PACK EXPO 2026 Chauffeur Service: Our Week From O'Hare to McCormick Place

Our PACK EXPO chauffeur service is having a busy show week. A business team flew in from New York for PACK EXPO International 2026. We picked them up at O'Hare yesterday, and we are driving them to McCormick Place each day and to their client dinners.

This post covers what PACK EXPO is, when it happens and how our week is going. Fares and drive times are on our O'Hare to McCormick Place page.

What Is PACK EXPO?

PACK EXPO International is one of the biggest packaging and processing trade shows in the world. PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, runs it.

• Companies come to see the machines and materials used to pack food, drinks, medicine and other products
• The 2026 show has more than 2,700 exhibitors
• Exhibits fill more than 1.3 million net square feet
• There are more than 150 free education sessions
• The 2024 show drew 77,500 people, the largest in its history

When Is PACK EXPO 2026?

PACK EXPO 2026 runs October 18 to 21 at McCormick Place in Chicago.

The show uses all four McCormick Place buildings: North, South, West and Lakeside Center. Tell your chauffeur which building you're in so the car waits at the right door.

Is PACK EXPO Held Every Year?

No. PACK EXPO International comes to Chicago every two years. In the years between, PMMI holds PACK EXPO Las Vegas. The next one is in Las Vegas in 2027.

Day 1, Sunday, October 18: O'Hare to McCormick Place

8:30 AM: Pickup at O'Hare

We tracked their flight from New York. Our chauffeur met the group at the arrivals door, loaded their bags and headed into the city on the Kennedy Expressway. Here is how our O'Hare airport pickup works.

Hotel stop

We took them to the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, which connects right to the convention center. They dropped their bags, and we drove them to the main entrance of McCormick Place.

4:00 PM: Early pickup

We had planned on 5:00 PM, but the group asked to leave early. Our chauffeur was there at 4:00 PM and had them back at the hotel before the show let out.

7:00 PM: Dinner at Gibsons

At 7:00 PM we drove them up Lake Shore Drive, past Soldier Field and the Museum Campus, to Gibsons Bar and Steakhouse on Rush Street in the Gold Coast. Gibsons is a Chicago classic for business dinners. After dinner, we took them back to the hotel.

Day 2, Monday, October 19: Client Meetings and RPM Steak

Today is all business. The group is meeting with different clients at the show all day.

• Morning drop-off at McCormick Place
• Pickup at 5:00 PM sharp
• Dinner tonight at RPM Steak on Kinzie Street in River North
• Ride back to the hotel after dinner

RPM Steak is upscale and lively, a good fit for a night with new clients. Teams with a full schedule like this one use our corporate car service.

Day 3, Tuesday, October 20: An Easy Day

After two long days, the group wants a slower one tomorrow. We will drive them to McCormick Place in the morning and bring them back to the hotel in the afternoon. Then they plan to walk around the city on their own. The lakefront trail, the Museum Campus and Chinatown are all close to the hotel.

Day 4, Wednesday, October 21: The Last Day of the Show

The show closes at 3:00 PM on Wednesday. The same chauffeur will be with the group from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Same Chauffeur, Every Day

The group asked to keep the same chauffeur for the whole trip. That means a lot to us. Show weeks are long, and a driver who already knows your schedule makes them easier.

How We Help PACK EXPO Travelers

Tips for PACK EXPO Visitors

• Book your rides early. Show week is one of the busiest weeks of the year at O'Hare. Here is how far in advance to book.
• Stay close to the show. The Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and the Marriott Marquis both connect to the convention center.
• Know your building. Each of the four buildings has its own doors.
• Beat the 5:00 PM rush. Lines and traffic build fast when the show lets out.
• Reserve dinner tables ahead. Gibsons and RPM Steak fill up fast during big shows.

Flying in for another show? See the McCormick Place events coming in late October 2026.