The idea that you’re going to be wasting tons of time when flying is so ingrained in us that some people arrive at the airport 4 or 5 hours ahead of time, just in case. Delays, tarmac waits, layovers — no one wants to waste time on these travel headaches.
Unfortunately, they’re often unavoidable. Especially at certain airports. To arm you with the most information possible before you set off on your next journey, we wanted to find out which airports are the biggest culprits of wasting travelers’ time.
We analyzed data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and Google Flights to find out the average flight delays, taxi-out times, and layover durations when departing from 50 of the nation’s largest airports.
Whether you’re a frequent flyer or just passing through, taking a few minutes to read our study now could save you some time and stress as you navigate your next trip.
You’ll Waste An Average of 29 Minutes Due to Delays at Large U.S. Airports
When it comes to flying, unexpected delays can quickly derail your travel plans. Across the 50 busiest airports we analyzed, passengers face an average of 29 minutes of wasted time due to departure delays and taxi-out times. 12 of those minutes are lost from departure delays, while another 17 minutes tick by on the runway before takeoff. While you can expect to waste about a half-hour on an average trip, some airports will have you waiting around a bit longer.
We analyzed the data to find where passengers can expect to waste the most — and least — time. Here’s a closer look.
Airports Where Passengers Waste the Most Time
Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Average Departure Delay: 24.6 minutes
- Average Taxi-Out Time: 22.6 minutes
- Total Average Wasted Time: 47.1 minutes
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Average Departure Delay: 20.5 minutes
- Average Taxi-Out Time: 20.8 minutes
- Total Average Wasted Time: 41.3 minutes
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Average Departure Delay: 19.2 minutes
- Average Taxi-Out Time: 18.7 minutes
- Total Average Wasted Time: 37.9 minutes
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
- Average Departure Delay: 15.8 minutes
- Average Taxi-Out Time: 21.1 minutes
- Total Average Wasted Time: 36.9 minutes
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
- Average Departure Delay: 13.5 minutes
- Average Taxi-Out Time: 23 minutes
- Total Average Wasted Time: 36.5 minutes
Airports stand out in our analysis because they either have passengers standing around in the terminal due to long departure delays or sitting on the tarmac waiting for the flight to actually take off. Some airports stand out because they have both.
Miami International, for example, has the longest average departure delay of any airport in the study, at 24.5 minutes. It also has the second-longest average taxi-out time, at just under 22.6 minutes, so it should be no surprise that passengers can expect to waste the most time there.
LaGuardia is an interesting case because its average delay is only a few minutes longer than the average across all airports (about 13 minutes). Still, its typical taxi-out time is the longest in the study at 23 minutes. The discrepancy is likely due to the airport’s limited runway space, which requires more time for planes to maneuver in tighter quarters. Flying out of LGA, you can expect standard departure delays but more time on the tarmac.
Now that we’ve got an idea of which airports waste the most of our time, let’s take a look at the other end of the spectrum.
Airports Where Passengers Waste the Least Time
Kahului Airport (OGG)
- Average Departure Delay: 5.7 minutes
- Average Taxi-Out Time: 10.5 minutes
- Total Average Wasted Time: 16.2 minutes
Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)
- Average Departure Delay: 5.9 minutes
- Average Taxi-Out Time: 12.4 minutes
- Total Average Wasted Time: 18.2 minutes
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)
- Average Departure Delay: 7.6 minutes
- Average Taxi-Out Time: 11.8 minutes
- Total Average Wasted Time: 19.4 minutes
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
- Average Departure Delay: 8.7 minutes
- Average Taxi-Out Time: 12 minutes
- Total Average Wasted Time: 20.7 minutes
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)
- Average Departure Delay: 6.3 minutes
- Average Taxi-Out Time: 15.8 minutes
- Total Average Wasted Time: 22 minutes
Passengers traveling out of Kahului Airport in Maui, Hawaii, can expect to waste the least amount of time of any airport in the study because it has both the shortest average departure delays and tarmac times. It’s among the smallest airports we analyzed, so passenger traffic is likely impacting those numbers.
