A new report outlines the top five U.S. hub airports that kept travelers reassured and on-time in January 2024, while also listing the five with the most disruptions at the beginning of the new year.
California’s Sacramento International Airport (SMF) “performed best for air travel in January,” according to new data from airfare insurer AirHelp. According to the Sacramento Bee.
“SMF, one of the busiest airports in the country, was able to deliver passengers with extremely high reliability,” Airhelp reported.
At Northern California Airport, 82.30% of flights were on-time with no interruptions.
“All of us here at SMF take great pride in minimizing the stress traditionally associated with air travel,” Colm Marmion, customer service manager at Sacramento International Airport, told the Bee. .
“Providing our guests with the most enjoyable experience possible is always our top priority,” Marmion added. “A big part of that is ensuring that every touchpoint of your journey through the airport is easy and enjoyable.”
This pleasant surprise comes on the heels of unrelated reports that the future of air travel will be plagued by delays due to staff shortages and an overwhelming number of travelers.
Meanwhile, the most notable airport that “failed to provide a stress-free experience for passengers” last month was Buffalo Niagara International Airport in the Empire State.
Western New York Airport is located in an area that experienced heavy lake-effect rain and other severe weather in January.
Another major U.S. hub and several airports in the Midwest were also hit by turbulence. See the best and worst results below.
Airports with the most scheduled flights in January
- Sacramento International Airport: 82.30% of flights on time
- San Jose International Airport: 82.06%
- Tucson International Airport, Arizona: 81.33%
- Reno/Tahoe International Airport, NV: 81.18%
- Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Georgia: 80.47%
Most chaotic airport
- Buffalo Niagara International Airport, New York: 60.82%
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport: 61.16%
- Des Moines International Airport: 61.98%
- Gerald R. Ford International Airport, Grand Rapids, Michigan: 62.23%
- Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport: 64.77%
