These Airports Have the Most Weather Delays During the Holidays, According to a New Study

The study also reveals which airlines are most affected.

By Stella Shon Stella Shon

Stella Shon is an aviation news writer. Her work has been featured in publications including The Points Guy, USA Today, and others. Globetrotting more than 100,000 miles every year, she loves flying new airlines and scoping out remodeled airports. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on November 6, 2024

Close The flight information display at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California . Photo:

Leonard Ortiz/Orange County Register via Getty Images

Winter weather can be a threat to holiday travel plans, though new data reveals that certain airports and airlines are more prone to delays than others.

San Francisco International Airport sees the highest likelihood of weather-related disruptions for travelers between November and January with 42.3% of flights delayed, according to a new study from Upgraded Points, a company that analyzes travel and credit cards. 

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) followed closely with 42.1 percent of weather-related delays, trailed by New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) at 38.3 percent, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) at 38.1 percent, and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) at 31.3 percent.

The study also found that major airports in milder climates usually faced the fewest weather-related disruptions. Leading the list was Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) with only 11 percent of delays due to weather, followed by Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) at 12.3 percent; Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at 12.4 percent; Dallas Love Field (DAL) at 12.7 percent; and San Diego International Airport (SAN) and Miami International Airport (MIA) tying at 13.1 percent.

“With the holiday travel season on the horizon, we looked at historical data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to find the most weather-delayed airports across the U.S., both during peak holiday months and throughout the year,” Upgraded Points wrote in the study. “We also analyzed the data to uncover the airlines most affected by weather delays during the holiday rush and pinpoint the months with the most weather-related setbacks.”

In the same period, Alaska Airlines, which operates major hubs in San Francisco and Seattle-Tacoma—two of the most weather-affected airports during the holiday season—reported the highest rate of weather-related delays among major carriers, averaging 30.2%. The remaining nine major airlines averaged:

• United Airlines: 29.4 percent
• Allegiant Air: 24.5 percent
• Spirit Airlines: 24.4 percent
• Delta Air Lines: 22.6 percent
• Frontier Airlines: 19.4 percent
• American Airlines: 19.0 percent
• JetBlue: 18.9 percent
• Southwest Airlines: 14.9 percent
• Hawaiian Airlines: 7.5 percent

The survey reviewed data from the 60 busiest U.S. airports and 10 major domestic airlines between 2019 and 2024, excluding 2020 from COVID-19-related disruptions. Savvy travelers can get ahead of the curve this holiday season by knowing how to check for delays before official announcements, while airlines like United will text live radar maps to passengers during weather delays and automatically rebook flights that are significantly delayed or canceled.