Archive

America's Airports, Ranked From First to Worst

As Americans prepare for the great holiday air migration, The Daily Beast crunches the latest numbers to again determine the best—and work—airports in the country.

galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---3-phoenix-sky-harbor-international-airport_o3ijri
Karen Bleier / AFP / Getty Images
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---3-phoenix-sky-harbor-international-airport_puw7wr

2009 rank: 3rd
On-time departures 2010: 84%
On-time arrivals 2010: 86%
On-time holiday departures: 85%
On-time holiday arrivals: 84%
Average security wait time: 10 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 5th out of 27
Safety: 4th out of 27
Amenities: 5th out of 27

Karen Bleier / AFP / Getty Images
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---6-seattle-tacoma-international-airport_dwjcg9

2009 rank: 6th
On-time departures 2010: 89%
On-time arrivals 2010: 86%
On-time holiday departures: 86%
On-time holiday arrivals: 87%
Average security wait time: 7 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 8th out of 27
Safety: 8th out of 27
Amenities: 15th out of 27

Ted S. Warren / AP Photo
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---7-cincinnatinorthern-kentucky-international-airport_aa9meu

2009 rank: 7th
On-time departures 2010: 84%
On-time arrivals 2010: 85%
On-time holiday departures: 82%
On-time holiday arrivals: 76%
Average security wait time: 5 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 20th out of 27
Safety: 18th out of 27
Amenities: 7th out of 27

Al Behrman / AP Photo
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---2-los-angeles-airport_ofpywp

2009 rank: 4th
On-time departures 2010: 83%
On-time arrivals 2010: 83%
On-time holiday departures: 83%
On-time holiday arrivals: 83%
Average security wait time: 7 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 1st out of 27
Safety: 15th out of 27
Amenities: 25th out of 27

Nick Ut / AP Photo
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---9-orlando-international-airport_gqyepw

2009 rank: 9th
On-time departures 2010: 81%
On-time arrivals 2010: 81%
On-time holiday departures: 83%
On-time holiday arrivals: 81%
Average security wait time: 9 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 2nd out of 27
Safety: 7th out of 27
Amenities: 4th out of 27

Newscom
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---4-salt-lake-city-international-airport_dbrdup

2009 rank: 4th
On-time departures 2010: 86%
On-time arrivals 2010: 85%
On-time holiday departures: 84%
On-time holiday arrivals: 82%
Average security wait time: 11 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 15th out of 27
Safety: 26th out of 27
Amenities: 8th out of 27

Douglas C. Pizac / AP Photo
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---8-mccarran-international-airport_wszzae

2009 rank: 8th
On-time departures 2010: 81%
On-time arrivals 2010: 84%
On-time holiday departures: 82%
On-time holiday arrivals: 83%
Average security wait time: 13 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 4th out of 27
Safety: 5th out of 27
Amenities: 12th out of 26

Ethan Miller / Getty Images
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---15-charlottedouglas-international-airport_gmnuvz

2009 rank: 15th
On-time departures 2010: 83%
On-time arrivals 2010: 82%
On-time holiday departures: 85%
On-time holiday arrivals: 79%
Average security wait time: 8 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 18th out of 27
Safety: 17th out of 27
Amenities: 6th out of 27

Streeter Lecka / Getty Images
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---1-george-bush-intercontinental-airport_kk827v

2009 rank: 1st
On-time departures 2010: 82%
On-time arrivals 2010: 80%
On-time holiday departures: 82%
On-time holiday arrivals: 77%
Average security wait time: 6 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 22nd out of 27
Safety: 2nd out of 27
Amenities: 11th out of 27

RNewsFoto / Houston Airport System
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---13-ronald-reagan-washington-national-airport_snhg1x

2009 rank: 13
On-time departures 2010: 83%
On-time arrivals 2010: 79%
On-time holiday departures: 84%
On-time holiday arrivals: 79%
Average security wait time: 8 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 21st out of 27
Safety: 3rd out of 27
Amenities: 17th out of 27

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---17-denver-international-airport_zboe5e

2009 rank: 17th
On-time departures 2010: 80%
On-time arrivals 2010: 83%
On-time holiday departures: 82%
On-time holiday arrivals: 80%
Average security wait time: 11 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 9th out of 27
Safety: 21st out of 27
Amenities: 3rd out of 27

George Rose / Getty Images
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---5-detroit-metropolitan-wayne-county-airport_kbiccc

2009 rank: 5th
On-time departures 2010: 79%
On-time arrivals 2010: 79%
On-time holiday departures: 80%
On-time holiday arrivals: 76%
Average security wait time: 6 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 11th out of 27
Safety: 9th out of 27
Amenities: 1st out of 27

Walter Bibikow / Corbis
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---14-washington-dulles-international-airport_aeihqc

2009 rank: 14th
On-time departures 2010: 81%
On-time arrivals 2010: 80%
On-time holiday departures: 85%
On-time holiday arrivals: 79%
Average security wait time: 7 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 24th out of 27
Safety: 11th out of 27
Amenities: 22nd out of 27

Karen Bleier / AFP / Getty Images
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---18-logan-international-airport_nlb3xx

