Travel Transportation: Ranking 30 Major US Airports with Departure Delays

Tuesday, 25 August 2026, 14:04

Travel transportation can significantly impact your journey. This article ranks 30 major US airports based on their departure delays, revealing critical insights into aviation performance for January to June 2026. With data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, we delve into the on-time performance metrics of these airports.

Businessinsider — Travel Transportation: Ranking 30 Major US Airports with Departure Delays

Travel Transportation: Understanding the Impact of Airports on Your Journey

If you're hoping to get to your destination on time, the airport you fly from can make a significant difference. Based on Bureau of Transportation Statistics data, this ranking evaluates major airports' on-time departure performance from January through June 2026. The BTS compiled data from monthly on-time reports filed by US passenger airlines, defining a flight as on time if it departs less than 15 minutes after the scheduled time.

Key Metrics Behind The Rankings

Additional information provided from BTS includes the scale of each airport and the airlines operating there. The number of scheduled flights for departures is considered for the 12 months ending May 2026, with the top carriers calculated based on passenger shares for arrivals and departures from June 2025 to May 2026. Delays at these airports can often be attributed to weather conditions such as hurricanes in Florida, snowstorms in New England, and extreme heat in Arizona.

Ranking the Airports

Here are the 30 major US airports ranked by their on-time departure performance, from best to worst:

This article was prepared using information from open sources in accordance with the principles of Ethical Policy. The editorial team is not responsible for absolute accuracy, as it relies on data from the sources referenced.