Major US Airports Ranked by Departure Delays, From Best to Worst

Press Room

2 hours ago

If you’re hoping to get to your destination on time, the airport you fly from could make a difference.

The following ranking is based on Bureau of Transportation Statistics data of major airports’ on-time departure performance, covering January through June 2026.

The BTS has compiled this data from monthly on-time reports filed by US passenger airlines. A flight is considered on time if it departs from the gate less than 15 minutes after its scheduled departure time.

To provide context on airport scale and airline mix, additional information for each airport has also been compiled from BTS.

The number of scheduled flights for departures covers the 12 months ending May 2026. The top carriers also cover the period from June 2025 to May 2026 and are calculated based on passenger shares for both arrivals and departures.

It’s important to note that delays at many of these airports are contingent on weather conditions, such as hurricanes in Florida, New England snowstorms, and Arizona’s heat. That could explain why some of these airports are on this list.

Here are the 30 major US airports ranked by on-time departure performance, from best to worst:

30. Salt Lake City International Airport

Salt Lake City International Airport had the highest on-time departure rate.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Delta Airlines planes sit parked at the gate at Salt Lake City International Airport. — Salt Lake City International Airport had the highest on-time departure rate.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 83.73%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 121,882

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Delta 56.35%, SkyWest (15.98%), Southwest (10.42%)

29. Washington Dulles International Airport

Washington Dulles International Airport had the second-highest on-time departure rate.

Finn Gomez/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 82.20%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 96,869

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: United (58.85%), Mesa (5.67%), Delta (3.88%)

28. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport ranked high for on-time departure rates.

Mak Studio/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 79.66%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 188,049

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Alaska (48.63%), Delta (19.70%), SkyWest (7.68%)

27. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport

The largest carrier by passenger share at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is Delta.

Davslens Photography/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 79.03%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 142,608

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Delta (56.73%), SkyWest (9.31%), Endeavor (5.79%)

26. Newark Liberty International Airport

At Newark Liberty International Airport, the airline with the biggest passenger carrier share by far is United.

Mak Studio/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 79.02%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 138,322

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: United (60.12%), Spirit* (7.57%), American (5.70%)

*Spirit Airlines is no longer operating and ceased operations in May 2026.

25. George Bush Intercontinental Airport

At George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the airline with the biggest passenger carrier share by far is United.

hapabapa/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 79.01%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 173,551

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: United (56.94%), Mesa (9.87%), Spirit (5.62%)

24. Los Angeles International Airport

Los Angeles International Airport ranks 24th in departure delays.

Ekaterina Chizhevskaya/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 78.76%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 201,013

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Delta (22.38%), United (18.69%), American (17.69%)

23. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is routinely ranked by OAG as the world’s busiest airport by passenger traffic.

Kirkikis/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 77.44%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 348,958

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Delta (74.72%), Frontier (7.00%), Southwest (4.53%)

22. Philadelphia International Airport

At Philadelphia International Airport, the airline with the biggest passenger carrier share by far is American.

Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 77.08%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 130,566

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: American (47.43%), Frontier (11.83%), Delta (6.43%)

21. John F. Kennedy International Airport

John F. Kennedy International Airport ranked 21.

AlexandreFagundes/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 76.38%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 124,603

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Delta (33.27%), JetBlue (30.54%), American (12.85%)

20. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

The air traffic control tower at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Melissa Kopka/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 76.18%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 208,792

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Southwest (34.51%), American (32.75%), Delta (6.95%)

19. Denver International Airport

Denver International Airport is one of the world’s busiest airports.

Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 76.14%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 326,928

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: United (40.69%), Southwest (30.40%), Frontier (9.85%)

18. Boston Logan International Airport

At Boston Logan International Airport, the airline with the biggest passenger carrier share is JetBlue.

Alexander Farnsworth/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 76.07%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 161,772

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: JetBlue (27.10%), Delta (22.14%), American (13.93%)

17. Tampa International Airport

Tampa International Airport was ranked 17th.

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 75.85%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 84,484

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Southwest (25.57%), Delta (19.29%), American (16.71%)

16. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport

An express tram at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.

JHVEPhoto/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 75.80%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 144,924

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Delta (54.32%), SkyWest (10.44%), Spirit (9.56%)

15. Charlotte Douglas International Airport

At Charlotte Douglas International Airport, the airline with the biggest passenger carrier share by far is American.

TrongNguyen/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 75.57%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 237,042

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: American (67.78%), Delta (2.15%), Frontier (1.93%)

14. San Diego International Airport

At San Diego International Airport, the airline with the biggest passenger carrier share is Southwest.

Kevin Carter/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 74.04%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 104,990

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Southwest (35.48%), Alaska (13.50%), United (12.24%)

13. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

The South Terminal at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

Jay Janner/The Austin American-Statesman via Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 73.52%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 91,854

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Southwest (42.29%), Delta (15.73%), American (14.66%)

12. San Francisco International Airport

A view of the welcome sign at San Francisco International Airport.

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 73.42%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 149,754

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: United (47.38%), Delta (10.62%), SkyWest (9.85%)

11. Harry Reid International Airport

Harry Reid International Airport is located in Las Vegas.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 73.21%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 181,954

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Southwest (44.34%), Delta (10.06%), United (8.98%)

10. Miami International Airport

At Miami International Airport, the airline with the biggest passenger carrier share is American Airlines.

AlexandreFagundes/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 72.96%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 115,040

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: American (61.27%), Delta (11.87%), United (6.61%)

9. LaGuardia Airport

LaGuardia is located in Queens, New York City.

Al Drago/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 72.09%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 159,367

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Delta (25.19%), American (14.82%), Endeavor (10.27%)

8. Orlando International Airport

Orlando International Airport ranks eighth-worst for on-time departures.

Ancient Aftertone/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 71.79%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 169,849

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Southwest (26.49%), Delta (14.40%), Frontier (12.26%)

7. Chicago O’Hare International Airport

Chicago O’Hare International is one of the world’s busiest airports.

Colin Thompson/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 71.03%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 384,095

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: United (38.55%), American (22.70%), SkyWest (9.88%)

6. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

At Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, the airline with the biggest passenger carrier share is Southwest.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 70.74%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 96,660

Top carriers, June 2025-May 2026: Southwest (73.15%), Delta (6.02%), Spirit (4.86%)

5. Nashville International Airport

Nashville International Airport ranks fifth-worst for worst for on-time departures.

Seth Herald/Getty Images

On-time departure rate, January-June 2026: 69.97%

Scheduled flights, June 2025-May 2026: 112,706

Top carriers in June 2025*: Southwest (50.1%), American (14.8%), Delta (13.3%).

*BTS does not have information on Nashville International’s top carriers. Instead, this data has been collated from the airport’s annual report, which shows average daily scheduled arrivals and departures for June 2025.