In Chicago, love is in the air for Valentine's Day.

Navy Pier is looking to make that special day a little less expensive by offering free rides on the Ferris wheel Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2:14 p.m. or for the first 1,200 riders.

Typically, tickets for the Centennial Wheel are $12 for adults and $10 for children ages 3 to 11 during the winter under discounted seasonal rates for Illinois residents.

On Tuesday, the Centennial Wheel will double as a spinning photo booth with Valentine's Day-themed props in each of the 42 fully enclosed, temperature-controlled gondolas. Couples waiting in line will be randomly selected for an upgrade to the VIP gondola with glass-bottom views.

Tuesday also is National Ferris Wheel Day, honoring the first Ferris wheel showcased at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago and celebrating the current 196-foot-tall Centennial Wheel — named for Navy Pier's 100th anniversary — which opened Memorial Day weekend in 2016.

Since it opened on May 27, nearly 800,000 people have ridden on the Centennial Wheel, according to Navy Pier spokesman Payal Patel.

It's also kept couples high on love, with more than 50 marriage proposals counted on the wheel, he said.

lvivanco@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @lvivanco

The new Ferris wheel at Navy Pier opened May 27, 2016, kicking off the pier's Centennial Celebration.

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