A runway can be miles away from the gate and sometimes you have to cross active runways to get to/from your runway. Planes can't move very fast on the ground. A lot of airplanes can be trying to move at the same time on the same taxiways, and their movements have to be coordinated by ground controllers.

Long taxi times are the result of a complex interplay between airport geography, traffic volume, and safety protocols. At massive hubs like London Heathrow, JFK, or Dubai, the distance from the gate to the active runway can be several miles, and because planes must move at a slow, controlled speed (typically 15-20 knots) for safety, the distance alone can take 10 minutes. Furthermore, pilots must often wait for Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearance to cross other active runways or taxiways where planes are landing or taking off. In 2026, increased "Airport Congestion" is a major factor; as global passenger traffic continues to hit record highs, airports are often "shoulder-to-shoulder" with aircraft, creating a "queue" for the runway. Planes also taxi out early to free up a gate for an arriving flight, even if their specific "takeoff slot" isn't for another 15 minutes. Weather events can further slow the process, requiring de-icing or causing "ground-hold" delays where planes must wait in a line with their engines running. While it feels like a waste of time, the taxi phase is a highly regulated ballet of coordination designed to ensure that dozens of 400-ton machines can move around a finite space without ever touching.