Ten worst airports likely to face major disruption ahead of July 4 weekend

27 June 2023 , 21:12

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Summer travel in the US is expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels (Image: Getty Images)

Summer travel in the US is expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels, leading to concerns about crowded airports and flight disruptions.

Hopper predicts that over 24 million passengers will depart from US airports during the July 4 holiday period.

Recent data shows that flight disruptions have become more common, with Las Vegas experiencing the highest number of disruptions in May, followed by airports in Houston, Denver, Honolulu, and Orlando.

Surprisingly, previously problematic airports like JFK and Newark were not on the list. Disruptions are more likely to occur in major tourism hubs and big cities due to staffing shortages and weather-related problems.

Philadelphia International Airport also performed well in May despite the travel rush.

Abandoned UK airport plans relaunch with budget flights to Spain and Cyprus

Staffing shortages and weather contribute to disruptions at hub airports (Getty Images)

To manage the rush, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has increased staffing and will move screeners to busy airports.

President Biden has announced plans for new rules on airline compensation and a fall review of US aviation to address challenges and strengthen passenger rights.

The US Department of Transportation's airline customer service dashboard will also provide more information on traveller benefits during disruptions.

Travellers are advised to choose early morning or direct flights and consider flying midweek (Getty Images)

Flyers are advised to choose early morning or direct flights and consider flying on Tuesday or Wednesday to avoid peak travel times.

Patience and understanding are recommended when dealing with airport issues.

Air passenger rights company AirHelp analysed data from flight disruptions and came up with a list of airports to avoid or to prefer, depending on how frequently their flights were disrupted.

Here are the US airports with the most and the least flight disruptions, as reported by Bloomberg:

President Biden announced plans for new rules on airline compensation and passenger rights (Getty Images)

10 Worst US Airports for Flight Disruptions:

1. Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) - Las Vegas - 34.61% of flights disrupted
2. Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) - Houston - 31.77% of flights disrupted
3. Denver International Airport (DEN) - Denver - 29.58% of flights disrupted
4. Honolulu International Airport (HNL) - Honolulu - 28.83% of flights disrupted
5. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) - San Francisco - 27.03% of flights disrupted
6. Orlando International Airport (MCO) - Orlando - 26.67% of flights disrupted
7. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) - Fort Lauderdale, Florida - 26.29% of flights disrupted
8. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) - Dallas - 25.38% of flights disrupted
9. Dallas Love Field (DAL) - Dallas - 22.62% of flights disrupted
10. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) - Baltimore - 22.57% of flights disrupted

Las Vegas had the highest number of flight disruptions in May (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

10 Best US Airports With the Least Flight Disruption:

1. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) - Minneapolis - 10.25% of flights disrupted
2. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) - Detroit - 11.36% of flights disrupted
3. New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) - New York City - 12.35% of flights disrupted
4. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) - Philadelphia - 13.58% of flights disrupted
5. Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) - Arlington, Virginia - 14.12% of flights disrupted
6. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) - Salt Lake City - 15.3% of flights disrupted
7. Portland International Airport (PDX) - Portland, Oregon - 15.82% of flights disrupted
8. Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) - Raleigh, North Carolina - 17.42% of flights disrupted
9. Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) - Dulles, Virginia - 17.44% of flights disrupted
10. O'Hare International Airport (ORD) - Chicago - 17.88% of flights disrupted

Vassia Barba