Newark ranked worst U.S. airport for travel disruptions
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Newark Named Worst Major US Airport for Travel Disruptions
Just 24-percent of travelers escape unscathed at Newark. A whopping 76-percent hit some kind of snag en route to their destination. Sacramento International ranked as the most reliable major airport in the U.S. The official title for worst delays goes to Dallas-Fort Worth, where one in three flights leaves late and late means really late, with an average delay clocking in at 74 minutes. If you’re planning to fly out of Newark for the Fourth of July holiday, pack patience.
Researchers crunched official data across 41 major airports to determine your odds of a “perfect travel day”—meaning no delays, no lost luggage and no missed connections. At Newark, a perfect day is a rare bird: Just 24-percent of travelers escape unscathed, while a whopping 76-percent hit some kind of snag en route to their destination.
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Newark wasn’t the only local airport to land in the turbulence zone. JFK came in just one spot higher, at second-worst overall, with 75-percent of travelers facing disruptions. That makes two out of the three major New York City airports ranking in the bottom three nationally. (LaGuardia, for the record, fared slightly better, with a 53-percent disruption rate.)
The chaos isn’t confined to the tri-state, either. Orlando International and Chicago O’Hare joined Newark and JFK in the bottom five. The official title for worst delays goes to Dallas-Fort Worth, where one in three flights leaves late and late means really late, with an average delay clocking in at 74 minutes.
The report isn’t all doom and gate changes, though. Travelers seeking smoother skies should set their sights on Sacramento International, which ranked as the most reliable major airport in the U.S. A full 61-percent of passengers there make it through the terminal without any hiccups. Phoenix Sky Harbor and John Wayne Airport in Orange County also scored top marks.
Overall, though, the odds are not in most travelers’ favor. According to the study, just 39-percent of fliers make it through a major U.S. airport without delays, lost bags or other issues. If you’re planning to fly out of Newark for the Fourth of July holiday, pack patience—and maybe a backup plan.