Stats: The Worst Airports for Holiday Travel

Travel insurance comparison site InsureMyTrip has released findings of its latest study. InsureMyTrip analyzed data from the last three years for various factors like air carrier delay, weather delay, national aviation system delay, security delays, aircraft late arrivals, cancelations and diversions.

Per airport officials and industry analysts, passenger traffic for the Thanksgiving holiday through New Year's is set to reach or exceed 2019 levels. While airports are racing to staff up, airlines still face a shortage of pilots and other workers. Not just that, winter weather in the U.S. and the usually increased demand for flying during the six-week holiday window may add to travelers’ woes.

According to the study, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is the most likely to add to travelers’ woes over the holiday season with almost 30 percent chance of delays. It was ranked the most likely for delays in three of the seven categories including aircraft arriving late (7.1 percent), cancelations (3 percent), and security (1.8  percent). It was also second most likely for system delays (8.3  percent)—only beaten by Newark Liberty International Airport with 12.2 percent.

This may be because Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is ranked the fourth largest cargo airport globally, due to its strategic location between North America and Asia, so the airport is fast becoming a central e-commerce hub.

Newark Liberty International follows close as the second most-likely airport to have delays over this holiday season, with more than 23 percent. It’s deemed the most likely to have delays due to its system delays (12.2 percent) and fourth highest for cancelations (1.7 percent). Only recently it was revealed more than one in three flights arrived or departed late at Newark this year, ranking among the worst airports in America for delays. It missed out on being the number one airport for delays over the holiday season due to its low security delays (0.04 percent) and weather delays (0.28 percent).

Palm Beach International Airport is ranked the third airport most likely to experience delays this holiday season (21.7 percent). It scored highly for air carrier delays (7.8 percent) and system delays (7.34 percent).

Luis Munoz Marin International and Nashville International airports ranked fourth and fifth most likely to have delays this holiday season, with 21.2 percent and 19.8 percent respectively.

Air carrier delays presents a challenge for all airports, this entails a hold-up when preparing for boarding. Luis Munoz Marin International and El Paso International Airport led this category, with 10.27 percent and 9.05 percent respectively.

At the other end of the spectrum, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport leads the top five airports least likely to experience delays this holiday season. Passengers passing through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International will rejoice as the airport ranked second lowest overall for diverted flights (0.02 percent), aircraft arriving late (3.35 percent), and air carrier delay (3.72 percent), lowering their chances of delayed flights this holiday season.

Hartsfield-Jackson Airport recently unveiled a new end around taxiway–the second airport to do so after Dallas Fort Worth International Airport—which will help save energy, costs, and time, which will reduce its chances of delays even further.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (11.9 percent) and Daniel K Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii (12.9 percent) complete the top three airports least likely to experience delays this holidays season.

Source: InsureMyTrip

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