There’s a new ranking that reveals which U.S. states have the most flight delays, and this information is definitely essential for all travelers, whether they fly frequently or perhaps occasionally.
Even if you take every precaution to avoid them, airline delays are now almost inevitable. However, don’t just accept the fact that you’ll be sitting on the tarmac for hours. When deciding where to make a pit stop, knowing which states are most prone to airline delays could make your life easier and your vacation more enjoyable.
In the United States, there were 1.4 million flight delays between January and November of 2022. According to Thrillest, the travel specialists at Family Destinations Guide analyzed data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to determine not only how states compare in terms of flight delays, but also the most common causes of such delays.
As California, Texas, and Florida rank highest in flight delays, you may want to avoid stopping in any of these states if you can help it if you want to get where you’re going quickly. Nonetheless, New York City comes in at number four.
See the full ranking down below to see how each state scored in terms of flight delays from January to November of 2022:
- California: 1,344,218
- Texas: 1,299,848
- Florida: 1,073,027
- New York: 708,579
- Illinois: 647,369
- Georgia: 630,885
- Colorado: 560,267
- North Carolina: 510,473
- Washington: 387,909
- Nevada: 356,827
- Arizona: 349,203
- Michigan: 294,533
- Pennsylvania: 261,213
- Massachusetts: 259,925
- New Jersey: 247,079
- Tennessee: 237,280
- Minnesota: 232,403
- Ohio: 231,259
- Hawaii: 223,572
- Utah: 212,911
- Missouri: 208,616
- Maryland: 158,533
- Oregon: 155,120
- Louisiana: 118,686
- South Carolina: 113,548
- Indiana: 97,968
- Wisconsin: 90,385
- Virginia: 87,105
- Alaska: 77,064
- Oklahoma: 68,965
- Idaho: 62,872
- Kentucky: 54,652
- Montana: 52,304
- Alabama: 51,992
- Iowa: 46,542
- Nebraska: 45,198
- New Mexico: 43,619
- Arkansas: 43,188
- Connecticut: 43,099
- North Dakota: 30,184
- Maine: 29,333
- Rhode Island: 28,006
- Kansas: 25,970
- Mississippi: 24,292
- South Dakota: 23,236
- Wyoming: 18,517
- Vermont 15,166
- New Hampshire: 13,070
- West Virginia: 9,019
- Delaware: 94
Unsurprisingly, the most populated states are at the top of the list, but things get more varied after that. For instance, Pennsylvania, the fifth-most populated state, came in at number thirteen. Ohio is ranked 18th and has the seventh-highest population. Virginia is ranked 28th and has the twelfth-highest population. Conversely, Colorado came in at number seven despite being the 21st most populated state, and Nevada landed in tenth despite being the 32nd most populous state.
When an airport’s screens show a “delayed” message, there are at least seven causes. Analysis shows that air carrier delays are the leading cause of flight disruptions in the United States, accounting for 465,759 missed connections in 2022 due to problems such as aircraft cleaning, damage, and delayed baggage.
The late arrival of the aircraft ranks high on the list of reasons for flight delays. It’s important to remember that a late flight isn’t always to blame for this, before you begin to make accusations. Airport congestion is a frequent cause in flights arriving late. This impacted 422,851 flights in 2022.
Non-extreme weather, airport operations, heavy traffic volume, and air traffic control issues all fall under the NAS umbrella and can cause delays in flight departures. In 2017, these problems impacted 296,573 flights across the country.
Last year, canceled flights, weather delays, route changes, and security delays were some additional, but less frequent reasons for flight delays in the US.
Evie Blanco is a journalist with nearly a decade of experience who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Queens, New York. She is extremely well-versed in hip-hop music and culture and is always aware of any developments within it. Whether it’s the latest in pop culture, a fascinating foreign destination, a truly amazing new restaurant, or breaking news, she loves to write about it all.
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