The Best and Worst U.S. Airports | Travel + Leisure

The Best and Worst U.S. Airports

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When it comes to dealing with congestion, not all airports are created equal. Above are the 10 major domestic airports with the highest percentage of delayed departures, along with their smoother-sailing counterparts. To help you plan your flights, we’ve given you the hours at each when delays are at their peak.* It’s worth noting that even at the best airports, delays spike at certain hours, usually between 7 and 10 p.m. The best times to fly are in the mornings and after 11 p.m., when the evening rush is over.

Best

Charlotte Douglas
20%
8–9 p.m. 41%

Cincinnati
14%
5–6 p.m. 23%

Houston George Bush
20%
6–7 p.m. 31%

Los Angeles
18%
7–8 p.m. 27%

Orlando
19%
11 p.m.–12 a.m. 46%

Pittsburgh
17%
7–8 p.m. 36%

Salt Lake City
14%
6–7 p.m. 19%

San Diego
17%
8–9 p.m. 27%

Tampa
18%
9–10 p.m. 37%

Washington Reagan
16%
7–8 p.m. 27%

Worst

Atlanta
26%
9–10 p.m. 40%

Chicago Midway
27%
8–9 p.m. 45%

Chicago O’Hare
28%
8–9 p.m. 41%

Dallas-Fort Worth
23%
7–8 p.m. 32%

Detroit Metro Wayne County
22%
8–9 p.m. 40%

Las Vegas McCarran
25%
9–10 p.m. 39%

Miami
23%
9–10 p.m. 36%

Newark
28%
7–8 p.m. 53%

New York LaGuardia
24%
9–10 p.m. 40%

Philadelphia
26%
7–8 p.m. 42%

% Percentage of all departures that are delayed

* A flight departing 15 minutes or more after the scheduled departure time is considered delayed. Figures are from August 2005 through July 2006 and are provided by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

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