What Air Travelers Should Know Ahead of the Busiest Season of the Year

The NBC4 I-Team crunched numbers for nearly 9 million flights into and out of U.S. airports since the start of 2016

The busiest travel season of the year brings thousands of airport delays and other headaches for airline passengers.

To help ease some of the hassle and help travelers plan ahead, the NBC4 I-Team crunched numbers for nearly 9 million flights into and out of U.S. airports since the start of 2016. A few numbers stand out, especially for anyone using Los Angeles International Airport. 

LAX is No. 1 when it comes to the percentage of delayed departures and arrivals. One out of every four flights out of the airport is delayed, defined by the industry as one that's 15 minutes late. 

LAX officials say they're trying to reduce the number of flight delays by adding a new concourse with 12 additional gates. That won't open until 2020. 

Below, a look at some of the key takeaways from the I-Team's research.

Airports With the Most Delayed Departures and Arrivals

  • 1. LAX: 25 percent
  • 2. Newark Liberty International Airport: 24 percent
  • 3. San Francisco International Airport: 23

Best Days to Travel

  • 1. Tuesday: 83-percent on-time arrival
  • 2. Saturday: 82-percent on-time arrival
  • 3. Wednesday: 81-percent on-time arrival

Carriers With Highest Percent of Delayed Flights

  • 1. Virgin America: 29 percent
  • 2. Jet Blue: 29 percent
  • 3. Spirit: 21 percent

Carriers With Lowest Percentage of Delayed Flights

  • 1. Hawaiian: 9 percent
  • 2. Alaska: 14 percent
  • 3. Delta: 17 percent

Worst Days to Travel

  • 1. Friday: 78-percent on-time arrival
  • 2. Monday: 78-percent on-time arrival
  • 3. Thursday 79-percent on-time arrival

Note: Figures were obtained from the US Transportation Department’s Airline On-Time Performance Data

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