Summertime can be a nightmare for flight delays due to weather, increased passenger traffic and routine congestion in the skies above major cities. On the average of delays in the summers of 2007-09 (June through August) at the nation's major airports, according to the Department of Transportation. It is also taken into account any construction projects, indicating where they might sour the overall travel experience.
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 60.1%
Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 71%
Construction: None
The New York City area is notorious for its congested airspace. Last June just 57% of flights arrived on time at LaGuardia. No major construction is planned at LaGuardia in the immediate future, but in April the head of New York's Port Authority, which runs the airport, said it should be “torn down and rebuilt,” according to press reports.
JFK Airport
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 60.9%
Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 68%
Construction: Runway closed
Last summer only 67% of flights at JFK arrived on time and 74% departed as scheduled. Since March, one of the airport's four runways has been closed for a massive construction project that's expected to reduce delays for flights by a cumulative 10,500 hours per year when complete. The runway is scheduled to reopen to air traffic in July.
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 61.5%
Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 67%
Construction: Roadway closing
Until June 30 the express road near Newark's Terminals B and C will be closed for repaving from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. New York's Port Authority says to expect “some delays.” In addition, the arrivals level road at Terminal B is closed, meaning that all passenger pickups are now on the terminal's lower level. Like other major airports in the New York area, Newark suffers from chronic delays.
Logan International Airport (BOS)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 66.5%
Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 73.4%
Construction: Parking garage renovation, Terminal B
For the past three years, June has been the worst summer month for arrivals at Boston's Logan International, with an average of just 62% of all inbound flights arriving on time. Delays might be somewhat better this summer: The airport opened a new taxiway in 2009. Part of the parking garage at Terminal B (which serves domestic customers of American Airlines and U.S. Airways) is under construction this summer. An airport spokesman says it won't have a major impact on travelers.
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 67.6%
Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 65.8%
Construction: New North Terminal
Miami International is getting a complete makeover. By 2011 the airport will wrap up a $6.2 billion, 13-year construction project that will more than double the size of the existing airport. The new mile-long North Terminal partially opened in November, and it will open another 25 gates this August. However, its new passenger train won't be operational until the fall--meaning you'll have to walk through the terminal or catch a ride on an airport cart until then.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 69%
Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 72.1%
Construction Projects: Various
Philadelphia, a hub for U.S. Airways international flights, suffers from some of the same congestion problems that plague the skies above New York City. On the ground, the city's main airport has several construction projects that are scheduled to be finished between July 2010 and next year. They include a new connector building between terminals D and E, repaving of one of the airport's runways and a facelift for Terminal A East. A spokeswoman says none of the construction will cause delays,
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 68.6%
Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 74.8%
Construction: New Terminal 2
At San Francisco International, where the runways are close together, foggy weather sometimes forces the airport to cut back on the number of flights that can land and take off per hour. Since 2008, SFO's Terminal 2 has been undergoing a $383 million renovation project. When it's complete in 2011, the airport will have 14 new gates and enough space for an additional 5.5 million passengers each year. Right now, the construction affects the movement of passengers--they can either walk or take a train around the construction site--but it isn't a cause of delays, says an airport spokesman.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 71.4%
Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 70.1%
Construction: New International Terminal
About 250,000 passengers pass through ATL's terminals every day, ready to board or leave one of its 2,700 flights. The world's busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic for the past 12 years, Atlanta is now focused on building an international terminal that is expected to be finished by 2012. But the construction won't affect travel, says an airport official.
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 71%
Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 71%
Construction: Overall modernization
It's no surprise that the world's second-busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic (behind Atlanta) experiences flight delays. O'Hare, a hub for United Airlines and American Airlines, is in the midst of a three-phase modernization plan, which includes reconfiguring the airfield, adding a runway and possibly an additional terminal. The entire project is expected to be complete by 2014. A spokeswoman from the Chicago Department of Aviation says travelers won’t be affected by the construction.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 72.3%
Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 68.5%
Construction: DFW Connector highway
It's the world's seventh-busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic, but what's causing headaches in the Dallas area isn't the airport itself--it's the massive construction project outside. The DFW Connector, for which ground was broken in February, will widen an 8.4-mile stretch of highway that is the main route to the airport. It won't be complete until 2014, and according to the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, the construction is causing after-hours traffic jams.
