From winter weather to busy terminals, traveling during the holidays can be one of the most stressful times of the year.
And based on the latest flight data, holiday travel is becoming even more unpredictable. During the 2025 holiday season, more than 1 in 4 departures (27%) from the nation’s busiest airports were delayed or canceled, which is up from 21.5% the previous year.
But which airports are the best and worst for holiday travel?
To find out, Locals Insider analyzed flight punctuality data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics across the 50 busiest airports in the contiguous U.S. We compared delays and cancellations during the Thanksgiving and winter holiday travel periods to determine which airports have the worst track record for holiday departures.
Our Key Findings
- More than 1 in 4 holiday departures (27%) were delayed or canceled in 2025, up from 21.5% the previous year. All 50 airports analyzed had a higher disruption rate year over year.
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International ranks as the worst airport for holiday travel, with 36% of departures delayed or canceled. South Florida also claims three of the top seven spots.
- Holiday travel is now more disrupted than before the pandemic. The 2025 delay and cancellation rate was higher than 2019, when 21% of holiday departures were disrupted.
- Cancellations nearly tripled year over year, increasing from 3,279 to 8,742. Thanksgiving cancellations jumped more than sevenfold, largely due to a major Midwest snowstorm.
- About 71% of delays were tied to late-arriving aircraft or airline-related issues such as crews and maintenance, while extreme weather accounted for less than 3%.