The Essentials

Holiday Travel: Worst and Best Airports for Delays

Consider these numbers: Thanksgiving air travel in 2023 saw 17.1 million people fly, and over the Christmas/New Year period last year, more than 51 million people were screened at TSA checkpoints.

But what about this year? Are there better and worse airports for holiday travel? A recent study looked at the 50 largest U.S. airports and tracked delayed or canceled holiday flights.

Of the top 10 worst airports, four are in Florida: Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Southwest Florida International, and Tampa. On average, one in four holiday flights are canceled at Orlando—similar to Chicago’s Midway. Boston, Houston, and Baltimore don’t fare much better.

As for the best airports for holiday travel, Washington Dulles International, Minneapolis-St. Paul International, and Salt Lake City International top the list.