Which US Airports Have the Worst Flight Delays?
By Sharon Ben-Moshe ·
Among major US airports, Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) has the worst on-time record — only about 72% of departures leave on time — followed closely by Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Baltimore (BWI) near 73%. At the other end, Honolulu (HNL) leads at about 86%. Figures cover 14.1 million US flights from June 2024 through May 2026 from the US DOT.
The most-delayed big airports
- DFW — Dallas/Fort Worth: ~72% on-time departures
- FLL — Fort Lauderdale: ~73%
- BWI — Baltimore/Washington: ~73%
- MIA — Miami: ~74%
- ORD — Chicago O'Hare: ~75%
See the full list on the most delayed airports ranking, or open DFW's airport page and O'Hare's page for hour-by-hour detail.
The most reliable major airports
The best big airports beat 84%: Honolulu (HNL) at about 86%, with Portland (PDX) and Salt Lake City (SLC) around 84%. The full leaderboard is the most reliable airports ranking.
Why big hubs run late
Connecting hubs schedule tight banks of flights that all depend on aircraft and crews arriving on time, so one late-arriving aircraft spreads quickly. Flying early in the day is the best defense at any of them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the worst airport for delays?
Among high-volume airports, Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) has the lowest on-time departure rate at roughly 72%.
Which large airport is the most reliable?
Honolulu (HNL), where about 86% of departures leave on time — helped by long-haul schedules and mild weather.