While travel can be fun and rewarding, it can also be stressful. Sometimes, the stress starts before you even begin your trip: at the airport.
With crowds and frequent flight delays, airports have become a particular source of agitation for travelers. Hitting traffic on the way to the airport or in the parking garage can kickstart your frustration, and then encountering seemingly endless security lines adds another layer of stress to the travel experience.
However, not all airports are created equal when it comes to smooth traveling.
StressFreeCarRental.com recently released the 2024 USA Stressful Airport Index, ranking the most stressful airports in the U.S. from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
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To determine the rankings, the car rental platform analyzed five stress-inducing factors at the 15 most popular domestic airports: passenger numbers from 2022, cost for a week of parking, the number of destinations served, airport passenger ratings from Flightradar24, and distance to the city center.
“A stressful experience at the airport could make or break your vacation, so we’ve crunched the data to find which destinations travelers should steer clear of if they want a peaceful airport experience,” said John Charnock, CEO of StressFreeCarRental.com, in a statement.
If you’re headed to one of the most stressful airports, Charnock recommends people “leave (themselves) plenty of time to check in and go through security before your flight. Where possible, try to check in online to save yourself time.”
“It’s also worth arranging transport to the airport to avoid having to pay a staggering parking fee. Parking at Chicago O’Hare International Airport for just one week could set you back around $280 so you may want to look at taxi fares or ask a friend or family member to drop you off.”
Read below to learn more about the most stressful U.S. airports.
15. Phoenix International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona
Serving 44.3 million passengers annually and flying to 145 destinations, Phoenix International Airport ranked as the least stressful airport on the 2024 USA Stressful Airport Index with a score of 16. The airport has a high satisfaction rating of 83% on Flightradar24, with passenger reviews stating that it’s small yet efficient and clean. PHX also has affordable parking, costing around $72 for a week, compared to $376 a week at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
14. San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California
SFO sees 20.4 million passengers a year who can fly to 142 destinations. The airport scored 24 on the index because of its proximity to the city center and high satisfaction rating on Flightradar24. However, the airport has expensive parking rates, at around $175 for a week.
13. George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas
Around 19.8 million passengers pass through the terminals at IAH to fly to 184 destinations, and thankfully, the airport is one of the least stressful on the USA Stressful Airport Index. The sprawling 10,000-acre airport has an 80% satisfaction rating on Flightradar24, with people noting how long it takes to navigate through it. Those driving to the airport can feel good that it has the cheapest weekly parking cost on the index.
12. Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina
Only 7.3 miles from the center of Charlotte and with an affordable parking cost of $93.99 for a week, CLT ranked low for being a stressful airport with a score of 33. On Flightradar24, passengers said the airport is easy to navigate. Around 21.1 passengers use the airport to travel to 187 destinations, such as San Juan, Rome and Tulum.
11. Seattle–Tacoma International Airport in Seattle, Washington
Serving the Seattle area, SEA is conveniently located 12.1 miles from the city center and reachable by a 20-minute car ride or the Link light rail. The airport also has a high Flightradar24 satisfaction rating of 82%. Unfortunately, the airport is expensive to park at, clocking in at $376 for a week – the highest cost out of the index. It also has the least number of destinations passengers can fly to out of the 15 domestic airports analyzed in the index.
10. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada
Those flying to and from Sin City at LAS can rest assured that the airport scored 36 on the 2024 USA Stressful Airport Index. Out of the index, LAS is the closest airport to the city center, making for a quick 10-minute ride to and from the Strip. LAS also has a high satisfaction rating of 82% on Flightradar24. Unfortunately, it is pricey to park your car there – a week costs around $252.
9. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia
As the busiest airport in the country, with around 45.4 million passengers each year flying to 187 destinations, ATL can be a hectic place. However, with one of the highest Flightradar24 scores for consumer satisfaction – passengers noted how many amenities and options there are – ATL earned the ranking of the ninth most stressful airport on the index.
8. Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey
With the lowest Flightradar24 rating of 71%, EWR earned the spot for the eighth most stressful airport in the U.S. Passenger reviews noted that while recent renovations helped improve the airport, its WiFi, TSA and food options were lacking. Although in New Jersey, the airport also serves the New York City area, making it a trek to get to.
7. Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida
Disney World and Universal Studios travelers are most likely flying in or out of MCO, which earned a score of 43 on the USA Stressful Airport Index. The airport, which sees approximately 24.4 million passengers annually, is 14.47 miles from the city center, or a 20-minute drive. It also has a high satisfaction rating of 82% on Flightradar24 and is pricey for parking.
6. Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida
With 23.7 million passengers flying to 192 destinations, MIA ranked sixth for the most stressful airport in the nation. The Florida airport earned one of the lower satisfaction scores on Flightradar24 of 78%, with passengers saying WiFi, TSA and lounges were inadequate. The airport is about a 30-minute drive from Miami’s South Beach, and if you’re driving your car, expect to pay around $175 for a week.
5. Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California
One of the busier airports on the index, with 32.3 million passengers in 2022, LAX scored 47 on the 2024 USA Stressful Airport Index. The fifth most stressful airport in the U.S. flies to 189 destinations, so while that’s convenient for travelers, it’s also tricky to get to, especially given Los Angeles’ notorious traffic jams. The airport also has one of the lowest Flightradar24 satisfaction ratings for its immigration and customs, and its food options, tied with New York’s JFK.
4. Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado
As the largest airport in the U.S., DEN also ranks as the third busiest and fourth most stressful, with 33.7 million passengers passing through its terminals in 2022. The high number of passengers makes sense since the airport flies to 219 destinations, but it adds to the airport’s stress. Thankfully, parking at DEN is relatively cheap, costing around $54 a week. Travelers can drive about 45 minutes to Denver’s city center or take the airport rail to Denver Union Station for 37 minutes.
3. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas, Texas
The second busiest and largest airport in the U.S., DFW saw 33.7 million passengers in 2022 and flies to 258 destinations, which adds to the stress and chaos of the traveler experience. However, on Flightradar24, the airport has a high rating of 84%, with passengers saying it’s easy to get to and pass through TSA, although the airport is crowded and congested. There are also many lounges and food options to choose from.
2. John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York
Flying to 193 destinations and serving 26.9 million passengers in 2022, JFK ranked second as the most stressful airport in the U.S. on the index for its expensive parking and difficulty in getting to. The airport’s Flightradar24 rating is one of the lowest on the index due to poor WiFi, TSA and immigration and customs experience.
1. Chicago O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois
ORD scored the spot for the most stressful airport on the USA Stressful Airport Index. The airport, which served 33.1 million passengers in 2022 and flies to a whopping 249 destinations, stresses travelers out with its expensive parking of $281.21 for a week and far distance from the city center. It’s about an hour-long drive or 45-minute train ride to the airport from downtown Chicago.
Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at kwong@usatoday.com.
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