Summer travel offers the chance to escape, soak up the sun, and let your worries drift away. You could take a direct flight from LAX to Melbourne, Australia, and explore the city’s art galleries and take in the sights at Great Ocean Road. Or, you could stay stateside and visit San Diego, take a surfing lesson, and try some fish tacos.
However, flight delays can hinder your summer getaway, adding stress to what should be a carefree journey. To help travelers smooth out any summertime travel strain, KAYAK compiled data and tips.
KAYAK smooths out your summer trip
According to KAYAK, flight delays didn’t change much in 2024. The data showed a 2% increase in flight delays year over year. Still, there are methods to survive airport hassles, keep moving, and get where you’re going. Here’s what to know.
Some months and days are better than others
KAYAK found that October is the least delay-prone month. On the other hand, July was the worst. In particular, when traveling for the 4th of July, it’s better to fly on the 2nd or the 4th, which offers cheaper fares and fewer delays. But on June 30, one in three flights were delayed in 2024.
Cancellations and delays have been stable
KAYAK also learned that between 2023 and 2024, delays increased by two points, from 27% to 29%. However, cancellations decreased by .2 points, from 1.8% to 1.6%.
Early flights are less delay-prone
The 2024 data showed flights scheduled between 5 and 8 am were least likely to face delays, at 9-20%. How did evening flights fare? Try 44%.
Flight times also correlated to price, with international trips being thriftiest between 5 and 9 am, and the priciest around lunchtime or 1 am.
However, domestic flights were cheapest in the evening, around 7 or 8 pm.
The busiest airports have more delays
KAYAK’s analysis showed the merits of smaller airports like California’s Palm Springs and Fresno, or Hawaii’s Honolulu. Those had some of the fewest flight delays in 2024. But larger hubs faced many delays, like New York’s JFK, where almost half of flights embarked late.
Certain routes were also delayed less (or more) than others. Those flying from L.A. to Shanghai, China or Boise to Portland had little chance of flight delays. But passengers traveling from JFK to Portugal, Newark to Dubai, or Newark to São Paulo were delayed up to 90% of the time.
The return trips with the most delays
At the end of a trip, a flight delay just lengthens the let-down after good times. And some destinations have more delayed trips on the way home. In particular, London Gatwick and Rome Fiumicino were tied for the “most likely to leave you lingering” award, with 57% of trips delayed.
On the other hand, Mexico City’s Felipe Ángeles and San Salvador’s El Salvador International had only about 17-minute delays.
