Another summer warning ahead.
As wonderful as traveling is, flying has become a pain point. Last year, summer travel was synonymous with disruption due to staff shortages and weather conditions. Even in 2023, the nightmare situations of delays and cancellations remain persistent and common. So, fliers are navigating this post-pandemic, unreliable service by mitigating risks of being stranded. Flying direct, taking the first flight, and getting insurance are the go-to tips, but there may be one more way out: avoiding airports with the most cancellations and delays.
Travel insurance comparison website InsureMyTrip has analyzed data from the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics for the first quarter of 2023. Looking at the top 75 busiest airports in the U.S., they generated the rankings for the airports with the most flight delays and cancellations.
So, if you still have a chance, you can save yourself major heartache by avoiding airports that have historically been more affected by disruptions.
The Most Cancellations
This summer, American travelers are expected to break records—Memorial Day Weekend surpassed pre-pandemic levels. But U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has warned that some disruption may be caused by 5G interference, while there is also a shortage of Air Traffic Controllers in the country, which may also affect schedules. To top it, there is the possibility of strikes and unpredictable weather.
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According to numbers that InsureMyTrip crunched, two airports in Dallas don’t have the best track record as far as cancellations are concerned. Dallas Love Field had the highest number of cancellations (3.87%) in Q1 of 2023, while Dallas/Fort Worth International was a close second at 3.45%. Incidentally, Dallas Love Field is among the airports with the lowest percentage of flight delays.
Another Texas airport that broke through the top 10 of this unflattering list is Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. It is ranked seventh with a cancellation percentage of 2.76.
The airport with the lowest cancellation rate is Kona International Airport in Hawaii (0.38%). San Juan Airport, which was plagued by delays, followed with 0.47% cancellation. Jacksonville, Miami, Charleston, and Charleston Douglas are also safer bets.
The 10 airports with the worst cancellation record are Dallas Love Field, Dallas/Fort Worth International, Chicago Midway International Airport, Milwaukee Mitchell International, Minneapolis–Saint Paul International, Hollywood Burbank Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Denver International Airport, Portland International Airport (Oregon), and Boston Logan International Airport
Related: 7 Popular Destinations Have Received Travel Warnings Recently
The Most Delays
In the top 10 list of worst delays, Florida and Hawaii dominated with three airports each.
Daniel K. Inouye International in Honolulu (29.8%), Official Kahului Airport in Maui (27.5%), and Lihue Airport in Kauai (26.5%) were all ranked in the top 10. Passengers flying from Florida’s Palm Beach International (27.7%), Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International (26%), and Orlando International Airport (26%) also had to face delays from January to March.
Weather delays messed with the schedules of Salt Lake City International, Reno–Tahoe International, and Minneapolis–Saint Paul International.
On the contrary, Chicago Midway International Airport had the lowest percentage of delays with Baltimore/Washington International and Seattle–Tacoma International following close behind.
The 10 airports with the worst cancellation record of 2023 are Daniel K. Inouye International Airport Honolulu, Las Vegas Airport Harry Reid International Airport, San Francisco International, Palm Beach International, Official Kahului Airport, Lihue Airport Kauai, San Juan Airport – Luis Muñoz Marín International, Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International, Orlando International Airport, and San Diego International Airport.
Airlines have promised to do better this year with their schedules, but a big number of travelers are going to pass through airports. So, pack your patience and read the fine print of your ticket very carefully.
Related: 11 Tips for Avoiding Flight Cancellations and Delays (and What to Do When It Happens)