Airport reliability: DCA worst, LAX best

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is the least reliable major airport in the United States, according to a Consumer Affairs report released on Oct. 29. The ranking places DCA at the bottom of the list for the 2026 travel year. The organization measured reliability based on cancellation, delay, and diversion rates.

DCA recorded a cancellation rate of 2.8%, the highest among large U.S. airports. The report noted that DCA cancels its final flight of the day more often than any other major hub. Consumer Affairs attributed nearly half of the delays at DCA to late-arriving inbound flights. This factor affected DCA more than any of the other five airports in the bottom tier.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) ranked as the most reliable large airport in the country. Phoenix Sky Harbor International and Seattle-Tacoma International followed LAX in the top three positions. The data for this ranking came from the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The top ten list includes a mix of coastal and inland hubs. After LAX, PHX, and SEA, the list features Salt Lake City International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, and San Francisco International. Harry Reid International, Boston Logan International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County, and Nashville International round out the top ten. Most of these locations are in the Western United States and have low rates of severe delays lasting three hours or more.

The ten least reliable airports include a concentration of Northeast and Southeast hubs. Dallas Fort Worth International, Newark Liberty International, Miami International, and Philadelphia International all appear in the bottom ten. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, LaGuardia, Tampa International, Washington Dulles International, and George Bush Intercontinental complete the list of the least reliable major airports.

The report also evaluated medium and small airports. President Donald J. Trump International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Asheville Regional Airport in North Carolina ranked at the bottom of their respective categories.

With the holiday travel season approaching, the report provides a baseline for expected service disruptions. The data reflects current operational patterns and specific failure points at each location.