June 1, 2020
Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with travel dates on or after
Due to travel restrictions, plans are only available with effective start dates on or after
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Jamaica
Jamaica;
Flight delays are a fact of life. In fact, U.S. flights have around a 20% chance of being delayed (on average).1 And unfortunately, on-time rates have been getting worse in recent years, not better.
Travelers don’t have much control over whether their flight takes off on time or not. But there are a few things you can do to minimize flight delays. First: Avoid airports that are known for late flights.
When you look at both the percentage of flights arriving late and the average number of minutes late (considering only flights delayed by 1 hour or more), the worst U.S. airport for delays is John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). An analysis of summer flights by AirAdvisor found that nearly 62% of flights did not arrive on time, and these were delayed by 104 minutes, on average.3
Newark Liberty International Airport, another of the three airports serving New York City, is known for weather-related delays. When the Weather Channel analyzed 10 years of data, almost two-thirds of delayed flights into Newark were caused by weather: snowstorms, summer storms, and often, wind. Two of Newark’s three runways run southwest to northeast, the channel explains, which means “common west to northwest crosswinds can create headaches for pilots attempting to land. This is why you could see planes circling Newark-Liberty on an otherwise picture-perfect afternoon.”4
New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is another of the worst airports for weather delays. The combined delay rate at Newark and LaGuardia “is the highest in the country, with almost 30,000 significant delays of more than 15 minutes in 2022,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration.5
About 60% of delayed flights arriving at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) are caused by weather—specifically, cloud cover and fog in the famously misty city. San Francisco is also notable for parallel runways that are so close together, air traffic controllers stagger landings on days when visibility is low. On clear days, SFO can land around 60 planes every hour. During periods of low visibility, only 30 planes per hour are allowed to land.6
The award for the highest number of weather-delayed flights goes to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). On average, the weather delays 28,000 flights into O’Hare each year. You can blame snow and ice (Chicago sees 28 snowy days each year, on average), frequent thunderstorms, wind, and fog.7
Airports in Florida and Puerto Rico are also notorious for delays. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport Puerto Rico (SJU), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Orlando International Airport (MCO), and Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) all have more than 26% of flights delayed, according to another analysis.8
El Paso International Airport is the worst airport for delays during the holiday season, according to a 10-year analysis by Upgraded Points. 32.8 percent of flights leave late during the holidays.9
Enough of the worst—which airports are on-time superstars? Kahului Airport (OGG) in Maui consistently ranks as one of the best, with around 14% of flights delayed.10 This may be due to its simplicity: Kahului has only two runways and doesn’t see a ton of traffic.
Larger airports that have the best flight delay rates include:
Book early flights. If you’re wondering about the best or worst time to fly out of a specific airport, look at the Air Travel Consumer Reports created by the U.S. Department of Transportation. You can see the current on-time percentages for flights at each hour of the day. In general, airports have the best on-time departure rate early in the morning, and it slips as the day goes on. Some airports, however, don’t manage early flights as well: See which ones.
Choose hub airports. Hubs are the larger airports that serve as central connection points for one of more airlines. At a hub airport, an airline has more staff, more planes, and more flights—making it easier to manage delays. Wondering which airports are hubs for your chosen airline? See a global list here.
Fly nonstop or minimize connections. The fewer flights you have to catch, the better your chances of avoiding a delay.
Know what to expect. On the day of your flight, check the MiseryMap. This interactive map from FlightAware shows delayed or canceled flights for major airports in real time. That way, you can mentally prepare yourself for travel challenges. Also enter your flight information in the free Allyz® TravelSmart app to receive alerts.
Always get travel insurance for your flights. The travel delay benefit in your plan can reimburse you for prepaid trip expenses lost because of a delay, as well as additional expenses for meals, accommodation, communication, and transportation during a covered delay. Read your plan documents to find out how a covered delay is defined and the maximum limit for reimbursement.
Did you know that If your arrival is delayed by at least 24 hours, your trip interruption benefits can reimburse you for the reasonable cost of alternate transportation if you can get to your destination another way? (up to the maximum limit in your plan). If an extended flight delay means you might miss something important—like a wedding, a business meeting, or the departure of your cruise ship—contact 24-hour assistance. Our expert team will do their best to help, whether that means getting you on another flight or finding another way to get you to your destination.
Find out why more than 70 million American travelers each year trust Allianz Travel Insurance to protect them. Buy travel insurance for your next trip!
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Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Please see your plan for full details. Benefits/Coverage may vary by state, and sublimits may apply.
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