If you’re flying for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, you’ll likely encounter hordes of other travelers, as well as some delays. Some airports are more efficient than others when it comes to getting through security, and a new study reveals the U.S. airports with the longest wait times. So check it out and plan accordingly if you happen to be flying in or out of the worst offenders.
The study, conducted by travel and luggage experts at Bounce, analyzed the wait times for TSA and passport control at the nation’s busiest airports to determine where you could face delays due to long lines. While U.S. airports have decreased the average time passengers spend waiting for security and passport control from around 29 minutes and 35 seconds to 27 minutes and 16 seconds, some airports have seen even greater improvement (Palm Beach International—last year’s unfortunate champ) and some have gotten worse (Newark Liberty International went from one of the fastest to one of the slowest).
This year’s study shows that New York’s JFK International Airport has the longest combined wait time at 39 minutes and 48 seconds. The average TSA wait time is 15 minutes, five seconds, while the average passport control wait time is 24 minutes, 43 seconds. Though JFK has the longest wait times, the combined total reflects an eight-minute decrease in wait times from last year.
At number two is Orlando International Airport, where travelers can expect to encounter TSA wait times of 15 minutes and 34 seconds, with passport control adding around 23 minutes and 42 seconds. The third longest wait times can be found at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, clocking in at 11 minutes and 53 seconds for TSA screening, and 25 minutes and 59 seconds at passport control.
On the other hand, Palm Beach International has the shortest wait times, with a combined average of 7 minutes, 27 seconds. John Wayne International Airport has an average combined wait time of 14 minutes, 38 seconds. Find the full list of the longest (and shortest) wait times here.
U.S. Airports with the longest wait times
- John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
- O'Hare International Airport
- Los Angeles International Airport
- Austin–Bergstrom International Airport
- Miami International Airport
- San Francisco International Airport
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport
- Ontario International Airport
- Salt Lake City International Airport