Written by the Pharaoh’s Transportation dispatch team · 5151 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee · 2 minutes from MKE · every chauffeur background-checked, licensed and insured
Quick answer: Navy boot camp graduation (Pass in Review) at Recruit Training Command, Naval Station Great Lakes, is held on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. Central, and guests should arrive about 90 minutes early. Many families fly into Milwaukee Mitchell (MKE), about 45 to 50 minutes from the base, or O’Hare, about 45 minutes to an hour away, and stay in Milwaukee or near the base. Pharaoh’s Transportation drives families both ways: from MKE or a Milwaukee hotel to the Gate 8 drop-off before dawn on graduation day, back to the hotel after the ceremony, and to MKE or O’Hare for the flight home, in a premium SUV for up to 6 or a Sprinter for the whole family.
Graduating this month?
Lock in your graduation-morning pickup now. Thursdays book up fast.
In this guide
- Graduation week at Great Lakes: what families need to know
- MKE or O’Hare: which airport for Great Lakes
- Drive times: MKE, Milwaukee hotels and O’Hare to the base
- Graduation day timeline and pickup plan
- SUV or Sprinter for grandparents, siblings and the new Sailor
- After the ceremony: back to the hotel, MKE or O’Hare
- Booking for graduation: what to send
- Quick facts
- Frequently asked questions
- About the dispatch team
Graduation week at Great Lakes: what families need to know
| Step | What the Navy’s graduation page says |
|---|---|
| Get approved | Your recruit approves your attendance during training; submit guest names by the Friday before graduation |
| Pick up tickets | In person at the Welcome Center, Navy Exchange Burkey Mall, 2650 Green Bay Road, North Chicago: the day before (10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.) or graduation morning (5:30 to 8:00 a.m.) |
| Bring ID | Adults: REAL ID, passport or military ID. Minors: student ID, permit, Social Security card or birth certificate |
| Graduation day | Gate and drill hall doors open 6:30 a.m.; seated by 9:00 a.m.; ceremony about 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. |
| Leave behind | Large bags, backpacks, luggage, signs, gift bags and flowers are not allowed |
| The day after | The new Sailor has liberty from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and must be back on time |
Rules and times can change, so check the Navy’s official boot camp graduation page the week you travel.
Flying in for graduation?
Tell us your flight, hotel and graduation date. We’ll plan the ticket pickup, the early drop-off and the ride back.
MKE or O’Hare: which airport for Great Lakes
| Milwaukee Mitchell (MKE) | Chicago O’Hare (ORD) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical drive to the base | About 45 to 50 minutes | About 45 minutes to 1 hour, more in rush hour |
| Traffic | Mostly open I-94 south | Chicago-area expressway traffic |
| Airport size | Smaller, quicker in and out | Huge, more flights and airlines |
| Hotels | Milwaukee and Kenosha hotels, often lower rates | Gurnee, Waukegan and O’Hare-area hotels |
| Best for | Families who want an easy airport and a Milwaukee stay | Families on routes MKE doesn’t serve |
Pharaoh’s office is 2 minutes from MKE, so MKE pickups are fast. O’Hare pickups are handled by City of Chicago-licensed chauffeurs through our affiliate network. See where to meet your chauffeur at MKE and the O’Hare terminal pickup guide.
Drive times: MKE, Milwaukee hotels and O’Hare to the base
| From | To Great Lakes (typical) | Leave by, for a 7:30 a.m. arrival |
|---|---|---|
| MKE | About 45 to 50 minutes | About 6:30 a.m. |
| Downtown Milwaukee hotels | About 55 minutes to 1 hour | About 6:15 a.m. |
| Kenosha hotels | About 25 to 30 minutes | About 6:50 a.m. |
| O’Hare-area hotels | About 45 minutes to 1 hour | About 6:15 a.m. |
| Gurnee and Waukegan hotels | About 10 to 15 minutes | About 7:00 a.m. |
Times are typical estimates for early-morning traffic. Add time if you still need to pick up tickets at the Welcome Center that morning; the line can be long, so many families get tickets the day before.
Graduation day timeline and pickup plan
| Time (Central) | What happens |
|---|---|
| 5:30 to 6:15 a.m. | Your chauffeur picks up the family at the hotel |
| Before 8:00 a.m. | Stop at the Welcome Center if tickets weren’t picked up the day before |
| 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. | Drop-off at the lot next to Gate 8, where shuttles and shared rides drop off; walk in with ID and tickets |
| 9:00 a.m. | Doors close; ceremony begins |
| About 10:30 a.m. | Ceremony ends; families meet their Sailor |
| After the ceremony | Your chauffeur meets you at the agreed spot near Gate 8 for the ride back |
Most families book the chauffeur for the whole morning, so the SUV or Sprinter waits nearby instead of making two trips. See hourly car service.
Before-dawn pickups are our specialty
We’ll be at your hotel lobby at 5:30 a.m. so you’re through the gate early.
