Holiday travel chaos is coming: Here’s how to handle it

It's that time of year again when travelers start planning for holiday travel—if they haven't already started. After a couple of arduous years of restrictions and continued inflation, Americans are especially determined to get a glimpse of new scenery and travel out of town to visit loved ones.

Bounce compiled a list of travel tips for the holiday season using data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the Department of Transportation.

Air travel in 2022 has indeed returned with a vengeance, and demand for air travel has increased markedly. Flight costs around Thanksgiving time are up 43% from 2021, according to the travel app Hopper.

In fact, from 2017 to 2021, prices typically increased in the fourth quarter of the year compared to the third quarter. Prices are also inching their way back up to pre-pandemic prices over the past two years. Soaring flight prices aren't the only thing to be concerned about—Delta Airlines pilots recently voted to strike if unable to reach an agreement with the carrier. The potential strike wouldn't be immediate as the pilots must have permission first from the National Mediation Board. Still, it's enough to have nerves on edge and travelers wondering if other air carriers will follow suit.

Keep reading for tips to help avoid hassles while traveling during the holidays.

This year's summer travel—domestic and abroad—was chaotic, with numerous delays and cancellations. Travelers are hoping for better luck around the holidays despite soaring airfare costs.

A 2022 report from accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers shows 47% of American consumers are expected to travel this holiday season. So, when is the best time to purchase flights for holiday travel?

Google Flights determined the best booking windows for holiday travel varied, depending on the season, but booking 52 days out from your Thanksgiving travel date and 22 days out from your Christmas travel date, usually yielded the lowest average prices.

Chances may be slim, but you can still luck out with last-minute flight deals by perusing travel booking sites. Alternative ways to save on holiday airfare travel include considering flights with layovers, which generally cost 20% less than nonstop flights. You can also opt for an airline that doesn't require additional costs for checking in a bag.

Air travel for the holidays can be costly, especially if buyers purchased flights after September. That's when travelers can explore other options. In metropolitan areas, trains and buses are more feasible, while a state ferry may be an option for less populated areas.

For those traveling during business hours, an advantage of traveling via rail is the likely option of having access to the other transportation options at rail stations. This alternative may be less likely in airports.

Travelers, in general, are allowed to bring canned goods on their flights, but TSA suggests storing canned items in checked luggage. Most canned items contain more liquid than what's allowed (3.4 ounces or less for each item), which makes them difficult to read on x-ray machines, and as a result, may require additional screening.

For those who plan to travel with Thanksgiving leftovers, frozen items such as soups or ice cream must be solid and not melted or slushy in the slightest bit when going through security screening. Baked goods such as pies and other treats are permitted but may be subject to screening. Mini bottles of wine or alcoholic beverages are allowed in checked luggage but are limited to 1.3 gallons per passenger.

Shipping gifts to their destination ahead of time can save travelers space in their suitcases and trouble at airport security lines. The earlier the gifts are shipped, the better.

For Americans planning to send gifts first class or priority mail to military members, USPS recommends shipping it by Dec. 9. Priority Mail Express prices start at $27.25 at the post office and $23.75 using an online postage service.

This story originally appeared on Bounce and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

Frequent fliers and first-time passengers dread arriving at airports only to discover their flights have been delayed—or worse, canceled. Even a delay of one hour can throw a journey into disarray, causing passengers to miss connecting flights or the meetings they were flying out to catch in the first place.

There are five basic kinds of cancellations and delays for aircraft. Carrier delays are the fault of the airline and often the most frustrating for passengers, like inefficient loading and unloading, plane cleanings, fueling delays, or problems with maintenance and crew. Extreme weather delays refer to uncontrollable, dangerous weather that postpones or prevents an aircraft from taking off. National Airspace System delays are within the control of the NAS and include nonextreme weather, heavy airline traffic, or air traffic control issues. Late-arriving aircraft delays refer to flights arriving late, so the aircraft's next flight is similarly delayed. The last delay involves airport security, which causes big headaches when long lines (defined as waits lasting 30 minutes or longer), broken equipment, terminals, or concourse evacuation or reboarding due to a security breach causes a delay.

