Travel Report: US Airports Prone to Flight Cancellations
InsureMyTrip Research reveals worst airports for flight cancellations
Feb 27, 2018, 09:30 ET
WARWICK, R.I., Feb. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to help empower passengers to make more informed decisions when booking flights, InsureMyTrip Research reveals which of the country's busiest airports are more prone to flight cancellations and what passengers should know about airline cancellation policies.
Summary:
- New York's LaGuardia reports the highest percentage of canceled flights in 2017. Winter Storm Stella was a contributing factor, causing the number of grounded flights to soar last March.
- For the first time in five years, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) reports more flight cancellations than Chicago O'Hare International (ORD). December's power outage at ATL contributed to the spike. Data analysts predicted this outcome.
- Despite the rise in canceled flights for Atlanta, the airport was average, in terms of percentages — with 1.49 percent of scheduled departures calling it quits.
- Bad weather is the top reason for flight delays and cancellations.
- Overall, flight delays are far more common than canceled flights.
The list shows the airports with the biggest percentages of flights canceled in 2017.
| Rank |
Airport |
Total flights |
Canceled |
Percentage |
| 1 |
New York, NY: LaGuardia |
93,326 |
3018 |
3.23 |
| 2 |
Houston, TX: George Bush Intercontinental/Houston |
129,271 |
3529 |
2.73 |
| 3 |
Fort Lauderdale, FL: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International |
90,078 |
2429 |
2.7 |
| 4 |
Newark, NJ: Newark Liberty International |
115,968 |
2982 |
2.57 |
| 5 |
New York, NY: John F. Kennedy International |
94,454 |
2076 |
2.2 |
| 6 |
Boston, MA: Logan International |
125,456 |
2665 |
2.12 |
| 7 |
Washington, DC: Ronald Reagan Washington National |
74,408 |
1488 |
2 |
| 8 |
Orlando, FL: Orlando International |
131,998 |
2606 |
1.97 |
| 9 |
San Francisco, CA: San Francisco International |
174,631 |
3299 |
1.89 |
| 10 |
Baltimore, MD: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall |
101,015 |
1730 |
1.71 |
| 11 |
Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia International |
73,194 |
1197 |
1.64 |
| 12 |
Atlanta, GA: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International |
364,655 |
5419 |
1.49 |
| 13 |
Chicago, IL: Chicago Midway International |
87,203 |
1238 |
1.42 |
| 14 |
Chicago, IL: Chicago O'Hare International |
266,460 |
3719 |
1.4 |
| 15 |
San Diego, CA: San Diego International |
84,056 |
997 |
1.19 |
| 16 |
Charlotte, NC: Charlotte Douglas International |
113,095 |
1270 |
1.12 |
| 17 |
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX: Dallas/Fort Worth International |
181,208 |
1868 |
1.03 |
| 18 |
Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles International |
214,297 |
2107 |
0.98 |
| 19 |
Detroit, MI: Detroit Metro Wayne County |
126,609 |
1196 |
0.94 |
| 20 |
Las Vegas, NV: McCarran International |
151,720 |
1367 |
0.9 |
| 21 |
Denver, CO: Denver International |
223,165 |
1592 |
0.71 |
| 22 |
Seattle, WA: Seattle/Tacoma International |
137,176 |
833 |
0.61 |
| 23 |
Minneapolis, MN: Minneapolis-St Paul International |
134,591 |
767 |
0.57 |
| 24 |
Phoenix, AZ: Phoenix Sky Harbor International |
154,508 |
870 |
0.56 |
| 25 |
Salt Lake City, UT: Salt Lake City International |
111,912 |
448 |
0.4 |
Data Source: The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) tracks the on-time performance of domestic flights operated by large air carriers.
Airline 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 not required to reimburse travelers for losses incurred as a result of a canceled flight. These losses may include such as a 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.
To schedule an interview with an expert or to request specific research data, please contact [email protected].
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