Flight delays seem all too common these days. Late flights happen for a number of reasons — from weather to aircraft maintenance or crew availability — but an important factor is the airport you’re flying from. Simply put, some airports (and the airlines that operate out of them) are better at getting flights off the ground on time than others. A report from aviation analytics company Cirium looked at the on-time performance of major airports (those with 25 million or more annual passengers around the globe) throughout 2023. Discover the U.S. airports that ranked highest on the list of most on-time airports.
10. Washington Dulles International Airport – Virginia
Dulles Airport — D.C.’s primary international gateway — saw 80.26% of its flights take off on time in 2023. That’s considerably better than the global average for major airports, which was just 78.52% on time. With 140 routes served, Dulles is a major hub for United Airlines, which also ranks as one of the most punctual airlines in America.
9. San Diego International Airport – California
This sunny SoCal base lands at No. 9 on the list of U.S. airports with the best on-time performance. San Diego International Airport is home to just one runway, which makes it the busiest single-runway airport in the country. In 2023 alone, the airport served nearly 190,000 flights. And even with its runway limitations, San Diego managed to get 80.32% of those flights off the ground on schedule.
8. Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina
Charlotte is one of the biggest hubs for American Airlines, the world’s largest carrier by passenger miles flown. The airline is on track to operate 800 daily flights at the airport by the time a new fourth runway opens in 2027. Despite all that growth, Charlotte was the eighth-most on-time airport in the U.S. in 2023. — 80.36% of flights left on time.
7. New York LaGuardia International Airport – New York
Anyone who’s flown through New York during a summer afternoon thunderstorm might be surprised to see LaGuardia on the list of most punctual U.S. airports. But on-time performance (81.34% in 2023) is just one of several areas in which LaGuardia is shedding its old reputation. The airport spent a whopping $8 billion over the last decade completely overhauling most of its outdated terminals and reconfiguring taxiways for more efficient aircraft movements.
Another factor that seems to be helping on-time stats: the FAA’s slot waiver program at LaGuardia. Previously, if airlines didn’t utilize all their slots at the capacity-controlled airport, they’d lose them, but under this program, they’re allowed to trim their schedules and keep their valuable slots. It’s aimed at boosting reliability amid air traffic control staffing shortages and other operational concerns, but the waiver is currently set to expire in late 2024.
6. Philadelphia International Airport – Pennsylvania
Philly’s airport sits less than 100 miles from LaGuardia and faces many of the same airspace constraints as its northeast neighbor. Despite this, the airport successfully overcame those challenges — for the most part — and landed at No. 6 on the list of U.S. airports with the best on-time performance. Of the 246,000 flights that flew through Philadelphia International in 2023, 82.75% of them operated on schedule.
5. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport – Washington
On the opposite coast, flights at SeaTac Airport stuck to schedule 82.97% of the time — even more impressive when you consider the airport handled over 400,000 flights during 2023. Better yet: The average duration of flights that were delayed was shortest on this list, at just 54 minutes. Seattle is the primary hub and headquarters for Alaska Airlines, which was ranked No. 2 on the list of U.S. airlines with the best on-time performance.
4. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport – Michigan
The Midwest makes an appearance at No. 3 with Detroit’s Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. A hub for Delta Air Lines, it saw 83.09% of flights take off on time last year. Travelers at the airport will find plenty to occupy them before departure, too — Detroit has the second-best U.S. airport for shopping, according to a recent study from CouponBirds.
3. Washington Ronald Reagan National Airport – Washington, D.C.
Unlike nearby Dulles, D.C.’s National Airport only serves domestic flights, but passengers at National will have an even better chance of departing on time (83.20%). Plus, the slot-controlled airport is closer to downtown, allowing visitors quicker access to some of the nation’s most famous historic landmarks.
2. Salt Lake City International Airport – Utah
Travelers boarding flights to any one of the 100 destinations served from Salt Lake City International had a 83.99% chance of departing on time. The airport beat the global on-time average for large airports in 2023 by more than 5 percentage points. Salt Lake City International, a hub for Delta, also recently got a major upgrade, spending over $5 billion to expand and modernize its terminals.
1. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport – Minnesota
If you’re looking to avoid a flight delay, you have the best chance of doing so in the Twin Cities. In 2023, 84.44% of flights at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport operated on schedule, which landed the airport in the top spot for most on-time U.S. airports. Despite the region’s notorious winter weather, the airport excels year-round at getting flights off the ground punctually. Plus, it certainly helps that Minneapolis-St. Paul is also a major hub for Delta Air Lines, the U.S. airline with the best on-time performance.
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