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 kick-start your frustration, and seemingly endless security lines add another layer of stress to the travel experience.
But 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,” John Charnock, CEO of StressFreeCarRental.com, said 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
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, about $72 for a week, compared with $376 a week at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
14. San Francisco International Airport
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. The airport has expensive parking rates, however, about $175 for a week.
13. George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston
About 20 million passengers a year 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. Those driving to the airport can feel good that it has the cheapest weekly parking cost on the index.
12. Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina
Only a little more than 7 miles from the center of Charlotte and with an affordable parking cost of $93.99 for a week, CLT ranked low in stress with a score of 33. On Flightradar24, passengers said the airport is easy to navigate. More than 21 million passengers use the airport to travel to 187 destinations, such as San Juan, Puerto Rico; Rome; and Tulum, Mexico.
11. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Serving the Seattle area, SEA is conveniently located about 12 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's parking is expensive, clocking in at $376 for a week – the highest of the index. It also has the least number of destinations of the 15 domestic airports analyzed in the index.
10. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas
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 satisfaction rating of 82% on Flightradar24. Unfortunately, it is pricey to park your car there – a week costs about $250.
9. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
As the busiest airport in the country, with 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 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 renovations have helped improve the airport, its Wi-Fi, TSA and food options were lacking. The airport also serves New York City, so it can be a trek to get to.
7. Orlando International Airport in 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 24.4 million passengers annually, is 14½ miles from the city center, or a 20-minute drive. It also has a satisfaction rating of 82% on Flightradar24 and is pricey for parking.
6. Miami International Airport
With 23.7 million passengers flying to 192 destinations, MIA ranked sixth for the most stressful airport. The Florida airport earned one of the lower satisfaction scores on Flightradar24 of 78%; passengers said Wi-Fi, TSA and lounges were inadequate. The airport is about a 30-minute drive from Miami’s South Beach, and if you’re driving, expect to pay about $175 a week to park.
5. Los Angeles International Airport
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, but while that’s convenient for travelers, it’s also tricky to get to, especially given Los Angeles’ notorious traffic. 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
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 volume makes sense because the airport flies to 219 destinations, but it adds to the airport’s stress level. Thankfully, parking at DEN is cheap, about $54 a week. Travelers can drive 45 minutes to Denver’s city center or take the airport rail to Denver Union Station in 37 minutes.
3. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
The second-busiest and second-largest airport in the U.S., DFW saw 33.7 million passengers in 2022 and flies to 258 destinations, which adds to the stress of the traveler experience. On Flightradar24, however, the airport has a rating of 84%. Passengers say it’s easy to get to and easy to pass through TSA, although the airport is crowded. There are also many lounges and food options to choose from.
2. John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York
Flying to 193 destinations and serving 26.9 million passengers in 2022, JFK ranked second on the stress index for its expensive parking and difficulty to access. The airport’s Flightradar24 rating is one of the lowest on the index because of poor Wi-Fi, TSA and immigration and customs experience.
1. Chicago O'Hare International Airport
ORD scored the top spot on the USA Stressful Airport Index. The airport, which served 33.1 million passengers in 2022 and flies to 249 destinations, stresses travelers out with its expensive parking of $281 for a week and its distance from the city center. It’s about an hourlong 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.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New report ranks the 10 most stressful airports in the US