Some airports are better at working these kinks out before you make it through the security checkpoint than others. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics collects data on where and why flights are taking off and arriving late. Stacker analyzed the data collected from August 2021 to July 2022 at the 241 U.S. airports with more than 1,000 flights a year to find those with the most delays. Airports are ranked by on-time performance, referring to flights that weren't canceled, diverted, or delayed for 15 minutes or more. Percentages are further given for the causes of each delay.

Booking a flight for your upcoming holiday vacation? Read on to see which airports you might want to avoid if you want your trip to get started on time.

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 18,746

- On-time performance: 76.64%

- Air carrier delay: 8.8%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.2%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.5%

- Cancelled flights: 3.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 10,273

- On-time performance: 76.59%

- Air carrier delay: 9.8%

- Weather delay: 1.0%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.3%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.0%

- Cancelled flights: 2.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 84,727

- On-time performance: 76.54%

- Air carrier delay: 8.2%

- Weather delay: 0.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.7%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.4%

- Cancelled flights: 2.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,226

- On-time performance: 76.51%

- Air carrier delay: 10.1%

- Weather delay: 1.1%

- National Aviation System delay: 6.4%

- Security delay: 0.3%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 4.9%

- Cancelled flights: 0.7%

- Diverted flights: 0.0%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 33,033

- On-time performance: 76.49%

- Air carrier delay: 9.8%

- Weather delay: 0.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.9%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.1%

- Cancelled flights: 2.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 5,912

- On-time performance: 76.30%

- Air carrier delay: 9.0%

- Weather delay: 0.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 9.0%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 3.3%

- Cancelled flights: 1.4%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 20,305

- On-time performance: 76.24%

- Air carrier delay: 9.7%

- Weather delay: 0.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.4%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.4%

- Cancelled flights: 1.8%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,531

- On-time performance: 76.22%

- Air carrier delay: 8.1%

- Weather delay: 1.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.8%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 5.0%

- Cancelled flights: 3.7%

- Diverted flights: 0.7%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 5,679

- On-time performance: 76.18%

- Air carrier delay: 9.7%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 1.4%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 9.4%

- Cancelled flights: 2.4%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 29,540

- On-time performance: 76.13%

- Air carrier delay: 7.6%

- Weather delay: 0.3%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.0%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 9.5%

- Cancelled flights: 3.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.4%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 52,971

- On-time performance: 76.11%

- Air carrier delay: 8.8%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.3%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.1%

- Cancelled flights: 2.8%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 125,707

- On-time performance: 76.09%

- Air carrier delay: 8.1%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.0%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.7%

- Cancelled flights: 3.3%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,015

- On-time performance: 76.06%

- Air carrier delay: 12.6%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 0.3%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 5.2%

- Cancelled flights: 4.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.7%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 8,542

- On-time performance: 76.02%

- Air carrier delay: 10.0%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.1%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.5%

- Cancelled flights: 2.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 21,953

- On-time performance: 76.00%

- Air carrier delay: 10.6%

- Weather delay: 1.1%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.9%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.3%

- Cancelled flights: 1.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 11,994

- On-time performance: 75.98%

- Air carrier delay: 9.0%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.4%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.1%

- Cancelled flights: 2.4%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,006

- On-time performance: 75.94%

- Air carrier delay: 10.3%

- Weather delay: 0.2%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.1%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.4%

- Cancelled flights: 3.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.4%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 7,189

- On-time performance: 75.94%

- Air carrier delay: 8.6%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.3%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.2%

- Cancelled flights: 3.8%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 7,694

- On-time performance: 75.90%

- Air carrier delay: 10.8%

- Weather delay: 1.0%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.1%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 5.7%

- Cancelled flights: 1.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.5%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 2,638

