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3 Airports You'll Want to Avoid This Summer

May 17, 2018
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3 min read
Family waiting in airport terminal
3 Airports You'll Want to Avoid This Summer
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Even the best travel plans can be derailed by nasty flight delays — and though you’re unlikely to contend with ice or snow storms, peak summer travel can still result in major backups on the tarmac.

To help you plan accordingly, TPG looked at historical on-time departure data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics from major airports across the United States during June, July and August.

By looking at the data from the summers of 2016 and 2017, we found a number of serial offenders — so we can guess which airports are most likely to delay your summer fun this year.

Texans, it turns out, may need to brace themselves for flight delays in the coming months. Dallas Love Field (DAL) and Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW) took two of the three bottom spots. Average on-time departure performance at Dallas Love Field was the worst in the country, with an average of 68% for the summer months for the last two years.

Dallas/Fort Worth performed only slightly better, with an on-time departure rate of approximately 71.3%.

Newark Liberty International (EWR) rounded out the bottom three, with an average on-time departure performance of just 70.18%, leaving it wedged between the two Dallas airports.

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Out West, things look much brighter. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is the airport most likely to see travelers getting to their summer destinations in a timely fashion this year, with an average on-time departure rate of 85.63%.

Portland International Airport (PDX) had a strong on-time departure average of 84.32% during the summers of 2016 and 2017, as did Minneapolis-St. Paul International (MSP), which averaged 83.68%.

Though an airport's general performance may not shift dramatically in 2018, there is one important factor to take into consideration: The Bureau is changing the way they categorize airports.

"In 2017 and previous years, we were [reporting] airports with 1% of total domestic passenger enplanements," Dave Smallen, the Bureau's director of public affairs, told TPG.

Historically well-performing airports, like Hawaii's Honolulu International (HNL) didn't make the cut. But in 2018, that's changing. Now, the top 30 airports are being determined by domestic passenger enplanements. And that could have an interesting impact on the way the on-time performance data looks at the end of the summer.

Travelers should also note that the data collected by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics considered flights on-time if they pushed away from the gate within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure time.

*An earlier version of this article included Chicago Midway International in the bottom three. This post has since been corrected.

Featured image by Getty Images

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Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.