While some studies may laud the airports that perform the best during the holiday season, you’re pretty much guaranteed to deal with typical holiday hassle when flying during peak periods. From weather delays to long wait times at security, traveling during the holidays is, shall we say, not fun. If you’re looking to add a little more stress into the mix while making your travel plans, another study reveals the worst airports for holiday travel.
LocalsInsider.com took a deep dive into flight data from last year’s holiday season at major airports across the U.S. Using records from the Bureau of Transportation, the study pinpointed the 50 largest U.S. airports and ranked them by their record of delays and cancellations during the holidays.
Of the top 10 worst airports for holiday delays, four are in the Sunshine State. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International takes the lead, with close to 30% of flights delayed or canceled last holiday season. Orlando International—one of the busiest airports during the holiday season—follows, with 25% of flights (about 4,175 total) delayed or canceled. Chicago Midway comes in at number three with a 25% delay/cancellation rate, making O'Hare—at 15—-a better option. Rounding out the top five are Southwest Florida International in Fort Myers and San Francisco International, each with around 23% of flights delayed or canceled.
So if holiday travel is on the horizon, just know you're going to experience some kind of delay. To keep stress to a minimum, your best bet is to book an early morning flight—preferably nonstop,—arrive early and pack light.
The 10 worst airports for holiday travel
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International
- Orlando International
- Chicago Midway International
- Southwest Florida International
- San Francisco International
- Tampa International
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall
- William P Hobby
- Logan International
- Kansas City International