- On-time performance: 75.85%

- Air carrier delay: 11.7%

- Weather delay: 1.0%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.9%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 5.3%

- Cancelled flights: 2.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.9%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,408

- On-time performance: 75.85%

- Air carrier delay: 11.2%

- Weather delay: 4.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.0%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 1.6%

- Cancelled flights: 3.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.6%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 40,255

- On-time performance: 75.77%

- Air carrier delay: 8.7%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.9%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.7%

- Cancelled flights: 2.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 19,775

- On-time performance: 75.73%

- Air carrier delay: 10.8%

- Weather delay: 0.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.1%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.6%

- Cancelled flights: 1.6%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 129,120

- On-time performance: 75.70%

- Air carrier delay: 6.1%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 6.1%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.4%

- Cancelled flights: 3.7%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 13,006

- On-time performance: 75.70%

- Air carrier delay: 7.8%

- Weather delay: 1.0%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.0%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.2%

- Cancelled flights: 2.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 36,681

- On-time performance: 75.70%

- Air carrier delay: 7.6%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.2%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.1%

- Cancelled flights: 2.6%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 14,618

- On-time performance: 75.69%

- Air carrier delay: 10.6%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.0%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.3%

- Cancelled flights: 2.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 6,133

- On-time performance: 75.67%

- Air carrier delay: 12.4%

- Weather delay: 1.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.5%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 4.4%

- Cancelled flights: 3.1%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 83,238

- On-time performance: 75.63%

- Air carrier delay: 7.3%

- Weather delay: 0.4%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.4%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.7%

- Cancelled flights: 3.3%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 22,072

- On-time performance: 75.61%

- Air carrier delay: 9.6%

- Weather delay: 1.0%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.1%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.7%

- Cancelled flights: 2.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 84,543

- On-time performance: 75.49%

- Air carrier delay: 8.3%

- Weather delay: 0.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.2%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.9%

- Cancelled flights: 2.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 5,448

- On-time performance: 75.44%

- Air carrier delay: 11.2%

- Weather delay: 1.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.5%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.1%

- Cancelled flights: 2.6%

- Diverted flights: 0.4%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 9,916

- On-time performance: 75.38%

- Air carrier delay: 7.1%

- Weather delay: 0.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.2%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.3%

- Cancelled flights: 2.8%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 18,690

- On-time performance: 75.38%

- Air carrier delay: 8.3%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 6.0%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.6%

- Cancelled flights: 2.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 37,733

- On-time performance: 75.31%

- Air carrier delay: 8.8%

- Weather delay: 0.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.4%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.4%

- Cancelled flights: 2.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 43,676

- On-time performance: 75.28%

- Air carrier delay: 9.7%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.4%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.1%

- Cancelled flights: 2.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 49,945

- On-time performance: 75.23%

- Air carrier delay: 8.0%

- Weather delay: 0.3%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.7%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 9.8%

- Cancelled flights: 2.6%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 20,623

- On-time performance: 75.16%

- Air carrier delay: 11.5%

- Weather delay: 0.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.4%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.6%

- Cancelled flights: 2.3%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 20,537

- On-time performance: 75.16%

- Air carrier delay: 6.9%

- Weather delay: 0.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 7.0%

- Security delay: 1.4%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.2%

- Cancelled flights: 2.7%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 4,805

- On-time performance: 75.13%

- Air carrier delay: 10.3%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 1.7%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 9.2%

- Cancelled flights: 3.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 3,226

- On-time performance: 75.11%

- Air carrier delay: 8.1%

- Weather delay: 1.2%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.3%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.0%

- Cancelled flights: 3.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 4,824

- On-time performance: 74.98%

- Air carrier delay: 7.2%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.1%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.1%

- Cancelled flights: 4.6%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 25,616

- On-time performance: 74.96%

- Air carrier delay: 10.6%

- Weather delay: 0.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.0%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.9%

- Cancelled flights: 2.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 150,229