2009 rank: 18th
On-time departures 2010: 82%
On-time arrivals 2010: 78%
On-time holiday departures: 82%
On-time holiday arrivals: 80%
Average security wait time: 5 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 16th out of 27
Safety: 25th out of 27
Amenities: 23rd out of 27

Michael Dwyer / AP Photo
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---10-baltimorewashington-international-thurgood-marshall-airport_i0jium

2009 rank: 10th
On-time departures 2010: 76%
On-time arrivals 2010: 80%
On-time holiday departures: 83%
On-time holiday arrivals: 77%
Average security wait time: 6 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 14th out of 27
Safety: 12th out of 27
Amenities: 10th out of 27

Kainaz Amaria / Sipa Press
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---12-minneapolis-saint-paul-international-airport_qqetas

2009 rank: 12th
On-time departures 2010: 79%
On-time arrivals 2010: 78%
On-time holiday departures: 81%
On-time holiday arrivals: 79%
Average security wait time: 9 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 10th out of 27
Safety: 16th out of 27
Amenities: 2nd out of 27

Karen Bleier / AFP / Getty Images
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---16-dallasfort-worth-international-airport_x6z8o8


2009 rank: 16th
On-time departures 2010: 76%
On-time arrivals 2010: 80%
On-time holiday departures: 80%
On-time holiday arrivals: 72%
Average security wait time: 7 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 19th out of 27
Safety: 1st out of 27
Amenities: 9th out of 27

Donna McWilliam / AP Photo
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---19-fort-lauderdalehollywood-international-airport_xnwjgs

2009 rank: 19th
On-time departures 2010: 79%
On-time arrivals 2010: 78%
On-time holiday departures: 82%
On-time holiday arrivals: 79%
Average security wait time: 8 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 6th out of 27
Safety: 27th out of 27
Amenities: 16th out of 27

Lou Toman / South Florida Sun-Sentinel
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---20-laguardia-airport_wkhsk0

2009 rank: 20th
On-time departures 2010: 81%
On-time arrivals 2010: 75%
On-time holiday departures: 79%
On-time holiday arrivals: 77%
Average security wait time: 6 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 23rd out of 27
Safety: 6th out of 27
Amenities: 27th out of 27

David Goldman / AP Photo
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---11-chicago-midway-international-airport_so2o5s

2009 rank: 11
On-time departures 2010: 72%
On-time arrivals 2010: 81%
On-time holiday departures: 78%
On-time holiday arrivals: 77%
Average security wait time: 8 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 7th out of 27
Safety: 22nd out of 27
Amenities: 14th out of 27

Jim Damaske / Newscom
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---21-san-francisco-international-airport_cdxlkk

2009 rank: 21
On-time departures 2010: 77%
On-time arrivals 2010: 74%
On-time holiday departures: 73%
On-time holiday arrivals: 76%
Average security wait time: 4 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 3rd out of 27
Safety: 20th out of 27
Amenities: 18th out of 27

George Rose / Getty Images
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---23-philadelphia-international-airport_nq5qq9

2009 rank: 23
On-time departures 2010: 80%
On-time arrivals 2010: 77%
On-time holiday departures: 82%
On-time holiday arrivals: 76%
Average security wait time: 10 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 25th out of 27
Safety: 10th out of 27
Amenities: 21st out of 27

William Thomas Cain / Getty Images
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---22-chicago-ohare-international-airport_j4dkyx

2009 rank: 22nd
On-time departures 2010: 77%
On-time arrivals 2010: 77%
On-time holiday departures: 80%
On-time holiday arrivals: 77%
Average security wait time: 10 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 13th out of 27
Safety: 14th out of 27
Amenities: 19th out of 27

Paul Beaty / AP Photo
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---25-hartsfieldjackson-atlanta-international-airport_n3zdpn

2009 rank: 25th
On-time departures 2010: 78%
On-time arrivals 2010: 76%
On-time holiday departures: 81%
On-time holiday arrivals: 78%
Average security wait time: 9 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 17th out of 27
Safety: 23rd out of 27
Amenities: 13th out of 27

Erik S. Lesser / Getty Images
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---24-john-f-kennedy-international-airport_l3mlis

2009 rank: 24th
On-time departures 2010: 77%
On-time arrivals 2010: 76%
On-time holiday departures: 81%
On-time holiday arrivals: 77%
Average security wait time: 7 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 27th out of 27
Safety: 13th out of 27
Amenities: 20th out of 27

Mark Lennihan / AP Photo
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---26-miami-international-airport_ko84m4

2009 rank: 26th
On-time departures 2010: 74%
On-time arrivals 2010: 77%
On-time holiday departures: 75%
On-time holiday arrivals: 73%
Average security wait time: 13 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 12th out of 27
Safety: 19th out of 27
Amenities: 24th out of 27

Wilfredo Lee / AP Photo
galleries/2009/11/19/america-s-airports-ranked-from-first-to-worst/airports---27-newark-liberty-international-airport_uzh60v

2009 rank: 27th
On-time departures 2010: 76%
On-time arrivals 2010: 73%
On-time holiday departures: 77%
On-time holiday arrivals: 76%
Average security wait time: 7 minutes
Tarmac nightmares: 26th out of 27
Safety: 24th out of 27
Amenities: 26th out of 27

Mel Evans / AP Photo

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.