Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Named Most Stressful in U.S.

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) has been identified as the most stressful airport in the United States, according to an analysis by Rightway Parking, an airport and cruise parking reservation company. The study evaluated 55 of the busiest U.S. airports, considering factors such as flight delays, cancellations, changes in delay frequency, and travel time from downtown areas.

DFW recorded nearly 28% of its flights as delayed and saw a 2.76% cancellation rate, utilizing 2025 flight data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The analysis also noted that delays at DFW have increased by 33.67% since 2021. The airport's distance from downtown Dallas, approximately 20 miles, further contributed to its ranking.

This finding follows a particularly challenging day for travelers at DFW on October 1, when the airport experienced 390 delays and 155 cancellations, reportedly the highest number for any U.S. airport on that date.

Chicago O’Hare International Airport secured the second position, with 24.68% of its flights delayed and a 42.77% increase in delays since 2021. The travel time from downtown Chicago to O’Hare, estimated at about 50 minutes, also factored into its ranking.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, ranked third. The airport reported a 3.86% cancellation rate, and its delays have increased by 73.92% since 2021.

Rounding out the top five were John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City and Philadelphia International Airport.

Conversely, Salt Lake City International Airport was named the least stressful airport, followed by San Jose International Airport in California and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii. These airports reported cancellation rates below 1% and had shorter travel times from their respective downtown areas compared to the higher-ranked airports.