- On-time performance: 74.95%

- Air carrier delay: 5.9%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 7.8%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 5.3%

- Cancelled flights: 4.7%

- Diverted flights: 0.5%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 12,273

- On-time performance: 74.79%

- Air carrier delay: 9.8%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.4%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.9%

- Cancelled flights: 3.3%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 41,564

- On-time performance: 74.74%

- Air carrier delay: 8.8%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.6%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.0%

- Cancelled flights: 3.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 70,543

- On-time performance: 74.71%

- Air carrier delay: 8.1%

- Weather delay: 0.3%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.1%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 9.7%

- Cancelled flights: 2.6%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 165,127

- On-time performance: 74.67%

- Air carrier delay: 7.6%

- Weather delay: 0.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 6.4%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.7%

- Cancelled flights: 2.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 12,242

- On-time performance: 74.46%

- Air carrier delay: 11.8%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 1.7%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.9%

- Cancelled flights: 2.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 39,885

- On-time performance: 74.45%

- Air carrier delay: 9.0%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.3%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.2%

- Cancelled flights: 3.1%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 11,769

- On-time performance: 74.39%

- Air carrier delay: 10.2%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.6%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.2%

- Cancelled flights: 3.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 16,517

- On-time performance: 74.37%

- Air carrier delay: 10.7%

- Weather delay: 0.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.1%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 9.9%

- Cancelled flights: 2.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 8,339

- On-time performance: 74.28%

- Air carrier delay: 7.0%

- Weather delay: 0.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.6%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 9.0%

- Cancelled flights: 3.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 122,765

- On-time performance: 73.82%

- Air carrier delay: 7.8%

- Weather delay: 0.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 6.9%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.0%

- Cancelled flights: 3.6%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 21,038

- On-time performance: 73.81%

- Air carrier delay: 11.0%

- Weather delay: 1.1%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.7%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.3%

- Cancelled flights: 2.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 25,615

- On-time performance: 73.77%

- Air carrier delay: 9.5%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 6.0%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.0%

- Cancelled flights: 2.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 2,877

- On-time performance: 73.72%

- Air carrier delay: 10.4%

- Weather delay: 1.0%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.8%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 4.2%

- Cancelled flights: 4.9%

- Diverted flights: 1.0%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 108,993

- On-time performance: 73.71%

- Air carrier delay: 7.9%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 7.8%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.7%

- Cancelled flights: 2.8%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 8,906

- On-time performance: 73.64%

- Air carrier delay: 6.4%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 11.5%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 3.8%

- Cancelled flights: 3.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.7%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 28,768

- On-time performance: 73.60%

- Air carrier delay: 10.6%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.3%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.0%

- Cancelled flights: 2.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 21,329

- On-time performance: 73.59%

- Air carrier delay: 9.3%

- Weather delay: 1.0%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.0%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.6%

- Cancelled flights: 3.3%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 14,397

- On-time performance: 73.59%

- Air carrier delay: 10.5%

- Weather delay: 1.0%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.7%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.8%

- Cancelled flights: 2.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 10,523

- On-time performance: 73.31%

- Air carrier delay: 8.8%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.1%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.1%

- Cancelled flights: 4.6%

- Diverted flights: 0.6%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 10,207

- On-time performance: 73.28%

- Air carrier delay: 9.2%

- Weather delay: 1.0%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.5%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.2%

- Cancelled flights: 3.7%

- Diverted flights: 1.0%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 73,897

- On-time performance: 73.12%

- Air carrier delay: 9.2%

- Weather delay: 0.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 6.1%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.9%

- Cancelled flights: 2.7%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 16,051

- On-time performance: 73.01%

- Air carrier delay: 10.6%

- Weather delay: 1.3%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.0%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.9%

- Cancelled flights: 3.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,025

- On-time performance: 72.88%

- Air carrier delay: 13.3%

- Weather delay: 1.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 1.7%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 5.6%

- Cancelled flights: 4.3%

- Diverted flights: 0.6%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 3,306

