These are the U.S. airports where flights are most likely to be delayed by over 3 hours

Most flight delays are annoying but a three-hour delay? That’s the kind that turns a travel day into a full-blown saga.

A new analysis from aviation compensation company AirAdvisor looked at U.S. airports where flights are most likely to be delayed by at least 180 minutes—a threshold where travel plans often start unraveling quickly. The study analyzed flight performance across 47 major airports between January 1 and December 31, 2025, measuring how often these severe delays happen and how long they last once they begin. 

The findings show that while extreme delays are relatively rare, they can be brutally long when they do happen. On average, about 1.8 percent of flights at the worst-performing airports were delayed three hours or more—but those disruptions stretched past 320 minutes, or more than five hours, on average. 

Topping the list is Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, where about 1.7 percent of flights crossed the three-hour delay mark. When those disruptions occur, they’re not quick fixes—the average delay at Austin stretches to nearly 370 minutes or just over six hours. 

Next up is Chicago O’Hare International Airport, where the airport’s sheer volume of flights means severe delays pop up regularly. Once a delay crosses the three-hour threshold there, travelers can expect to wait roughly 336 minutes on average. 

Rounding out the top three is Jacksonville International Airport, where about 1.94 percent of flights are delayed by three hours or longer, which is one of the highest shares relative to airport size. 

Several other airports also landed in the top 10 for severe disruptions, including Southwest Florida International Airport, Norfolk International Airport, Palm Beach International Airport, St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport. 

Interestingly, the list also includes major aviation hubs alongside smaller regional airports, suggesting that long delays aren’t just a big-airport problem. A relatively small share of delays applied to a high-traffic airport can still affect thousands of passengers and smaller airports may struggle to reroute travelers when disruptions hit. 

There is some good news, though. Several airports reported zero delays longer than three hours during the study period. Among the best performers were Hilo International Airport in Hawaii, Syracuse Hancock International Airport in New York, Pocatello Regional Airport in Idaho, Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport in Alaska and Walla Walla Regional Airport in Washington.

The takeaway for travelers? Severe delays are rare but, when they happen, they’re rarely short. Building extra connection time and considering alternative airports could save you from spending half a day staring at a departure board.

The 10 worst US airports for 180+ minute delays:

1. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
2. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
3. Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)
4. Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW)
5. Norfolk International Airport (ORF)
6. Palm Beach International Airport (PBI)
7. St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
8. Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
9. Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
10. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)