Travelling is often an exciting experience, however, navigating through certain airports can sometimes turn this excitement into stress and frustration. New research has revealed the most unreliable airports in the US, with Aspen/Pitkin County Airport in Colorado taking the top spot!
Personal injury lawyers at Whitley Law Firm analyzed Google reviews, the number of cancellations per 100 departures and the average flight delay time in all US airports that have 1,000 or more departures per year. These factors were indexed to determine the most unreliable airports in the US, with a lower score indicating a more unreliable airport.
Taking the top spot is Aspen/Pitkin County Airport, located in Colorado. It has an index score of 30.32/100. On average, there are 6.41 cancellations per 100 departures at this airport, which is the seventh highest number in the whole US. From January 2023 to January 2024, there were 6,591 departures, which were delayed by an average of 22.9 minutes each.
In second place is Santa Fe Municipal Airport, New Mexico, with a score of 36.16/100. Departures from this airport are delayed for an average of 14 minutes. Additionally, for every 100 Google reviews, 1.6 claim that the airport is stressful or unsafe, the fifth highest number in the country.
Next on the list is Newark Liberty International Airport, which is in New Jersey. It has a score of 36.89/100. For every 100 Google reviews, 1.2 mention that the airport is stressful or unsafe. Each flight from EWR is delayed by an average of 15.2 minutes.
With a score of 37.77/100, Tyler Pounds Regional Airport in Texas ranks fourth. For every 100 departures, there are 3.2 cancellations on average. The flights that go ahead are delayed by an average of 9.5 minutes each.
Fifth is Chicago Midway International Airport in Illinois, with a score of 37.79/100. Each flight from MDW is delayed by an average of 13.9 minutes, while two out of 100 are cancelled.
The most unreliable airports in the US
| Rank | Airport name | Location | Score /100 |
| 1 | Aspen/Pitkin County Airport | Colorado | 30.32 |
| 2 | Santa Fe Municipal Airport | New Mexico | 36.16 |
| 3 | Newark Liberty International Airport | New Jersey | 36.89 |
| 4 | Tyler Pounds Regional Airport | Texas | 37.77 |
| 5 | Chicago Midway International Airport | Illinois | 37.79 |
| 6 | Casper/Natrona County International Airport | Wyoming | 37.92 |
| 7 | Williston Basin International Airport | North Dakota | 38.19 |
| 8 | Texarkana Regional Airport | Arkansas | 38.43 |
| 9 | Ithaca Tompkins International Airport | New York | 38.83 |
| 10 | Martha’s Vineyard Airport | Massachusetts | 39.75 |
Most Reliable Airports
On the other hand, the most reliable airport in the US is Newport News/Williamsburg International in Virginia, scoring 78.92/100. Closely following are Salisbury Regional Airport in Maryland and Coastal Carolina Regional Airport in North Carolina, scoring 78.18/100 and 71.87/100, respectively.
A spokesperson from Whitley Law Firm has commented: “It is fascinating to see which airports are the most unreliable, especially with the surprising inclusion of some of America’s smaller airports.
“While there are many factors that we can’t control in an airport, there are steps we can take to make navigating through them slightly easier. For example, it goes without saying that you need to arrive at the airport early when flying. Generally, you should arrive at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights, but this may vary for busier airports.
“Regularly checking your flight status for any changes or delays is also an important step, as well as familiarizing yourself with your terminal and gate beforehand. If possible, packing lightly and sticking to just carry-on luggage can also save you a lot of time before and after your flight.”