While several small airports pop up on this side of the wasted time ranking, 1 major hub wastes significantly less time than you may think, given how many people pass through. Hartsfield-Jackson wastes the fifth-least amount of time in our study thanks to a shockingly low average departure delay of just over 6 minutes and a lower-than-average taxi-out time of just under 16. As the busiest airport in the world, ATL seems to have efficiency figured out when it comes to these time-wasting metrics.
With an average wasted time of 29 minutes across major U.S. airports, knowing where you will likely face the longest delays can help you better prepare for your journey. Next, we’ll explore another common time sink for travelers: layovers.
The Average Cross-Country Layover Time Is 3 Hours and 34 Minutes
Layovers can turn even the shortest flights into full-day travel marathons, adding hours of idle time to your trip. Continuing with our theme of time wasted in transit, we looked at the cross-country layovers that eat up the most — and least — time. From over 30,000 flights analyzed, the average layover time on a cross-country flight clocks in at 3 hours and 34 minutes, a significant delay for travelers eager to reach their destinations.
Here’s a breakdown of the departing airports where passengers experience the longest and shortest layovers.
Airports With the Longest Layover Times
Kahului Airport (OGG)
- Average Layover: 5 hours, 8 minutes
Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)
- Average Layover: 4 hours, 34 minutes
Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Average Layover: 4 hours, 24 minutes
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Average Layover: 4 hours, 14 minutes
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
- Average Layover: 4 hours, 7 minutes
Both airports in Hawaii we studied, Kahului in Maui and Daniel K. Inouye International in Honolulu, top our list of departing airports with the longest layovers. It makes sense that connections will take longer out of these hubs since they’re in a more remote area and have lower passenger volume than the larger hubs we analyzed.
Meanwhile, Miami International and San Francisco International both appear in our study of airports where time is often wasted. Given their locations, it isn’t surprising that long flights from these airports have longer layovers. But that doesn’t change the fact that passengers must prepare for some time spent waiting around.
Let’s look at the other side of the ranking to see where less time is wasted, even on long flights.
Airports With the Shortest Layover Times
San Antonio International Airport (SAT)
- Average Layover: 2 hours, 46 minutes
Dallas Love Field (DAL)
- Average Layover: 2 hours, 47 minutes
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
- Average Layover: 2 hours, 48 minutes
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
- Average Layover: 2 hours, 49 minutes
Kansas City International Airport (MCI)
- Average Layover: 2 hours, 51 minutes
The central location of all 5 of these airports is the biggest contributing factor to their shorter average layover times. Being located in the middle of the country allows them to have more direct flights to different parts of the U.S., and when layovers are necessary, they likely won’t be quite as long.
For those who want to dive deeper into the numbers, our next section provides a complete breakdown of our study. Sort through the results to find out where your next layover might cost you the most time.
Total Time Wasted at Large U.S. Airports
Wondering where your nearest airport stands in terms of wasted time? We’ve compiled our full data set to see exactly how each airport ranks for departure delays, taxi-out times, and layover durations. Use the interactive table below to search for your local airport, sort by any column, or explore the entire data set to find out where travelers spend the most — and least — time waiting.
Methodology
To determine the airports where passengers can expect to waste the most time, we analyzed data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to find the average departure delay and taxi-out time at 50 large U.S. departing airports.
The average layover time data was pulled from Google Flights over a 5-day period for over 30,000 flights in total. Our data reflects the average layover time of cross-country flights for each departing airport.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re flying out of Kahului with hours to spare or leaving San Antonio with minimal layover time, the airport you choose can make a big difference in how much of your travel day is spent waiting. Some travelers will face longer flight delays, extended time on the tarmac, or drawn-out layovers, so knowing what to expect can help you plan a more efficient journey.
At Upgraded Points, our goal is to keep you informed about every aspect of travel, from airport delays to the best ways to make the most of your time in transit. Armed with insights like these, you can navigate your next trip with confidence — and maybe even save a few minutes along the way.
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