Holiday travel is stressful enough without adding in the fear of missing your plane because of traffic on the road, at the TSA security line or travel time to a different terminal than where you checked in.
Some airports need earlier arrival times than others, especially during the peak Christmas and New Year’s travel crush. Here’s where you are most likely to spring to your gate, starting with the top offender.
The general rule is two hours ahead for a domestic flight and three for an international flight. You can trim that a bit if you have TSA Pre-Check for or frequent flier priority with your airline, but not much. And these airports require more time, not less.
1. Denver International Airport (DEN)
Add in nearly 29.4 million passengers, ranking third overall, and a delayed flight rate of 18.2% (third-highest in the study), and it’s clear why arriving early here isn’t optional.
2. Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Orlando International ranks second overall with a score of 51.47, driven largely by long security lines. Its average TSA wait time of 24 minutes ranks second nationally, a figure that spikes during school breaks and holiday seasons.
With nearly 18.7 million passengers and one of the largest airport footprints in the study at 11,605 acres, Orlando’s popularity as a leisure hub, especially around Christmas, makes early arrival a necessity rather than a recommendation.
3. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
LAX takes third place with a total score of 50.49, reflecting its complexity rather than a single pain point. While TSA waits average 17 minutes (ninth overall), the airport’s nine terminals, the highest number in the study, create logistical challenges that can slow travelers down.
With over 20.9 million passengers and the second-highest share of delayed flights at 17.89%, timing miscalculations at LAX can snowball quickly.
4. Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Charlotte ranks fourth with a score of 50.41, and it’s the TSA lines that do most of the damage.
At 26 minutes, Charlotte has the longest average TSA wait time in the study, ranking first nationally. Despite having just one terminal, the airport processes nearly 19.6 million passengers and posts a delayed flight rate of 24.59%, making early arrival critical even for frequent flyers.
5. Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Nashville lands in fifth place with a total score of 49.91, standing out as a smaller airport punching above its weight. Despite handling fewer passengers than many others in the top 10, Nashville’s average TSA wait time of 23 minutes ranks third nationally.
6. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Seattle-Tacoma ranks sixth overall with a score of 49.23. TSA wait times average 22 minutes, placing it fourth in the study, while nearly 18 million passengers move through the airport annually.Its delayed flight rate of 20.29% and compact layout mean that bottlenecks can form fast, particularly during winter weather disruptions common around the holiday season.
7. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
O’Hare comes in seventh with a total score of 46.29. While TSA wait times are relatively moderate at 18 minutes, ranking eighth, the airport’s enormous passenger volume, nearly 27.7 million, fourth-highest overall, and sprawling infrastructure make navigation time-consuming.
With 185 gates and four terminals, even experienced travelers benefit from arriving earlier than planned.
8. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Houston’s main airport ranks eighth with a score of 45.97. TSA waits average 22 minutes, while the airport’s size, 10,000 acres, ranks fifth nationally.
With five terminals and a delayed flight rate of 24%, missed connections become a real risk if travelers underestimate how long it takes to get from curb to gate.
9. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
Combined with a large footprint and 83 gates, delays rather than security lines are the biggest reason travelers should arrive early here.
10. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Rounding out the top 10 is JFK with a score of 43.09. TSA waits average 21 minutes, ranking sixth, while the airport’s five terminals and high delayed flight rate of 24.26% make timing unpredictable. Add to that delays from the construction of a new mega-terminal.
During holiday travel, congestion across terminals can turn small delays into missed flights surprisingly fast.
