they’ll feel that mistake instantly. Uber surge pricing. Delayed pickups. Lost drivers. Terminal confusion. Meanwhile, their first meeting is 90 minutes away at a hotel they’ve never been to, and their bags are still spinning on the carousel.

That’s how day one goes sideways before it even starts.

The Reality on the Ground: Chicago During IPW Week

Chicago traffic is no joke on a regular Tuesday. But throw IPW into the mix? Game over.

McCormick Place becomes gridlocked. Everyone’s showing up, getting dropped off, picked up, or scrambling to figure out which entrance is which. Google Maps doesn’t help. Half the rideshare drivers don’t know the venue. And you, dressed for business and sweating through your shirt, are running from Gate 43 to Hall B because your driver dropped you at the wrong entrance.

This isn’t a minor inconvenience. This is how you miss the very opportunity you flew in for.

Coordinating Teams? Now It’s a Circus

It’s not just you. It’s your crew. Your delegation. Your media team. Your CMO and that client you promised to meet at 10:15 sharp.

Managing multiple people across separate ride-sharing services in a city that’s already congested?

Good luck.

One person’s late. One car gets lost—and one app crashes. And just like that, your whole squad is scattered while the panel you were supposed to be speaking on has already started.

Evening Events Hit Different — If You Can Get There

Here’s the other thing people forget: the real magic at IPW happens after the show floor closes.

Media dinners. Networking receptions. Rooftop drinks with investors. Private events hosted by destination brands. If you’re not there, you’re not in the room where the deals are happening.

But getting there is a battle. At 6 PM, trying to get a rideshare out of McCormick is like trying to get a cab during a storm. Everyone’s leaving at once. Surge pricing hits. Drivers cancel. You’re stuck while the person you were supposed to meet is already on their second cocktail.

The People Who Don’t Suffer? They Planned Their Rides Ahead

You know the ones. Calm. Early. Moving in quiet black SUVs or Sprinter vans with tinted windows and working AC. Not because they’re rich or flashy. But because they don’t have time to gamble on logistics.

They booked private cars or group shuttles in advance. Their drivers are familiar with the airport terminals, hotel routes, and venue layouts. They’re not guessing. They’re not using three different apps to figure out what to do next. They just move.

That’s not luxury. That’s leadership.

So What’s the Play?

If you’re coming to IPW 2025 and haven’t thought about how you’re getting around yet, now’s your moment. Seriously. This isn’t a pitch. It’s a heads-up from people who’ve seen this chaos up close.

Book a real ride. Something that’s waiting when you land. Something with a driver who knows McCormick’s layout and doesn’t need a second phone to find your hotel. Something that stays with you in the evenings when timing, confidence, and presence matter most.

Companies like All American Limousine have done this for years. For expos. For conferences. For IPW. They don’t ask you for directions — they give them. You don’t have to wonder if they’ll show up — they’re already parked out front.

Final Word: Don’t Let Transport Be the Thing That Wrecks It All

You only get one shot at IPW 2025. One shot at pitching that tourism board. One chance to grab that media contact. One dinner to win that international buyer.

And if you miss it because your ride never showed? You’re not getting it back.

Plan your movement like your schedule depends on it—because it does. And when you show up smooth, early, and stress-free, you’ve already won half the battle.

If you’re heading to IPW and want to avoid the airport chaos, venue gridlock, and rideshare roulette, book your transportation now with someone who knows how to move through this city when it matters.