New Report Reveals Worst Airports, Months for Travel Disruptions

Image: American Airlines planes at Miami International Airport. (photo by Patrick Clarke)
Image: American Airlines planes at Miami International Airport. (photo by Patrick Clarke)
Patrick Clarke
by Patrick Clarke
Last updated: 5:00 PM ET, Sat January 11, 2025

Roughly one in four travelers experienced a flight delay or cancellation in 2024, according to a new report from air passenger rights company AirHelp.

The data also reveals a handful of airports where travelers were most likely to experience disruptions last year.

Travelers passing through a handful of popular Florida airports experienced headaches. North Carolina and other East Coast airports also felt the brunt of the impact.

The 10 Worst US Airports for Flight Delays and Cancellations (2024)

  • Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (Aspen, Colorado) – 36 percent of passengers disrupted in 2024
  • Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport (North Clarendon, Vermont) – 33 percent of passengers disrupted in 2024
  • Vero Beach Regional Airport (Vero Beach, Florida) – 32 percent of passengers disrupted in 2024
  • New York Stewart International Airport (New Windsor, New York) – 32 percent of passengers disrupted in 2024
  • Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Dallas, Texas) – 31 percent of passengers disrupted in 2024
  • Concord-Padgett Regional Airport (Concord, North Carolina) – 30 percent of passengers disrupted in 2024
  • Key West International Airport (Key West, Florida) – 29 percent of passengers disrupted in 2024
  • Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) – 29 percent of passengers disrupted in 2024
  • Charlotte Douglas International Airport (Charlotte, North Carolina) – 29 percent of passengers disrupted in 2024
  • Rickenbacker International Airport (Columbus, Ohio) – 29 percent of passengers disrupted in 2024
  • Miami International Airport (Miami, Florida) – 29 percent of passengers disrupted in 2024

    A Delta Air Lines plane at LAX Airport

    A Delta Air Lines plane at LAX Airport. (Photo Credit: Nate Hovee/Adobe)

When it comes to the worst months for travel, the busy holiday and summer travel periods are most likely to produce problems. Last year, winter weather made for a nightmarish January and July's crippling CrowdStrike global computer outage created unexpected hurdles for summer travelers.

The Worst Months for Flight Delays and Cancellations

  • July 2024 – 33 percent of U.S. air travel passengers were disrupted
  • May 2024 – 29 percent of U.S. air travel passengers were disrupted
  • January 2024 - 28 percent of U.S. air travel passengers were disrupted

Regarding the best months for air travel, shoulder season continues to reign supreme as months such as February, September and October ranked among the best for flight disruptions last year.

The Months With the Least Flight Disruptions

  • October 2024 – 16 percent of U.S. air travel passengers were disrupted
  • November 2024 – 17 percent of U.S. air travel passengers were disrupted
  • February 2024 – 18 percent of U.S. air travel passengers were disrupted
  • September 2024 – 18 percent of U.S. air travel passengers were disrupted


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Patrick Clarke

Patrick Clarke

Senior Editor

A Maryland native and wanderer who has lived across the U.S. from North Carolina to SoCal, Patrick Clarke graduated from Towson University with a B.S. in journalism. He previously worked for Bleacher

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