DOT reveals 10 airports to avoid this summer – unless you like delays | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Around 46% of Americans plan to travel this summer, according to a Bankrate survey. If you are planning to take to the skies on your next trip, there is a lot to think about when you are planning a flight.

A number of airlines have undergone major changes this year, including Southwest, which is now charging for bags instead of allowing luggage to fly free. TSA rules have also been shifting, so you now need a Real ID to board a flight — but for domestic travel, at least you’ll also be allowed to add your passport to your Apple Wallet and go digital.

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With all of these changes to keep track of, not to mention concerns about whether you’ll end up on a plane with someone who reclines their seat immediately or who demands you change your paid-for window seat for a middle seat, the last thing that you need to do is deal with a flight delay.

Unfortunately, delayed flights are far more likely at certain airports. The Department of Transportation has published some data recently on the airports where delays are most common, so check out the list and think about whether you want to avoid these destinations if you can.

Is your plane likely to be late?

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Here are the airports where you’re all-but-certain to end up delayed

According to Department of Transportation statistics, here are the 10 airports where delays are the most likely to occur, along with details about what percentage of airplanes actually arrive on time from these travel hubs:

San Francisco (SFO): Just 68.9% of arrivals are on time.
Fort Lauderdale (FLL): A total of 73.9% of arrivals occur on time
Tampa (TPA): 73.9% of arrivals are on schedule
Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): Only 74% of arrivals are on time
Orlando (MCO): 74.6% of arrivals occur on schedule
San Diego (SAN): 74.6% of aircraft arrivals occur on time
Miami (MIA): 75% of arrivals are on time
Austin (AUS): 76% of arrivals occur on time
Boston (BOS): 76.1% of arrivals happen on time
Newark (EWR): 76.2% of aircraft arrivals happen on schedule
Philadelphia (PHL): 76.7% of planes arrive on time

This is based on plane travel during the 2024 travel year.

Can you avoid flight delays?

In many cases, flight delays happen because of factors outside of the airline’s control, such as because of weather issues. That helps to explain, for example, why so many delays happen in Florida airports. Planes can’t land when there is a hurricane or severe storm, and Florida had a lot of both last year.

If you want to go to an area where delays are likely, you may just have to deal with the risk and come prepared for the possibility of a late arrival. This can mean doing things like packing extra snacks for your kids and scheduling your trip to arrive well before your key activities start. For example, if you are doing a Disney trip, maybe don’t book an amazing character dining experience the day your flight is supposed to arrive.

Some airlines do have a better track record than others of leaving on time, so you can check into each carrier’s reputation as well. However, even the best airline is not going to be able to get you someplace where it is not safe to land.

You should also be sure to know your rights if a plane is delayed. You usually won’t be compensated for a wait when something happens that’s outside of the airline’s control, like bad weather, but you can get a refund on a non-refundable ticket if a plane operator has to cancel.

More on travel:

The DOT has a helpful chart showing your rights in different situations, so if your plane trip isn’t going as planned, check it to see if you are entitled to any benefits.

You can also aim to avoid these airlines if you have flexibility in your travel destination and getting somewhere on time is a top priority.