The holiday season is just around the corner and that means the time for hopping on flights to visit friends, family, and loved ones (or to embark on a solo trip for some much-needed social battery recharging) is upon us. Unfortunately, holiday travel also means stress, long lines, delays, and cancellations–NYC was, after all, ranked the 4th worst city in America for holiday travel. There are some airports that are better than others, however, and we’ve got the inside scoop.
MarketWatch recently released its Holiday Air Travel Report for 2024 in which they conducted a survey of 3,000 Americans to uncover their holiday travel habits. They found that 61% plan to travel this holiday season, with over one-third of Americans (36%) intending to hop on a plane. And, with that, they also set out to determine the worst and best airports for holiday travel.
The Worst Airports for Holiday Travel
MarketWatch sourced data for fare prices, delays, and cancellations from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) for 30 major airports across the U.S. They then used the following metrics and weights to create a “Holiday Score” for each airport:
- Average fare price, based on domestic flights: 40%
- Percent of departing flights delayed: 40%
- Percent of departing flights canceled: 20%
What they concluded is that San Francisco International Airport is the worst airport for holiday travel. San Francisco International finished with a total score of 60.5 with 16.88% of its flights delayed, 0.18% of its flights cancelled, and an average airfare cost of $466.
And sure, NYC didn’t come in as the worst, but we’re also not far behind–JFK ranked as the third worst airport for holiday travel with an overall score of 64.6. 16.87% of JFK’s flights are delayed, 0.25% are cancelled (more than San Fran), and the airport has an average airfare cost of $441.
Surprising? Not really. Back in April JFK ranked among the worst airport in the U.S. for delays and also was found last year to have the third worst security lines in the country during the holiday season. Plus, you need to prepare for over a mile-long trek to your gate there.
However, JetBlue’s first-ever airport lounge will open at JFK by 2025 and the airport’s new $4.2 billion Terminal 6 is expected to open by 2026, so at least we can rest assured the airport is making some improvements. Plus, the airport’s food options aren’t too shabby.
Rounding out the top five worst airports for holiday travel are the following:
1. San Francisco International Airport
2. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall
3. John F. Kennedy International
4. Washington Dulles International
5. Chicago Midway International
The Best Airports for Holiday Travel
As for the best airport for holiday travel, that title went to Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International. Harry Reid International scored a perfect 100, though travelers through this airport have to deal with more delays than at JFK or San Francisco International as 17.31% of its flights are delayed. 0.25% of Harry Reid’s flights are cancelled, and the airport has an average airfare cost of $281.
Thankfully, an NYC airport also found itself on the “best” list: LaGuardia is the fourth best airport for holiday travel. LaGuardia received a total score of 90.5 with 13.92% of its flights delayed, 0.42% cancelled, and an average airfare cost of $346.
We’re not too surprised LaGuardia found itself this high on the list though–it was recently named the best airport in the country and earlier this year was also named the best mid-sized airport in the country.
Rounding out the top five best airports for holiday travel are the following:
1. Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International
2. Orlando International
3. Tampa International
4. LaGuardia
5. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
The cost of airfare can seem daunting, especially during the holiday season, but there are steps you can take to find cheap flights to travel on a budget. Google also suggests waiting until this time to book your holiday flights. Plus, on the bright side, travelers will now receive automatic refunds for canceled or significantly delayed flights.
MarketWatch’s full report can be found on their website. Safe travels!