SUV or Sprinter for grandparents, siblings and the new Sailor
| Family size | Vehicle | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 6 | Cadillac Escalade or Chevy Suburban | Comfortable, quick, room for coats |
| 7 to 13 | Executive Sprinter | The whole family together, easy step-in for grandparents |
| 7 to 14 | Ford Transit 14-passenger van | A value option for large families |
| Up to 15 | Mercedes-Benz Sprinter | The biggest single vehicle |
| Two families sharing | Sprinter or two SUVs | Split the cost; one plan |
Grandparents with walkers or wheelchairs: tell dispatch when you book. Personal wheelchairs and walkers are allowed at the ceremony. Traveling with little ones? See airport rides with car seats. Compare vehicles on the fleet page and Executive Sprinter.
After the ceremony: back to the hotel, MKE or O’Hare
- Back to the hotel: most families celebrate with lunch, then rest before liberty day.
- Liberty day (the day after graduation): the Sailor has liberty from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Families often spend it in Milwaukee or the Chicago area. A chauffeur can bring the family to base in the morning and back for the 9:00 p.m. return, and family vehicles drop Sailors at the chapel parking lot.
- Flights home: we drive the family to MKE or O’Hare.
One rule to know: the Navy says Sailors cannot travel to their next command in a family vehicle or on tickets bought by family. We drive families, and the Sailor during liberty, but not the Sailor to the next assignment.
Booking for graduation: what to send
- Graduation date and the Sailor’s division (for your own planning)
- Flight numbers, if you’re flying into MKE or O’Hare
- Hotel name and address
- Number of guests, ages of children, and any wheelchair or walker
- Whether you need the Welcome Center stop for tickets
- Liberty-day plans and flights home
We confirm a written timeline and price. Book on the booking page or call (414) 322-3751. Prices for every vehicle are on limo prices.
Quick facts
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Ceremony | Thursdays, 9:00 a.m. Central, Recruit Training Command, Naval Station Great Lakes |
| Arrive | About 90 minutes early; gates open 6:30 a.m. |
| Ticket pickup | Welcome Center, 2650 Green Bay Rd, North Chicago |
| Drop-off | Lot next to Gate 8 |
| MKE to the base | About 45 to 50 minutes |
| O’Hare to the base | About 45 minutes to 1 hour |
| Vehicles | SUVs (6), Executive Sprinter (13), Transit van (14), Mercedes Sprinter (15) |
| Book | pharaohstransportation.com/book-online or (414) 322-3751, 24/7 |
Frequently asked questions
What day is Navy boot camp graduation at Great Lakes?
The Navy’s graduation page lists Pass in Review on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. Central. Check the official page for your date.
How early should we arrive?
About 90 minutes before the 9:00 a.m. start. Gates and drill hall doors open at 6:30 a.m., and doors close at 9:00 a.m.
Is MKE or O’Hare closer to Great Lakes?
They’re similar: about 45 to 50 minutes from MKE and 45 minutes to an hour from O’Hare. MKE is usually quicker in and out.
Where do car services drop off at Great Lakes?
The Navy’s page says shuttles, taxis and shared rides drop off in the parking lot next to Gate 8.
Where do we pick up graduation tickets?
At the Welcome Center at the Navy Exchange Burkey Mall, 2650 Green Bay Road, North Chicago, the day before or the morning of graduation.
What ID do guests need?
Adults need a REAL ID, passport or military ID; minors need a student ID, permit, Social Security card or birth certificate.
Can we bring bags?
Only small bags. Large bags, backpacks, luggage, gift bags, signs and flowers aren’t allowed, so leave them in the vehicle.
Can you pick us up at a Milwaukee hotel at 5:30 a.m.?
Yes. Early pickups are routine for our dispatch team.
Can the chauffeur wait during the ceremony?
Yes. Book the morning hourly and the vehicle waits nearby for the ride back.
What vehicle fits a big family?
An Executive Sprinter seats 13, the Transit van 14 and the Mercedes Sprinter 15.
Can you drive our Sailor to their next command?
No. The Navy says Sailors cannot travel to their next command in a family vehicle or on family-bought tickets. We can drive the family, and the Sailor during liberty.
How do we book?
Book online or call (414) 322-3751 with your graduation date, flights and hotel.
About the dispatch team
This guide was written by the Pharaoh’s Transportation dispatch team, which books rides across Wisconsin and Chicagoland every day. Pharaoh’s Transportation is a top-rated Milwaukee limo and car service with its office and fleet at 5151 S Howell Ave, Suite D1 & D2, Milwaukee, WI 53207, 2 minutes from MKE. Pharaoh’s also operates two divisions, Milwaukee to O’Hare (milwaukeetoohare.com) and Wisconsin Limo Service (wisconsinlimoservice.com), with the same office and dispatch team. The fleet includes Chevy Suburbans and Cadillac Escalades (up to 6), a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (15), an Executive Sprinter (13) and a 14-passenger Ford Transit van. Every chauffeur is background-checked, licensed and insured. Pickups inside Chicago, including O’Hare and Midway, are driven by City of Chicago-licensed chauffeurs through our affiliate network. Reservations: (414) 322-3751, 24/7.
Book your graduation rides
MKE and hotel pickups, the Gate 8 drop-off, the ride back and your flight home, all in one plan.
