How often are flights cancelled?

Granted, the past 18 months haven't been good for on-time arrivals in general. In 2022, 2.7 percent of all U.S. domestic flights were canceled—the highest rates in the past decade, not counting 2020. Another 23 percent of all domestic flights were delayed, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.



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You can't control the weather, but you can improve your odds of getting to your destination on time. In 2022, 2.8% of flights were canceled, and roughly 19% were delayed. While that number might seem small, it's almost double the amount of cancellations compared to the historical average.

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Mass flight delays and cancellations happen because of bad weather. Thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, or even extreme heat aren't new, but record-breaking temperatures and more frequent weather disasters in the past year added stress on the air travel industry.

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“Roughly, you've got a 30% less chance of getting a long delay or cancellation if you go out in the morning,” said Kathleen Bangs, a former commercial airline pilot and current spokesperson for the flight-tracking site FlightAware.

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OAG's data shows 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. departures with the highest number of cancellations across the continent, with a dip during those mid-day hours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. While travel has seemingly bounced back more in the U.S. and Europe, the disruptions aren't isolated to these regions.

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Summary: Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) has the highest cancellation rate in the country for 2022: 5.55% - up from 1.43% in 2021. That's an increase of 286.77%. LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York City saw the largest increase in canceled flights – from 1471 in 2021 to 8795 in 2022 - a 497.89% jump.

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There are several reasons why flights may be canceled, including bad weather, air traffic restrictions, lack of airplane or staff, technical problems, and low passenger numbers.

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Perhaps one of the most common reasons why flights get canceled is because of inclement weather. When weather conditions such as thunderstorms, heavy rain, snow, ice, or fog are severe enough to pose a risk to the safety of passengers and crew, aircraft dispatchers may cancel flights to ensure their safety.

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If airlines cancel a flight for any reason, passengers are legally entitled to a full refund, including for ticket price, taxes, baggage fees, extra charges and ancillary fees.

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To be clear, passengers flying in the U.S. are already entitled to refunds when a flight is canceled or significantly delayed. No matter the cause — weather-related or not — airlines must pay passengers back for the unused portion of their ticket if the passenger ultimately chooses not to fly.

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“Ask the airline to put you up in a hotel or give you a hotel voucher. They might do it; they might not. It's not required by law,” Keyes said. They're less likely to do it if it's weather related, he said, than if the problem is a mechanical issue with the plane or staffing issues.

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Summary: Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) has the highest cancellation rate in the country for 2022: 5.55% - up from 1.43% in 2021. That's an increase of 286.77%. LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York City saw the largest increase in canceled flights – from 1471 in 2021 to 8795 in 2022 - a 497.89% jump.

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The airlines use the last hours of the day and the first hours of the night to catch up on delays and ensure their aircraft are in the right place for the next day. Night Flights allow the budget airlines and the non-scheduled airlines (usually operating holiday charter flights) to make full use of their aircraft.

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Evidence suggests that the earlier in the day you fly, the less likely you'll be stuck with lengthy flight delays. If you do end up with time to kill because of a delay, here's how to make the most of it.

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A graphic of Wallethub's 2023 airline ranking. In terms of other key findings, Delta Air Lines was named the most reliable airline, while the least reliable was Frontier Airlines. “Delta is the most reliable airline mostly because it didn't have any denied boardings over the past year.

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Delta Airlines is a large American airline that has a strong safety record. It has received multiple honors for its devotion to safety, including being named the World's Most On-Time Airline for several years in a row by FlightGlobal.

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The overall worst airport in the US for delays is JFK, based on our study of over 40,000 flights from the summer of 2022. JFK is followed by Chicago Midway, Newark, Orlando International, LaGuardia, and Denver.

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