- On-time performance: 72.87%

- Air carrier delay: 7.3%

- Weather delay: 0.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 7.7%

- Security delay: 0.7%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.1%

- Cancelled flights: 4.4%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 45,004

- On-time performance: 72.70%

- Air carrier delay: 8.9%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.2%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.9%

- Cancelled flights: 5.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,594

- On-time performance: 72.65%

- Air carrier delay: 7.6%

- Weather delay: 1.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 0.6%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 10.9%

- Cancelled flights: 5.6%

- Diverted flights: 0.6%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 40,109

- On-time performance: 72.57%

- Air carrier delay: 9.1%

- Weather delay: 0.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 7.5%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.0%

- Cancelled flights: 3.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.4%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 11,261

- On-time performance: 72.47%

- Air carrier delay: 11.6%

- Weather delay: 0.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.8%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.7%

- Cancelled flights: 3.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 4,028

- On-time performance: 72.42%

- Air carrier delay: 10.4%

- Weather delay: 1.0%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.2%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 9.6%

- Cancelled flights: 3.3%

- Diverted flights: 0.0%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 18,717

- On-time performance: 72.24%

- Air carrier delay: 10.9%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.5%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.9%

- Cancelled flights: 3.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 23,161

- On-time performance: 72.16%

- Air carrier delay: 10.8%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.8%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.9%

- Cancelled flights: 3.4%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,414

- On-time performance: 72.14%

- Air carrier delay: 6.0%

- Weather delay: 0.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.8%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 11.2%

- Cancelled flights: 3.0%

- Diverted flights: 1.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 2,219

- On-time performance: 71.92%

- Air carrier delay: 9.1%

- Weather delay: 1.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.1%

- Security delay: 0.2%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 9.2%

- Cancelled flights: 2.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,045

- On-time performance: 71.87%

- Air carrier delay: 9.6%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.2%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 9.4%

- Cancelled flights: 4.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 13,861

- On-time performance: 71.83%

- Air carrier delay: 11.0%

- Weather delay: 0.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.9%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.4%

- Cancelled flights: 3.8%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 6,162

- On-time performance: 71.78%

- Air carrier delay: 10.7%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 3.8%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 9.2%

- Cancelled flights: 3.8%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 87,550

- On-time performance: 71.74%

- Air carrier delay: 9.2%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 7.7%

- Security delay: 0.2%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.1%

- Cancelled flights: 3.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.4%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,259

- On-time performance: 70.93%

- Air carrier delay: 7.6%

- Weather delay: 1.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 6.5%

- Security delay: 0.3%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 10.0%

- Cancelled flights: 2.7%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 143,793

- On-time performance: 70.54%

- Air carrier delay: 9.2%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 8.2%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 8.4%

- Cancelled flights: 2.7%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 16,702

- On-time performance: 70.18%

- Air carrier delay: 9.1%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 8.9%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.9%

- Cancelled flights: 2.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 64,904

- On-time performance: 70.07%

- Air carrier delay: 8.5%

- Weather delay: 0.3%

- National Aviation System delay: 7.3%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 10.2%

- Cancelled flights: 3.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 30,113

- On-time performance: 69.53%

- Air carrier delay: 14.0%

- Weather delay: 0.9%

- National Aviation System delay: 6.0%

- Security delay: 0.2%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.3%

- Cancelled flights: 1.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 5,343

- On-time performance: 69.42%

- Air carrier delay: 11.3%

- Weather delay: 0.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 4.9%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 10.5%

- Cancelled flights: 3.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,342

- On-time performance: 69.30%

- Air carrier delay: 11.8%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 2.4%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.3%

- Cancelled flights: 8.3%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 3,057

- On-time performance: 68.76%

- Air carrier delay: 7.2%

- Weather delay: 1.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 7.1%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 12.3%

- Cancelled flights: 2.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,023

- On-time performance: 68.52%

- Air carrier delay: 8.1%

- Weather delay: 1.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 5.1%

- Security delay: 0.2%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 11.5%