Sources: Forbes. Com, AP Pictures
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 60.1%Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 71%
Construction: None
The New York City area is notorious for its congested airspace. Last June just 57% of flights arrived on time at LaGuardia. No major construction is planned at LaGuardia in the immediate future, but in April the head of New York's Port Authority, which runs the airport, said it should be “torn down and rebuilt,” according to press reports.
JFK Airport
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 60.9%Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 68%
Construction: Runway closed
Last summer only 67% of flights at JFK arrived on time and 74% departed as scheduled. Since March, one of the airport's four runways has been closed for a massive construction project that's expected to reduce delays for flights by a cumulative 10,500 hours per year when complete. The runway is scheduled to reopen to air traffic in July.
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 61.5%Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 67%
Construction: Roadway closing
Until June 30 the express road near Newark's Terminals B and C will be closed for repaving from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. New York's Port Authority says to expect “some delays.” In addition, the arrivals level road at Terminal B is closed, meaning that all passenger pickups are now on the terminal's lower level. Like other major airports in the New York area, Newark suffers from chronic delays.
Logan International Airport (BOS)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 66.5%Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 73.4%
Construction: Parking garage renovation, Terminal B
For the past three years, June has been the worst summer month for arrivals at Boston's Logan International, with an average of just 62% of all inbound flights arriving on time. Delays might be somewhat better this summer: The airport opened a new taxiway in 2009. Part of the parking garage at Terminal B (which serves domestic customers of American Airlines and U.S. Airways) is under construction this summer. An airport spokesman says it won't have a major impact on travelers.
Miami International Airport (MIA)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 67.6%Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 65.8%
Construction: New North Terminal
Miami International is getting a complete makeover. By 2011 the airport will wrap up a $6.2 billion, 13-year construction project that will more than double the size of the existing airport. The new mile-long North Terminal partially opened in November, and it will open another 25 gates this August. However, its new passenger train won't be operational until the fall--meaning you'll have to walk through the terminal or catch a ride on an airport cart until then.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 69%Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 72.1%
Construction Projects: Various
Philadelphia, a hub for U.S. Airways international flights, suffers from some of the same congestion problems that plague the skies above New York City. On the ground, the city's main airport has several construction projects that are scheduled to be finished between July 2010 and next year. They include a new connector building between terminals D and E, repaving of one of the airport's runways and a facelift for Terminal A East. A spokeswoman says none of the construction will cause delays,
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 68.6%Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 74.8%
Construction: New Terminal 2
At San Francisco International, where the runways are close together, foggy weather sometimes forces the airport to cut back on the number of flights that can land and take off per hour. Since 2008, SFO's Terminal 2 has been undergoing a $383 million renovation project. When it's complete in 2011, the airport will have 14 new gates and enough space for an additional 5.5 million passengers each year. Right now, the construction affects the movement of passengers--they can either walk or take a train around the construction site--but it isn't a cause of delays, says an airport spokesman.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 71.4%Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 70.1%
Construction: New International Terminal
About 250,000 passengers pass through ATL's terminals every day, ready to board or leave one of its 2,700 flights. The world's busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic for the past 12 years, Atlanta is now focused on building an international terminal that is expected to be finished by 2012. But the construction won't affect travel, says an airport official.
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 71%Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 71%
Construction: Overall modernization
It's no surprise that the world's second-busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic (behind Atlanta) experiences flight delays. O'Hare, a hub for United Airlines and American Airlines, is in the midst of a three-phase modernization plan, which includes reconfiguring the airfield, adding a runway and possibly an additional terminal. The entire project is expected to be complete by 2014. A spokeswoman from the Chicago Department of Aviation says travelers won’t be affected by the construction.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Summer On-Time Arrival Percentage, 2007-09: 72.3%Summer On-Time Departure Percentage, 2007-09: 68.5%
Construction: DFW Connector highway
It's the world's seventh-busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic, but what's causing headaches in the Dallas area isn't the airport itself--it's the massive construction project outside. The DFW Connector, for which ground was broken in February, will widen an 8.4-mile stretch of highway that is the main route to the airport. It won't be complete until 2014, and according to the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, the construction is causing after-hours traffic jams.
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