The 4 Airports You Should Avoid At All Costs This Winter

The 4 Airports You Should Avoid At All Costs
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 26: Passengers wait in line to reschedule flights at O'Hare International Airport on September 26, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. All flights in and out of Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports were halted this morning because of a suspected arson fire at a suburban Chicago air traffic control facility. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - SEPTEMBER 26: Passengers wait in line to reschedule flights at O'Hare International Airport on September 26, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. All flights in and out of Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports were halted this morning because of a suspected arson fire at a suburban Chicago air traffic control facility. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Holiday travel: those two words alone are enough to make our toes tingle... and not in a jolly holiday way.

While we have zero control over nasty holiday flight delays, we do have control over choosing the airports where they're least likely to happen.

Just a hint: Chicago O'Hare is NOT one of those airports.

At ORD, 42 percent of all flights were delayed during winter 2013. That's more than two out of every five flights! Other terrible performers included:

Fort Lauderdale International -- 38 percent of all flights were delayed
Newark Liberty International -- 37 percent of all flights were delayed
Denver International -- 37 percent of all flights were delayed

These results come via travel website Hopper, which analyzed government flight data from December through March 2013. Their map charts 20 of the nation's most popular airports -- the larger the circle, the more popular the airport. And the redder the circle's color, the more frequently it saw winter flight delays.

d

So which airports should you frequent to avoid delays?

Honolulu International ranked the best in Hopper's analysis -- a mere 14 percent of its flights were delayed during winter 2013. Florida is generally a tough place for delays in winter, Hopper points out, but if you must fly through the state, Miami International is your best bet.

When the whole year is considered, Salt Lake City International was the most punctual airport in terms of delays -- this bodes well for its performance during the 2014 holiday season.

And on the West Coast, LAX is a surprisingly solid bet, too: it performed significantly better than other big-name airports in another recent analysis from Decision Science News.

You know what this means, travelers: grab your ticket now, pick the right airport, and never fear a loss of holiday cheer!

Before You Go

Best: No. 1 Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

America's Best and Worst Airports for Flight Delays

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE