Study: Most stressful airports around holidays

InsureMyTrip ranks 75 worst US airports for flight cancellations

Jacksonville is among the most stressful stops for holiday travel when it comes to canceled flights, according to research from InsureMyTrip.

The travel insurance company ranked 75 airports across North America based on their flight cancellation rates. The airports ranked each reported at least 13,000 scheduled flights in 2018.

Jacksonville International Airport ranked No. 25. The most stressful airport was New York's LaGuardia, and the least stressful was Salt Lake City International.

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International came in at No. 65, ranking it among the least stressful airports for cancellations.

Flights scheduled for departure between 4-6 pm are more susceptible to delays and cancellations, the report found.

If a flight is canceled, most airlines will rebook travelers on the next available flight at no additional charge. However, airlines are not required to reimburse travelers for losses incurred as a result of a canceled flight.

Each airline has its own flight delay policy for passengers waiting at the airport; there are no federal requirements. Travelers concerned about delays should be aware of the following: 

  • Generally, early departures are less likely to be delayed.
  • Book a non-stop flight (no stops).
  • When booking, ask the airline about the on-time performance percentage for an individual flight.
  • Closer to departure, check real-time airport data. This will provide timely information on weather concerns or air traffic delays.
  • Be aware of "creeping delays." This is when an airline continues to push back a departure time. It can sometimes be extended for hours or lead to a cancellation.
  • If a flight is delayed, try to learn the reason why to better gauge if the flight is in jeopardy of being canceled. Reasons for delays may include maintenance, fueling, crew issues, weather, previous flight with the same aircraft arrived late -- causing the present flight to depart late -- or security issues.
  • Some flights will be delayed on the tarmac before or after take-off. As a general rule, the U.S. Department of Transportation prohibits flights to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours.

The list of most stressful airports from worst to best:

Rank/Code

City/Airport

1. LGA

New York, NY: LaGuardia ( Worst)

2. ORF

Norfolk, VA: Norfolk International

3. CHS

Charleston, SC: Charleston AFB/International

4. ROC

Rochester, NY: Greater Rochester International

5. PHL

Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia International

6. EWR

Newark, NJ: Newark Liberty International

7. PVD

Providence, RI: Theodore Francis Green State

8. DCA

Washington, DC: Ronald Reagan Washington National

9. BUF

Buffalo, NY: Buffalo Niagara International

10. JFK

New York, NY: John F. Kennedy International

11. BOS

Boston, MA: Logan International

12. BDL

Hartford, CT: Bradley International

13. RDU

Raleigh/Durham, NC: Raleigh-Durham International

14. RIC

Richmond, VA: Richmond International

15. CLT

Charlotte, NC: Charlotte Douglas International

16. MDW

Chicago, IL: Chicago Midway International

17. BWI

Baltimore, MD: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall

18. GRR

Grand Rapids, MI: Gerald R. Ford International

19. ORD

Chicago, IL: Chicago O'Hare International

20. CLE

Cleveland, OH: Cleveland-Hopkins International

21. CMH

Columbus, OH: John Glenn Columbus International

22. PIT

Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh International

23. SDF

Louisville, KY: Louisville International-Standiford Field

24. CVG

Cincinnati, OH: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International

25. JAX

Jacksonville, FL: Jacksonville International

26. PBI

West Palm Beach/Palm Beach, FL: Palm Beach International

27. BHM

Birmingham, AL: Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International

28. MKE

Milwaukee, WI: General Mitchell International

29. IAD

Washington, DC: Washington Dulles International

30. IND

Indianapolis, IN: Indianapolis International

31. MEM

Memphis, TN: Memphis International

32. DFW

Dallas/Fort Worth, TX: Dallas/Fort Worth International

33. BNA

Nashville, TN: Nashville International

34. BUR

Burbank, CA: Bob Hope

35. STL

St. Louis, MO: St Louis Lambert International

36. HOU

Houston, TX: William P Hobby

37. OMA

Omaha, NE: Eppley Airfield

38. RSW

Fort Myers, FL: Southwest Florida International

39. DAL

Dallas, TX: Dallas Love Field

40. MCI

Kansas City, MO: Kansas City International

41. SFO

San Francisco, CA: San Francisco International

42. MSY

New Orleans, LA: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International

43. OKC

Oklahoma City, OK: Will Rogers World

44. TPA

Tampa, FL: Tampa International

45. MCO

Orlando, FL: Orlando International

46. OAK

Oakland, CA: Metropolitan Oakland International

47. MIA

Miami, FL: Miami International

48. MSP

Minneapolis, MN: Minneapolis-St Paul International

49. FLL

Fort Lauderdale, FL: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International

50. DTW

Detroit, MI: Detroit Metro Wayne County

51. AUS

Austin, TX: Austin - Bergstrom International

52. ANC

Anchorage, AK: Ted Stevens Anchorage International

53. IAH

Houston, TX: George Bush Intercontinental/Houston

54. SAT

San Antonio, TX: San Antonio International

55. SJU

San Juan, PR: Luis Munoz Marin International

56. SAN

San Diego, CA: San Diego International

57. LAX

Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles International

58. ABQ

Albuquerque, NM: Albuquerque International Sunport

59. DEN

Denver, CO: Denver International

60. TUS

Tucson, AZ: Tucson International

61. SJC

San Jose, CA: Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International

62. PHX

Phoenix, AZ: Phoenix Sky Harbor International

63. LAS

Las Vegas, NV: McCarran International

64. HNL

Honolulu, HI: Daniel K Inouye International

65. ATL

Atlanta, GA: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International

66. ONT

Ontario, CA: Ontario International

67. GEG

Spokane, WA: Spokane International

68. SNA

Santa Ana, CA: John Wayne Airport-Orange County

69. RNO

Reno, NV: Reno/Tahoe International

70. SMF

Sacramento, CA: Sacramento International

71. PDX

Portland, OR: Portland International

72. OGG

Kahului, HI: Kahului Airport

73. SEA

Seattle, WA: Seattle/Tacoma International

74. BOI

Boise, ID: Boise Air Terminal

75. SLC

Salt Lake City, UT: Salt Lake City International


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