- Cancelled flights: 4.2%

- Diverted flights: 0.6%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 123,026

- On-time performance: 68.47%

- Air carrier delay: 6.6%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 12.6%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 6.2%

- Cancelled flights: 5.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.4%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 24,603

- On-time performance: 66.98%

- Air carrier delay: 11.0%

- Weather delay: 0.7%

- National Aviation System delay: 10.3%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.1%

- Cancelled flights: 3.6%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 2,534

- On-time performance: 66.93%

- Air carrier delay: 10.2%

- Weather delay: 0.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 7.9%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 10.9%

- Cancelled flights: 3.3%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 1,101

- On-time performance: 63.94%

- Air carrier delay: 9.3%

- Weather delay: 2.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 7.2%

- Security delay: 0.2%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 12.7%

- Cancelled flights: 4.0%

- Diverted flights: 0.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 9,292

- On-time performance: 61.97%

- Air carrier delay: 8.5%

- Weather delay: 1.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 8.9%

- Security delay: 0.2%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 15.3%

- Cancelled flights: 3.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

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- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 7,886

- On-time performance: 61.49%

- Air carrier delay: 7.4%

- Weather delay: 2.2%

- National Aviation System delay: 10.1%

- Security delay: 0.1%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 14.9%

- Cancelled flights: 3.5%

- Diverted flights: 0.3%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 5,946

- On-time performance: 60.34%

- Air carrier delay: 9.8%

- Weather delay: 1.0%

- National Aviation System delay: 8.1%

- Security delay: 0.2%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 16.8%

- Cancelled flights: 3.6%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 2,289

- On-time performance: 60.25%

- Air carrier delay: 17.6%

- Weather delay: 1.5%

- National Aviation System delay: 9.2%

- Security delay: 0.5%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.9%

- Cancelled flights: 2.9%

- Diverted flights: 0.2%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 6,353

- On-time performance: 58.93%

- Air carrier delay: 19.1%

- Weather delay: 1.8%

- National Aviation System delay: 1.7%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 7.2%

- Cancelled flights: 8.2%

- Diverted flights: 3.1%

- Annual flights (August 2021-July 2022): 6,358

- On-time performance: 50.13%

- Air carrier delay: 10.0%

- Weather delay: 1.6%

- National Aviation System delay: 15.3%

- Security delay: 0.0%

- Aircraft arriving late delay: 18.6%

- Cancelled flights: 3.8%

- Diverted flights: 0.5%

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When you’ve already waited in line to check your luggage, waited to get through TSA screening, and then waited some more for overpriced coffee or bottled water, the last thing you want to do is wait even more for your plane to board and take off. The sad truth, however, is that air travel is a waiting game, especially if you fly with airlines or out of airports where delays are as commonplace as cramped onboard legroom and crying babies.

Stacker went through data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to determine the percentage of delayed flights among all airlines. We looked at the most recent data available—reported by the airlines to the BTS from December 2020 to December 2021—and defined “delayed” as a flight that arrived at its destination at least 15 minutes after its scheduled arrival time. If two airlines had the same percentage of on-time flights, they share the same ranking. We also identified the most troublesome airport—the one with at least 100 flights during the reporting period and the highest percentage of delayed flights—for each airline.

Both mainline carriers and branded codeshare partners (airlines that only staff, maintain, and operate planes) were considered. You might wonder why Orlando and Aguadilla (Puerto Rico) are the only airports with the worst record for delays for two airlines each on our list.

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- On-time flights: 91%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Orlando, FL: Orlando International

Delta-owned Endeavor Air, which operates Delta Connection planes, may be under the radar; but it boasts the distinction of having fewer delayed flights than any U.S. carrier on our list.

Its excellent on-time status is probably due to the fact that it operates mainly from regional airports, which are subject to fewer delays due to lighter air traffic. But it also operates out of major airports, including hubs in New York City, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Detroit, and Cincinnati—and super-busy Orlando. Its 192 regional jets service 140 destinations in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean with 900 daily flights.

