Holiday Travel Report: Most Stressful US Airports

InsureMyTrip Research reveals worst airports for flight cancellations

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Dec 19, 2017, 13:05 ET

WARWICK, R.I., Dec. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to help empower travelers to make more informed decisions when it comes to holiday travel plans, InsureMyTrip Research reveals which airports to possibly avoid and how the latest data trends can aid travelers when comparing travel insurance benefits.

Summary

For the first time in five years, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) is reporting more flight cancellations than Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) and this doesn't even include the power outage cancellations from this week.
Weather is the top reason for flight cancellations and delays nationwide.
If a flight is canceled, most airlines will rebook travelers on next available flight at no additional charge. However, airlines are not required to reimburse travelers for losses incurred as a result of a canceled flight.

InsureMyTrip Research predicts these airports will be more stressful for travelers this holiday due to the likelihood of canceled flights based on previously reported data for this year.

Rank	Airport	City	Departing flight cancellations
1	ATL	Atlanta	3,918*
2	ORD	Chicago	3,505
3	IAH	Houston	3,481
4	SFO	San Francisco	3,057
5	LGA	New York	2,886
6	EWR	Newark	2,875
7	BOS	Boston	2,541
8	MCO	Orlando	2,510
9	FLL	Fort Lauderdale	2,371
10	JFK	New York	2,047
11	LAX	Los Angeles	1,946
12	DFW	Dallas	1,783
13	HOU	Houston	1,723
14	MIA	Miami	1,695
15	BWI	Baltimore	1,614
16	DCA	Washington DC	1,407
17	DEN	Denver	1,388
18	LAS	Las Vegas	1,277
19	TPA	Tampa	1,274
20	CLT	Charlotte	1,220

This table contains data for non-stop domestic flights by major air carriers collected in 2017 thus far by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

*Data excludes over 1,000 canceled flights due to the power outage of December, 17th 2017 at Hartsfield-Jackson International. Those numbers have not been collected yet.

Top reasons given for a flight cancellation in 2017 by all reportable US airports:

Reason for cancellation	Number of flights affected
Weather	45,008
Air Carrier	16,928
National Aviation System	13,725
Security	290

Flight data obtained by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. National Aviation System cancellations can also be due to weather.

Flight Cancellation Policies

Flight cancellation policies vary by airline and circumstance. When an airline cancels a flight, most will try to rebook passengers on the next available flight.

Airlines are also not required to reimburse travelers for losses incurred as a result of a canceled flight, such as prepaid, non-refundable:

Hotel room
All-inclusive vacation or resort
A cruise
A tour or safari
Concert or entertainment tickets

Travelers concerned about protecting any trip expenses should buy travel insurance.

Dealing with Flight Delays

Each airline has its own flight delay policy for passengers waiting at the airport; there are no federal requirements.

Travelers concerned about delays should be aware of the following:

Generally, early departures are less likely to be delayed.
Book a non-stop flight (no stops).
When booking, ask the airline about the on-time performance percentage for an individual flight.
Closer to departure, check real-time airport data. This will provide timely information on weather concerns or air traffic delays.
Be aware of "creeping delays." When an airline continues to push back a departure time it can sometimes be extended for hours or lead to a cancellation.
If a flight is delayed, try to learn the reason why to better gauge if the flight is in jeopardy of being canceled. Reasons for delays may include maintenance, fueling, crew issues, weather, previous flight with same aircraft arrived late, causing the present flight to depart late, or security issues.
Some flights will be delayed on the tarmac before or after take-off. As a general rule, DOT prohibits flights to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours.

Passengers with departing flights at busier airports should consider travel insurance for travel delay protection. "If travelers are made aware of the possibility of flight delays, they can then use that data to help them compare travel delay benefits during a travel insurance purchase," says InsureMyTrip Intelligence Analyst Danny DeMello.

Travel delay benefits vary with each travel insurance provider, generally between a 5 and 24-hour window. The benefit is designed to provide reimbursement for reasonable meals and accommodations while unable to travel.

Tip: Travelers must be delayed for a certain number of hours before this benefit can be applied. When comparing travel insurance, look for the minimum delay time (typically, starting at 5 hours) to start qualifying for coverage as soon as possible.

To schedule an interview with an expert or to request specific research data, please contact [email protected].

About InsureMyTrip

It's simple. InsureMyTrip finds you the right travel insurance plan, every time. InsureMyTrip is the authority on travel insurance. We are committed to empowering travelers to make the best possible insurance decisions by leveraging our technology, data intelligence, and expertise.

SOURCE InsureMyTrip