These Florida airports have the longest departure delays
About 1 in 5 passengers who flew in the U.S. this year have had to deal with the misfortune of their flight leaving late. Even though airlines publish their schedules, they don’t guarantee them.
These days, flight delays are trending higher and higher, according to statistics from the Department of Transportation. In 2018 and 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, the average share of departure delays for flights in the U.S. was 19% and 19.5%, respectively. In 2022 and 2023 (as of August), departure delays were up to 21.5% and 22%, the highest average in nearly a decade.
Unlike the more generous regulations in the European Union, U.S. carriers are not obligated to compensate passengers for flight delays. However, each company has its own policy, so travelers may be able to get something in exchange for the headache of a delay. It’s always advisable to check with the airline to see if they will make accommodations, such as rebooking on a different flight or providing meal vouchers.
Since the federal government doesn’t require airlines to provide passengers with delay protections, it’s up to the flying public to ensure a delayed flight doesn’t ruin plans. When traveling for an immovable event like a wedding or cruise, for example, consider leaving a day in advance to add a buffer for any potential delays. Some travel insurance policies also compensate for long delays and could provide reimbursements for food, hotels, and more.
It’s wise to be particularly cautious when flying from certain U.S. airports that report more flight delays across all U.S. airlines than others. TravelPerk explored 25 of the biggest airports in the country and ranked them according to the share of departure flights that experience delays, using data from the Department of Transportation from September 2022 to August 2023.
Continue reading to find out if your nearest airport is prone to pushing back flight times.
25. Minneapolis-St Paul International
City: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 120,552
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 16.7%
Median minutes delayed: 16
Most common destinations: DEN, ORD, ATL
24. Salt Lake City International
City: Salt Lake City, Utah
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 108,272
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 17.6%
Median minutes delayed: 14
Most common destinations: DEN, PHX, LAX
23. Detroit Metro Wayne County
City: Detroit, Michigan
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 124,715
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 17.8%
Median minutes delayed: 18
Most common destinations: ATL, ORD, LGA
22. Ronald Reagan Washington National
City: Washington, D.C.
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 143,183
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 18.1%
Median minutes delayed: 19
Most common destinations: BOS, ATL, LGA
21. Seattle/Tacoma International
City: Seattle, Washington
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 175,949
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 18.2%
Median minutes delayed: 13
Most common destinations: PDX, ANC, LAX
20. Philadelphia International
City: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 98,234
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 18.4%
Median minutes delayed: 20
Most common destinations: MCO, ATL, BOS
19. Los Angeles International
City: Los Angeles, California
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 192,726
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 19.7%
Median minutes delayed: 16
Most common destinations: SFO, LAS, JFK
18. San Francisco International
City: San Francisco, California
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 134,948
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 20.4%
Median minutes delayed: 15
Most common destinations: LAX, JFK, SEA
17. LaGuardia
City: New York, New York
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 168,772
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 20.5%
Median minutes delayed: 23
Most common destinations: ORD, BOS, ATL
16. Chicago O’Hare International
City: Chicago, Illinois
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 277,274
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 20.7%
Median minutes delayed: 18
Most common destinations: LGA, LAX, DCA
15. Charlotte Douglas International
City: Charlotte, North Carolina
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 206,146
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 20.9%
Median minutes delayed: 19
Most common destinations: MCO, LGA, ATL
14. Nashville International
City: Nashville, Tennessee
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 94,327
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 21.6%
Median minutes delayed: 15
Most common destinations: LGA, ORD, CLT
13. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
City: Atlanta, Georgia
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 330,268
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 22.0%
Median minutes delayed: 17
Most common destinations: MCO, LGA, FLL
12. Phoenix Sky Harbor International
City: Phoenix, Arizona
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 171,771
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 22.4%
Median minutes delayed: 15
Most common destinations: DEN, LAS, SEA
11. Logan International
City: Boston, Massachusetts
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 141,691
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 22.5%
Median minutes delayed: 21
Most common destinations: DCA, LGA, JFK
10. Austin – Bergstrom International
City: Austin, Texas
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 91,862
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 22.6%
Median minutes delayed: 17
Most common destinations: DFW, DEN, LAX
9. George Bush Intercontinental/Houston
City: Houston, Texas
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 139,511
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 23.7%
Median minutes delayed: 18
Most common destinations: DFW, LAX, DEN
8. John F. Kennedy International
City: New York, New York
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 136,057
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 24.3%
Median minutes delayed: 23
Most common destinations: LAX, SFO, BOS
7. Dallas/Fort Worth International
City: Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 279,358
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 25.1%
Median minutes delayed: 23
Most common destinations: LAX, ATL, LGA
6. Newark Liberty International
City: Newark, New Jersey
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 144,038
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 25.9%
Median minutes delayed: 20
Most common destinations: MCO, ATL, LAX
5. Miami International
City: Miami, Florida
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 100,401
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 26.6%
Median minutes delayed: 21
Most common destinations: ATL, JFK, LGA
4. Harry Reid International
City: Las Vegas, Nevada
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 187,617
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 29.1%
Median minutes delayed: 18
Most common destinations: LAX, DEN, SEA
3. Denver International
City: Denver, Colorado
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 288,782
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 29.3%
Median minutes delayed: 16
Most common destinations: LAS, PHX, SLC
2. Orlando International
City: Orlando, Florida
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 158,419
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 30.3%
Median minutes delayed: 22
Most common destinations: ATL, EWR, SJU
1. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall
City: Baltimore, Maryland
Total flights from September 2022 to August 2023: 92,636
Percent of flights delayed at least 15 minutes: 31.2%
Median minutes delayed: 16
Most common destinations: ATL, MCO, BOS
Story editing by Jaimie Etkin. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.
This story originally appeared on TravelPerk and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
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