Midway International Airport in Chicago is the most unpredictable airport in the country. Last summer, nearly half of all flights were delayed or canceled.
According to new information provided to Travel + Leisure by travel app Hopper, Chicago Airport experienced flight disruptions on a total of 44% of all flights in the summer of 2022, the highest percentage of any U.S. airport. This is followed by Baltimore’s BWI Airport, where 39% of all flights were disrupted, and Newark Liberty International Airport, where 37% of flights were disrupted.
On the bright side, only 26% of flights at the busiest airport in the United States, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and 25% of flights at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago were affected by flight disruptions.
“Travel is expected to be busy this summer season, particularly to international destinations. And it’s coming at a cost,” Hayley Berg, the lead economist at Hopper, told T+L. “Those Americans traveling this summer will want to get their money’s worth and arrive at their destinations on time. We recommend travelers add trip protection to their summer plans to get ahead of any delays or cancellations.”
With 67 percent of flights experiencing problems, Brussels suffered the most disruptions in Europe in the summer of 2022, followed by Budapest, Lisbon, London Gatwick and Eindhoven in the Netherlands.
The examination of the data comes at a time when the summer travel season is beginning with some of the most expensive international airfares in recent memory, particularly to Europe and Asia. According to Hopper, the cost of travel to Europe is up as much as 26% this summer compared to 2019.
Hopper advises travelers to check their flight status online before heading to the airport to avoid hassles at the airport on the day of their trip. Flights departing after 9 a.m. are twice as likely to be delayed as those departing earlier in the day.