America's Best and Worst Airports for Flight Delays

Flights Delayed: 12.9%

This Delta hub retained the top spot for punctuality for the fifth time since 2008, despite a 1.2 percent uptick in delays year over year. More than 90 percent of flights depart on time for 12 hours each day at SLC. Just avoid the dinnertime twilight zone, when nearly a third fall behind schedule.

Best Time Window: 6–10 a.m.

Worst Time Window: 6–8 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 14.3%

Up three spots from last year, the oldest airport serving the nation’s capital is also the one least likely to keep you there longer than planned. While the other two D.C.-area gateways both rated among the worst for delays (BWI at second worst and Dulles at eighth worst), DCA posted an on-time score better than 85 percent.

Best Time Window: Before 1 p.m.

Worst Time Window: 8–10 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 14.6%

Although delays increased by 1.5 percentage points compared to last year, Sea-Tac still held on to its third-place position. Just over 40 percent of the airport’s total passengers arrive and depart via Alaska Airlines, which operates its primary hub here—and was recently rated the second-best airline for avoiding flight delays.

Best Time Window: Before 11 a.m.

Worst Time Window: 4–5 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 14.6%

A 2.1 percent bump in delays cost PDX the No. 2 ranking that it’s owned for six previous years. But the airport—which introduced in-line baggage screening in 2010—still managed an on-time percentage of 90 percent or higher for half of each day. It has also won praise for its food selection and free Wi-Fi.

Best Time Window: Before 11 a.m.

Worst Time Window: 2–3 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 15.6%

One of three Delta hubs among the 10 most punctual airports, MSP transports nearly half of its passengers via the legacy carrier, which holds the title of best major airline for avoiding flight delays. Travelers will appreciate MSP’s consistency; its percentage of on-time departures dips below 80 percent for only four hours daily.

Best Time Window: Before noon.

Worst Time Window: 6–7 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 15.8%

Motor City’s economy may be struggling, but departures from its airport are about as efficient as Henry Ford’s famous assembly line. The Delta hub sends off more than 75 percent of its flights on schedule throughout the day, with the only exception being the troublesome end-of-the-workday hour.

Best Time Window: Before 11 a.m.

Worst Time Window: 6–7 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 16.2%

Call it the tale of two airports: from morning until early afternoon, your odds of leaving Logan promptly average an impressive 82 to 95 percent. But beware the Boston red-eye. The downhill slide starts in the early evening, and by 9 p.m., you’ll face about a 40 percent chance of being delayed.

Best Time Window: Before 2 p.m.

Worst Time Window: 9 p.m.–midnight

Flights Delayed: 16.5%

South Beach pulses to its own rhythm, and at MIA, that rhythm happens to keep time nicely. The airport’s on-time percentage never drops below 75 percent, and all that sunny weather isn’t the only reason why: just ask nearby Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport, which ranks among the worst for delays (No. 7).

Best Time Window: Before noon.

Worst Time Window: 10–11 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 17.1%

A high traffic volume didn’t deter CLT’s efficiency. Despite more than 243,000 domestic departures from July 2013 to June 2014—the most of any of the 10 least-delayed airports—it made the top 10 airports for punctual departures. It helps that nearly 60 percent of the airport’s passengers travel on US Airways, which earned a No. 5 ranking among the best on-time airlines.

Best Time Window: Before noon.

Worst Time Window: 5–6 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 18.7%

Solid on-time scores throughout the afternoon and evening helped PHL earn high marks. At least 73 percent of flights leave as scheduled during every hour of the day but one. US Airways also dominates the departure and arrival boards in Philly; 42 percent of all passengers are booked on its planes.

Best Time Window: Before 2 p.m.

Worst Time Window: 7–8 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 35.7%

If the percentage of flights leaving the Windy City’s original airport on time were a grade on a math test, it’d be a D. Midway has the unfortunate distinction of being the nation’s tardiest airport for the second consecutive year—and even worse, delays increased by 8.4 percentage points.

Best Time Window: Before noon.

Worst Time Window: 10–11 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 28.7%

Bring a travel pillow: a whopping 71 percent of flights departing Baltimore in the late evening hours do so behind schedule. Despite a decent start to the day, a cascade of delays begins in the early afternoon; by 8 p.m., you’re actually more likely to be stuck at the gate than not.

Best Time Window: Before 11 a.m.

Worst Time Window: 10–11 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 27.9%

A 4.6 percent surge in delays moved DIA from fifth place on last year’s naughty list to third this year. Leave by lunchtime to avoid a Rocky Mountain meltdown: starting at 2 p.m., nearly a third of flights depart later than planned, a figure that only gets worse as the day wears on.

Best Time Window: Before 9 a.m.

Worst Time Window: 8–10 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 26.5%

Last year’s second-worst airport lost another half point off its on-time percentage, but O’Hare still managed to improve two spots in the rankings—thanks to declining performance at other locales. More than 80 percent of flights leave this United hub on time until mid-afternoon, though by late night less than half do.

Best Time Window: Before 10 a.m.

Worst Time Window: 11 p.m.–midnight.

Flights Delayed: 26.4%

A late night on the Strip isn’t the only culprit for that headache you may get when leaving Las Vegas. In Sin City, the deck is stacked against you: either crawl out of bed early for an a.m. departure, or gamble on an afternoon or evening flight, when more than a third of departures are delayed.

Best Time Window: Before 10 a.m.

Worst Time Window: 6–9 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 23.9%

Ranked No. 1 for the most delayed departures in 2012 and No. 3 a year ago, Newark continued a gradual improvement, tallying 1.8 percent fewer late flights this year than last. Yet delays still hover at or above 30 percent for nine hours each day, starting around 3 p.m. and reaching a peak in the evening.

Best Time Window: Before noon.

Worst Time Window: 7–8 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 23.5%

Mornings at this South Florida airport are as promising as a sunrise over the Atlantic, but by afternoon the departure board looks more like a perfect storm. Nearly a third of embarking flights fall behind schedule by 3 p.m., and that figure climbs above 40 percent by nightfall.

Best Time Window: Before 11 a.m.

Worst Time Window: 8–10 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 22.3%

Thought theme-park lines were enough to sour a fairy-tale vacation? Try leaving Orlando at dinnertime or later. At least a quarter of flights departing this Central Florida hub run late throughout the evening. But MCO isn’t all wicked: on-time percentages stay above 90 nearly all morning. And the airport’s giant aquarium and King Kong video arcade will help you pass any added wait time.

Best Time Window: Before 1 p.m.

Worst Time Window: 10–11 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 22.3%

If your flight from this outlying D.C. airport is delayed, chances are good you won’t just be late: you’ll be really late. Dulles has posted delays as much as 28 percent longer than the national average. In September 2013, for instance, typical setbacks lasted about 70 minutes.

Best Time Window: Before 11 a.m.

Worst Time Window: 6–7 p.m.; 8–9 p.m.

Flights Delayed: 22.1%

Though ranked second-worst for delays just two years ago, this year the gateway to the Golden Gate scored only a few percentage points lower than the 10th-best airport. Unlike all other destinations on this year’s list, SFO’s delays peak around lunchtime and actually improve as the day goes on.

Best Time Window: Before 10 a.m.

Worst Time Window: Noon–3 p.m.