New Study Shows US Airports With the Most July Fourth Flight Delays

by Jessica Puckett
Last updated: 12:40 PM ET, Tue June 2, 2026

Flying on a summer holiday weekend can be stressful, but a new report is helping travelers anticipate whether their flights will be delayed on one of the busiest travel stretches of the year.

Travel experts at Upgraded Points have identified the United States airports with the highest percentage of July Fourth flight delays.

The report analyzes flight performance data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics over the past three years in order to determine the top 10 worst U.S. airports where flight delays will be most likely over Fourth of July weekend.

"Independence Day is a cornerstone of summer travel, but a large number of passengers paired with unpredictable summer weather can create a perfect storm for disruptions," said Keri Stooksbury, editor-in-chief at Upgraded Points. "We looked at historical data to give travelers a clear picture of where the bottlenecks actually happen. Then, travelers can manage expectations during one of the most hectic weekends of the year."

Florida’s Orlando International Airport (MCO) ranked as the worst airport in the U.S. for Fourth of July flight delays, with 34.6% of flights delayed between 2023 and 2025.

But travelers to most Florida airports should be wary of schedule changes and flight disruptions over the holiday weekend, as multiple airports across the Sunshine State ranked among the worst in the nation for Independence Day delays.

Four additional Florida airports made the top 10 most-delayed list, including Fort Lauderdale (FLL) with 33% of flights over July Fourth delayed; Tampa (TPA) with 32.4%, Jacksonville (JAX) with 30.9%, and Palm Beach (PBI) with 30.2% of flights delayed.

Florida airports can become vortexes of delays over Fourth of July “due to a combination of severe summer thunderstorms, high humidity, and massive holiday tourism demand,” the study says.

Other airports with high percentages of holiday weekend delays were located in the Midwest, Gulf Coast, and the Northeast.

According to Upgraded Points’ analysis, airports in Hawaii, Alaska, and the Pacific Northwest generally experienced the least amount of delays during the Independence Day rush. Airports including Honolulu (HNL), Kahului (OGG), Portland (PDX), Boise (BOI), and Anchorage (ANC) typically see the fewest departure delays.

Here’s a look at the top 10 airports with the highest percentage of flight delays over July Fourth: