The US Airports You Should Avoid This Holiday Season

Photo by Victor Freitas

The December 2025 report on air travel disruptions shows that Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the top US passenger hub to avoid during your travel. A new study by digital entertainment platform JB looked at delays, lost luggage, and passenger density to identify the airports where travel is disrupted most often.

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta Intl Airport ranks first, with the most passengers in the top 10 and the most lost luggage.
With the most delays at 28.8% of all flights, Newark Liberty Intl Airport is second.
Denver International Airport has to handle the second-biggest traffic, at 82.3M travelers each year.

The study looks at the most common problems encountered at the airports, including delays, overcrowding, and lost luggage. For each airport, the data was collected on these three key areas, helping to calculate the “Avoid Score”, highlighting the passenger hubs travelers should avoid, especially during the holiday season.

Here’s a quick look at the top 10 US airports to avoid during your travel:

Airport	% Delay	Passengers 2024	Size (km²)	Passenger Density	Lost & Found	Score
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta Intl Airport	20.98%	108.07M	19.02	5.68M / km²	35.81K	51.24
Newark Liberty Intl Airport	28.89%	48.85M	8.21	5.95M / km²	1.40K	45.16
Seattle–Tacoma Intl Airport	20.98%	52.64M	10.12	5.20M / km²	2.80K	36.00
Harry Reid Intl Airport	21.59%	58.45M	11.33	5.16M / km²	1.40K	34.90
Los Angeles International Airport	18.82%	76.59M	14.16	5.41M / km²	1.40K	33.87
Miami International Airport	23.93%	55.93M	13.07	4.28M / km²	3.40K	33.53
Phoenix Sky Harbor Intl Airport	18.78%	52.33M	13.76	3.80M / km²	1.00K	30.56
Orlando International Airport	24.90%	57.21M	51.99	1.10M / km²	2.80K	29.86
Denver International Airport	22.40%	82.36M	135.72	0.61M / km²	14.60K	26.78
O’Hare International Airport	23.68%	80.04M	29.14	2.75M / km²	1.70K	25.71

You can find the full report findings by following this link.

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Delays: 20.9% of all flights
Passengers in 2024: 108M
Size: 19km²
Lost and found search: 36.8K
Score: 51

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport ranks first among passenger hubs with the most disrupted travel in the US. It accommodates over 108M people each year in its small 19km² (or 7.3mi²) area, leading to large crowds and long queues. The airport also has the most lost luggage in the study, with 36.8K people looking up lost and found help online each year.

Newark Liberty International Airport

Newark Liberty International Airport takes second place, with the most flight delays in the top 10, at 28.8%, almost a third of all air travel. The airport handles only 48.8 million passengers each year, but it’s also the smallest hub in the ranking. Its area covers 3.1mi², creating the second-highest traveler density in the report and causing massive crowds, especially during big holidays like Christmas.

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport

In third place is Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, with one flight of every 5 getting cancelled or delayed (20.9%). Over 52.6M travelers go through the airport each year, and at least 2.8K passengers lose their luggage during the trip. Problems during travels here are also caused by the small territory, with an area of only 3.9mi² (10.1 square kilometers), the second-smallest on the list.

Harry Reid International Airport

Harry Reid International Airport follows closely, with 58.4 million passengers flying through here each year, and a similar area to Seattle–Tacoma Intl Airport. The airport sees more delays and cancellations than Seattle or Atlanta, with 21.5% of flights not on schedule. With these crowds and delays, travelling bags often get lost, with over 1,400 people looking up lost and found claims online.

Los Angeles International Airport

Los Angeles International Airport rounds up the top 5 of US airports with the most disruptions. The airport experiences heavy traffic, especially during the holidays, with 76.5M people travelling through each year. It creates more crowds than in Harry Reid International Airport or in Seattle. Flight delays are also common here, with 18.8% being delayed or canceled, almost 1 in 5.

The CEO of JB commented on the study:

“Flights are a part of our regular life now, but airport infrastructure and organization are one of the most difficult things to plan. It all depends on many factors, including government shutdown, aircraft recalls, weather, and many more. Some airports still stand out with how often they mishandle luggage or cancel flights. With winter holidays, it can be very useful to know which airports to avoid and save yourself time and nerves.”