Booking a flight is one of the biggest decisions for your big summer vacation. Have you considered that the airports are an important factor to consider? Congestion, long wait times, and weather delays can really mess with your plans. Read on for the details on particularly troublesome airports!
Airports With Frequent Weather Delays
Severe thunderstorms can impact flights at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, LaGuardia in New York, and Chicago O’Hare. When you’re safe in your home, a thunderstorm doesn’t seem that threatening, but it can affect flying. Pilots may not have the visibility to fly safely, and turbulence makes it unsafe as well. The lightning itself is a potential danger also.
Tropical weather is a major concern for some parts of the United States. Specifically, Orlando, Tampa, and Miami International airports in Florida, as well as Houston, Texas, and Charleston, South Carolina, are affected if a tropical storm or hurricane develops. If possible, leave from another airport. If not, watch that weather closely and make sure you can cancel reservations in case something pops up.
Don’t forget the heat either. According to The Weather Channel, at airports like Denver, Colorado, or Phoenix, Arizona, flights may have additional weight restrictions if the temperatures are very high. That could mean passengers or baggage could get bumped off the flight!
What About Non-citizens Visiting the United States?
Let’s not talk politics, but we kind of have to touch on it. Things are different for non-U.S. citizens coming into airports in the U.S. If you’re planning a visit to the United States from another country, expect a longer delay through immigration. According to TTown Media, the longest waits are usually from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Based on 2024 data they collected, the longest wait times happened at the following airports:
1. LAX, Los Angeles, CA: 31.8 minutes
2. ORD, Chicago, IL: 31.7 minutes
3. BNA, Nashville, TN: 31.1 minutes
4. MCO, Orlando, FL: 30.1 minutes
5. MSP, Minneapolis, MN: 28.0 minutes
If you travel to the U.S. frequently, consider the Global Entry program. It isn’t free, but premium credit cards sometimes reimburse for the fee as one of their benefits. So, it’s worth checking into to save a lot of time.
Safety
In general, flying is very safe, especially when compared to other modes of travel. However, recent accidents have kept flying and airports in the news. Specifically, incidents at Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey have made the news several times.
Outages of telecommunications, radar, and radio have been frightening to hear about. During the outages, some air traffic controllers took trauma leave. That left too few air traffic controllers to manage flights. But, FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau said, “I can tell you, uncategorically, that the travel into Newark today is safe.”
What is a traveler to think? That’s left to each person. Flights continue to come and go from Newark every day. There hasn’t been any more bad news since those incidents. So, Rocheleau may be correct. But it’s up to you to make that decision for yourself.
Summer Flying Woes
Traveling during the busy summer season will always have some challenges. But visiting other countries to experience a culture that is different from your own is priceless. The best you can do is to research your options carefully, plan well in advance, and have a backup plan for everything in case there’s a roadblock on your way to your dream vacation. Be safe and be kind to your fellow travelers, friends! We’re all in the same boat (or plane).