See also – How to Get Between JFK and Manhattan
The full list:
| Rank | Major airports | Average TSA wait time | Number of passengers | Airport size (acreage) | Number of gates | Number of terminals | Parking lots | Share of delayed flights | Total score |
| 1 | Denver, CO: Denver International | 16 | 29,412,692 | 33,531 | 60 | 1 | 12 | 18.2 | 65.91 |
| 2 | Orlando, FL: Orlando International | 24 | 18,733,402 | 11,605 | 102 | 1 | 10 | 23.26 | 51.47 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles International | 17 | 20,904,961 | 3,500 | 146 | 9 | 15 | 17.89 | 50.49 |
| 4 | Charlotte, NC: Charlotte Douglas International | 26 | 19,554,572 | 5,558 | 95 | 1 | 10 | 24.59 | 50.41 |
| 5 | Nashville, TN: Nashville International | 23 | 8,994,141 | 4,555 | 21 | 1 | 8 | 20.6 | 49.91 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA: Seattle/Tacoma International | 22 | 17,982,673 | 2,500 | 90 | 1 | 9 | 20.29 | 49.23 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL: Chicago O’Hare International | 18 | 27,676,479 | 7,627 | 185 | 4 | 14 | 21.75 | 46.29 |
| 8 | Houston, TX: George Bush Intercontinental/Houston | 22 | 15,927,843 | 10,000 | 161 | 5 | 12 | 24 | 45.97 |
| 9 | Salt Lake City, UT: Salt Lake City International | 14 | 10,106,362 | 7,700 | 83 | 1 | 7 | 17.15 | 43.34 |
| 10 | New York, NY: John F. Kennedy International | 21 | 16,195,905 | 5,200 | 125 | 5 | 14 | 24.26 | 43.09 |
| 11 | San Francisco, CA: San Francisco International | 16 | 16,407,197 | 5,207 | 108 | 3 | 12 | 19.87 | 42.55 |
| 12 | Boston, MA: Logan International | 19 | 13,620,754 | 2,384 | 107 | 4 | 12 | 23.3 | 40.47 |
| 13 | Dallas/Fort Worth, TX: Dallas/Fort Worth International | 9 | 29,834,763 | 17,207 | 168 | 5 | 15 | 26.06 | 39.82 |
| 14 | Las Vegas, NV: Harry Reid International | 11 | 18,624,495 | 2,800 | 110 | 2 | 10 | 19.7 | 38.16 |
| 15 | New York, NY: LaGuardia | 17 | 11,784,056 | 680 | 86 | 1 | 9 | 21.91 | 37.78 |
| 16 | Washington, DC: Ronald Reagan Washington National | 14 | 8,857,910 | 860 | 59 | 2 | 7 | 24.14 | 35.11 |
| 17 | Fort Lauderdale, FL: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International | 16 | 10,788,444 | 1,400 | 97 | 4 | 8 | 27.21 | 35.09 |
| 18 | Austin, TX: Austin – Bergstrom International | 12 | 7,484,079 | 4,242 | 34 | 2 | 10 | 21.9 | 34.86 |
| 19 | San Diego, CA: San Diego International | 16 | 9,044,473 | 662 | 55 | 1 | 6 | 26.34 | 34.85 |
| 20 | Minneapolis, MN: Minneapolis-St Paul International | 11 | 13,097,824 | 3,400 | 130 | 2 | 9 | 19.87 | 34.33 |
| 21 | Atlanta, GA: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International | 11 | 37,628,168 | 4,700 | 192 | 2 | 18 | 25.93 | 33.74 |
| 22 | Detroit, MI: Detroit Metro Wayne County | 14 | 11,950,877 | 4,850 | 147 | 2 | 10 | 22.38 | 33.04 |
| 23 | Miami, FL: Miami International | 15 | 15,999,979 | 3,300 | 131 | 3 | 12 | 25.93 | 33.00 |
| 24 | Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia International | 8 | 10,989,370 | 2,598 | 126 | 6 | 10 | 22.45 | 31.30 |
| 25 | Phoenix, AZ: Phoenix Sky Harbor International | 2 | 18,028,109 | 3,400 | 119 | 2 | 9 | 18.98 | 29.69 |
| 26 | Washington, DC: Washington Dulles International | 6 | 8,186,732 | 13,000 | 135 | 1 | 9 | 19.4 | 29.23 |
| 27 | Baltimore, MD: Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall | 13 | 9,039,320 | 3,160 | 85 | 1 | 8 | 26.86 | 28.92 |
| 28 | Newark, NJ: Newark Liberty International | 10 | 15,582,740 | 2,027 | 125 | 3 | 11 | 25.22 | 28.83 |
| 29 | Tampa, FL: Tampa International | 4 | 8,679,096 | 3,300 | 68 | 1 | 8 | 23.08 | 24.13 |
| 30 | Chicago, IL: Chicago Midway International | 5 | 6,907,194 | 830 | 43 | 1 | 8 | 24.46 | 22.98 |
- Average TSA security wait times — 25
- Number of passengers — 20
- Airport size (acreage) — 15
- Number of gates — 10
- Number of terminals — 10
- Parking lots — 10
- Share of delayed departures — 10
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is an award-winning journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is President Emeritus of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA).
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter also is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA).
Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.
Copyright (C) Evelyn Kanter
Thanks for following ecoXplorer.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is an award-winning journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is President Emeritus of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA).
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter also is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA).
Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.
Copyright (C) Evelyn Kanter
Thanks for following ecoXplorer.
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