Flight cancellations are skyrocketing this summer - These are the most affected airports

In May, the Newark Airport fiasco (when air traffic controllers lost contact with planes numerous times) was the big flight news. Now, things have calmed down somewhat; we have the (dis)pleasure to focus on the soaring price of flights and skyrocketing number of flight cancellations.

Here's what's going on.

The rise of flight cancellations

Flight cancellations are climbing across the U.S. this summer, with reporting by The Independent revealing a nearly 30 percent uptick over last year. They found that in summer 2024, about 1.4 percent of flights were canceled. This season, that number has jumped to 1.8 percent.CBS News, citing data from FlightAware, reported that cancellations between the Wednesday before Memorial Day and July 14 rose by more than 1,000 compared to the same period last year.

Which airports have the most flight cancellations?

East Coast travelers are feeling it most: Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, noted that airports in this region are seeing the sharpest spikes.

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Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has experienced the steepest increase, with a 274 percent surge—meaning six percent of all flights there have been grounded. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International isn’t far behind, with a 257 percent rise in cancellations. Washington Dulles is up 104 percent, Boston Logan 68 percent, and LaGuardia 65 percent.

Which airports have the fewest flight cancellations?

But it’s not all turbulence. Some hubs are showing marked improvement. Miami International has seen a 40 percent drop in cancellations, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, with Delta close behind at 75.62%, is down 25% On the West Coast, San Francisco’s rate has dipped 21%, and Los Angeles International is down 12%.

As for the airlines keeping travelers moving, Air Canada leads North America for on-time performance in 2025, with 77.15% of flights arriving as scheduled. Spirit Airlines follows at 75.77%, with Delta close behind at 75.62%.

Airport Cancellation Rankings

Worst U.S. Airports for Summer Cancellations:

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Washington Dulles International Airport

Boston Logan International Airport

LaGuardia Airport

Philadelphia International Airport

U.S. Airports with the Fewest Summer Cancellations:

Miami International Airport

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

San Francisco International Airport

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Los Angeles International Airport

Chicago O’Hare International Airport

Yahoo CreatorCassandra BrooklynI'm Cassandra, a freelance writer, guidebook author, and photographer who loves all things outdoors. I've written for The New York Times, National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, Lonely Planet, Travel + Leisure, and dozens more. My work tends to focus on sustainability, accessibility, and the outdoors and I have a special love for hiking, biking, and kayaking. I started as a solo traveler, now do a lot of family travel, and also multi-gen and accessible travel.FollowFollow