by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 1:40 PM ET, Mon September 15, 2025
Flight delays are not only frustrating, but they can also be truly disruptive if your plans include catching a connecting flight.
Fortunately, we now have the latest available data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) ranking the best and worst airports across the United States for on-time departures. (Translation: bookmark this page for future reference).
Let’s start with the worst offender when it comes to planes leaving on time, shall we?
Leading the pack in this category is Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which had an on-time rate of just 69.28 percent, according to BTS data through June 30, 2025.
Also worth noting: This is not DFW’s first time as the worst airport in the nation for on-time departures. The Texas airport was the worst offender last year as well, with a 68.15 percent on-time rate through June 30, 2024.
Globetrotters who want to increase the odds departing on time may want to try flying out of Salt Lake City, Utah when possible. The airport came in number one for on-time departures with 83.94 percent of flights leaving when scheduled.
Los Angeles’ LAX came in a tight second with an on-time departure rate of 82.82 percent, followed by San Francisco (SFO) in third place of 81.94 percent. In fact, California dominates the on-time departure airports with San Diego also in the top 10 (at No. 9 with a 79.04 percent on-time rate).
Airports with worst on-time departure rates
While most of us are beholden to our hometown airports for convenience sake, here are some of the additional airports you may want to avoid if departing on-time is a priority.
Coming in behind the worst offender, DFW, is Washington D.C. (DCA), where the on-time departure rate is just 70.74 percent. Denver, Colorado (DEN) also has room for improvement with regard to on-time departures. Just 73.34 percent of flights leave the Colorado airport when scheduled.
Rounding out the five worst airports in the country for on-time departures is Atlanta, Georgia’s Hartsfield-Jackson with a 73.9 percent on-time rate and Baltimore, Maryland’s BWI, where the on-time rate is 73.91 percent.
Want to find out where your hometown airport lands on the list? Here's the full data set from BLS. And if you're worried about weather impacts at your local airport, read TravelPulse's report about US airports with the fewest and most hurricane delays.
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