10 Worst U.S. Airports For Flight Cancellations And Delays This Week
Flying is an absolute nightmare right now.
As “revenge travel” causes a surge in passengers post-Covid restrictions, understaffed airports and airlines across the country are struggling to keep up. The surge in demand, with inadequate resources to support it, has resulted in thousands of flights delayed or canceled this summer. By July, more flights had been canceled this year than in all of 2021.
Airports across the world are also struggling. London Heathrow Airport has capped the number of departing passengers at 100,000 per day until September; Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam has placed an even tighter travel cap of 67,500 travelers per day through the fall.
American travelers heading abroad should prepare to face challenges with their flight itineraries, especially as intense summer storms become more frequent.
If you’re traveling soon, it’s helpful to check how your departing airport or chosen airline is stacking up in terms of delays and cancellations. Forbes Advisor compiled data from FlightAware and found that nearly 2,000 flights were canceled at the top airports for cancellations last week.
U.S. Airports With the Most Cancellations Last Week
Flight cancellations are the worst-case scenario for travelers—and they’re happening often across the country.
A FlightAware analysis for Forbes Advisor finds New York City-area airports experienced the most flight cancellations in the country. LaGuardia Airport had a whopping 11.5% of its flights canceled last week; Newark had 10% of its flights canceled.
Here’s a list of the U.S. airports that saw the most flight cancellations last week.
U.S. Airports With the Most Delays Last Week
The FlightAware analysis shows that nearly half of all flights departing from Chicago Midway International were delayed upon arrival at their destination. Baltimore/Washington International wasn’t far behind, with 40% of arrivals delayed. FlightAware defines an arrival delay as an aircraft arriving at its destination 15 minutes or more past its scheduled arrival time and attributes the delay to the origin airport.
Here are the U.S. airports with the most delays last week:
Top 10 Airlines With the Most Cancellations and Delays
Some airlines are more prone to cancellations and delays than others, which may influence which carrier you choose for your travel. In some cases, it could be worth spending a little extra money on a ticket with an airline other than your usual choice, based on its recent performance.
Here are the top 10 airlines with the most cancellations and delays last week:
How to Buy Travel Insurance That Helps With Flight Cancellations and Delays
If you’re considering purchasing a travel insurance policy for your upcoming trip, choose one that helps with flight cancellations and delays.
Trip cancellation insurance can reimburse the money you lose in non-refundable trip costs for specific reasons stated in the policy, such as mechanical failures, severe weather and airport security issues. Keep in mind that not all of the chaos happening during travel lately will fall under these reasons.
Travel insurance policies sometimes include travel delay insurance, which will cover costs while you wait for your rebooked flight. It can reimburse you for lodging, meals and transportation you may incur during your delay.
Some travel credit cards offer the benefit of travel protection, making them a valuable tool for booking your flight ticket. These benefits usually aren’t as comprehensive as travel insurance policies, but they can cover trip delays, baggage delays and lost luggage delays. The amount covered varies by credit card, so check your benefits.
Read more: Fourth Of July Weekend Flight Problems? Travel Insurance And Credit Cards Could Help
Tips for Dealing with Flight Delays and Cancellations
Flight cancellations and delays are an unpleasant experience for all parties involved. Not only are trips disrupted, but airline employees are tasked with managing heightened emotions from dissatisfied customers while they figure out the puzzle of rerouting or rebooking an itinerary.
These tips can help you handle flight cancellations and make the most out of a frustrating situation:
Advocate for yourself. While it’s always helpful to speak with an airline representative in person at the airport, try time-saving strategies like logging into the airline’s app while waiting in line for help at the airport and searching for alternate flights that fit within your schedule. That way, you can come up with a plan that works for you, rather than impulsively accepting whatever the airline agent offers you.
Know your rights. As a passenger—and paying customer—you have rights when your trip is delayed or canceled. Some airlines are required to rebook you on the next available flight, and some may even allow you to fly on a partner airline instead, which opens up your rebooking options.
If your flight is canceled due to something in the airline’s control, you may be entitled to meal vouchers or overnight accommodations (keep in mind that bad weather wouldn’t be included here!). If you’re flying in the European Union, you have more comprehensive rights, including cash compensation up to 600 euros when flights are cancelled or significantly delayed due to reasons within the airline’s control. Any airline that flies within the E.U. is bound by this law—including American-based airlines.
Get smart with checked baggage. Checked bags are a source of pain during travel these days, with horror stories of bags showing up days after weddings, arriving destroyed or getting lost entirely. If you booked your airfare with a credit card, check your benefits guide to see if you have coverage for lost or delayed luggage—it may cover the cost of essential purchases, like toiletries or a change of clothes, until your bag shows up. If you fly abroad and your luggage is lost, you may be eligible for reimbursement up to a certain amount that’s determined by the Montreal Convention.
File a complaint with the airline. If you’re not satisfied with any of the options presented to you after a cancellation or delay, filing an official complaint with the airline doesn’t guarantee action but could result in a goodwill gesture, such as vouchers or bonus miles that you can use for future bookings. Keep in mind that if you accept a replacement flight, it’s likely that you won’t receive a total refund for your disrupted flight.
Read more: 5 Top Tips For Handling Flight Cancellations Like A Pro