- On-time flights: 91%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Orlando, FL: Orlando International

Because so many Hawaiian Airlines flights go to the 50th state, where weather delays are relatively rare, its on-time record is exemplary. Hawaiian, in fact, routinely tops on-time performance lists and receives the fewest complaints about cancellations, overbooking, and baggage-handling problems.

With the continual expansion of its routes since its launch in 1941, it now flies throughout the Pacific and the continental U.S.-—even to Orlando, where Hawaiian Airlines passengers endure the most delays. Orlando has the second-worst on-time percentage (24%) of all major U.S. airports because it’s America’s leading family travel destination (i.e. home to Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort).

- On-time flights: 88%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Kahului, HI: Kahului Airport

Delta is the only airline in the top eight on our list that ranks among the five largest U.S. airlines: second in passengers carried and miles flown, third in fleet size, and fifth in the number of routes and destinations. Infrequent delays represent one reason why Fodor’s ranks it as the #1 U.S. airline. Its flights to Kahului (Maui), where airport expansion has been debated for decades, are delayed most often.

- On-time flights: 87%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Dallas, TX: Dallas Love Field

Horizon, Alaska Airlines’ regional carrier, serves dozens of destinations in the Western U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with Milwaukee the only destination east of the Mississippi. The light air traffic in Western outposts such as Wichita, Kansas; Walla Walla, Washington; and Dillingham, Alaska keep it on time almost all the time; only two of the 10 U.S. airports with the worst on-time stats are in the West. Horizon also flies to a handful of major Western cities, which does drag those stats down. Its hubs are Seattle, where it started out as a small regional carrier, and Portland, Oregon, while Dallas is the city where you’re most likely to be delayed on a Horizon flight.

- On-time flights: 87%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Lansing, MI: Capital Region International

You know how some wineries produce wines from grapes purchased from growers in the next county—but the growers don’t get any credit when awards are handed out? You haven’t heard of Republic Airways.

The airline operates regional flights on behalf of United Express, American Eagle, and Delta Connection. Republic gets credit for its solid on-time percentage, even though the airline benefit from flying in and out of quiet airports like Bangor, Maine, and Lansing, Michigan—where snow and ice on the runways contribute to the frequency of delays.

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- On-time flights: 86%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Traverse City, MI: Cherry Capital

PSA operated for a few years in the 1990s as an independent airline but now operates planes exclusively on American Eagle regional routes. Almost all of its nearly 100 destinations are small cities in the eastern half of the U.S. This focus on small cities like Traverse City, Michigan—where winter weather delays make it the airline’s most problematic airport—generally keep delays to a minimum.

- On-time flights: 85%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Burlington, VT: Burlington International

Envoy, like PSA, is an airline you’ve never heard of because they “only” staff, maintain, and operate American Eagle planes, while American Airlines handles the sales, marketing, and scheduling of flights.

Also like PSA, Envoy flies primarily to smaller cities—more than 150 destinations throughout North and South America, making it American Airlines’ busiest regional partner. The snows of Burlington, Vermont, can be blamed for Envoy's mediocre on-time percentage there.

- On-time flights: 85%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Panama City, FL: Northwest Florida Beaches International

Because it serves so many masters—operating flights for American, Alaska, United, and Delta—SkyWest is the busiest regional airline in the U.S. The airline delayed more than 1,300 flights in October 2021 due to a server outage.

- On-time flights: 84%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Adak Island, AK: Adak

Alaska is nearly triple the size of Texas, leading many Alaskans to treat flying like most of us treat driving—although blizzards and icy runways can make flying there a challenge.

It’s safe to say that if an airline can make it in Alaska, it can make it anywhere; and Alaska Airlines has indeed “made it” as a major carrier throughout Canada, Mexico, and most of the other 49 states. Among major airlines, only Delta has a lower percentage of delayed flights. True to its roots, Alaska still flies to tiny Adak Island (pop. 326), where frequent delays can be attributed to the Aleutian island’s fierce winds and 173 annual days of fog.

- On-time flights: 83%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Lubbock, TX: Lubbock Preston Smith International

No U.S. airline transports more passengers than American. Its on-time performance is not bad, though rivals Delta and Alaska do better. Besides 230 U.S. destinations, the behemoth flies to 121 foreign destinations in 62 countries on every continent except Africa. A recent $42 million renovation of Lubbock Airport may help end its status as the worst destination in the U.S. for delays.

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- On-time flights: 83%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Aguadilla, PR: Rafael Hernandez

United paid a record $1.9 million fine last year for subjecting the passengers of 25 flights between 2015 and 2021 to lengthy tarmac delays. And it hasn’t exactly improved over the years, slipping from an 85% on-time record (third-best among major U.S. airlines) in 2010 to 83.75% (only seventh-best) in 2020. Delays in the not-so-friendly United skies are most common in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, because it’s a popular beach getaway city with only one departure gate and a 1930s runway due to be replaced.

- On-time flights: 81%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Montgomery, AL: Montgomery Regional

Mesa is a midsized airline that operates jets for American Eagle and United Express. It became America’s first regional airline to exclusively fly large jets in 2010, with most flights transporting passengers from small airports to six U.S. hub cities (Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Washington D.C.). If you’re itching to leave Alabama, though, you might need to cool your heels for a while as flight delays leaving Birmingham are common.

- On-time flights: 80%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Aguadilla, PR: Rafael Hernandez

If Spirit played on a Little League team, it would be awarded the “most improved” trophy. In 2017, it was dead last (68%) among major U.S. airlines for on-time arrivals. Moving up to fifth-worst ain’t bad, though it’s still in the bottom half on our list. It’s America’s largest ultra-low-cost airline and is expected to merge this year with Frontier in a $6.6 billion deal.

- On-time flights: 79%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Chicago, IL: Chicago O'Hare International

Southwest endeared itself to many loyal passengers with its flexible ticketing policy and free checked bags, but its propensity for delays nearly eclipses those benefits. And it does no worse anywhere in the world than at famously frustrating Chicago O’Hare, where delays are something of a regular occurrence due to snow, severe rain, staffing shortages, and simply too many flights on any given day.

- On-time flights: 79%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Newark, NJ: Newark Liberty International

There’s one list that Frontier tops by a wide margin, but you won’t see it in any of the airline’s ads. It was #1 by far in the number of complaints per passenger between July 2020 and September 2021. Those complaints weren’t only about delays, but its on-time record is far from stellar, as you can see by its position in this ranking. Worst-case scenario: Your flight is delayed for hours while you’re stuck in Newark—the U.S. airport with the worst record for delays.

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- On-time flights: 75%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Ontario, CA: Ontario International

Maybe there’s a reason for the name. Too many JetBlue passengers sing the “Jet Blues” while waiting, sometimes for hours, at their boarding gates. The budget airline flies to more than 100 destinations throughout the Americas (as well as London). Its on-time record is hurt by flying mostly to major cities with high air-traffic volume, but so do most of the major airlines that have better on-time stats, which led the Wall Street Journal to declare JetBlue the worst airline in the U.S.

- On-time flights: 73%

- Airport with the most delayed flights: Myrtle Beach, SC: Myrtle Beach International

If a baseball team wins 73% of its games, it’s World Series-worthy. But if an airline is only on time 73% of the time, it’s … well, it’s Allegiant, which has a well-deserved reputation for delays and other problems (including an abysmal safety record revealed in a “60 Minutes” segment). In its defense, it’s an ultra-low-cost airline, so you’re essentially paying for the strong possibility that your flight won’t leave on time. On the bright side, if you’re in Myrtle Beach, where delays are most common, you might have time to hit the sand for some extra tanning.

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