New York Airports Have the Worst Holiday Wait Times in the Entire Country

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As we head into the holiday season, New Yorkers are preparing for a special kind of hell that happens every year at our airports.

Unfortunately, the problem isn't getting better anytime soon.

With inclement weather and a surge of travelers expected this year, New Yorkers know how much of a gamble it is to fly out of a state airport during the holidays.

A new study by Jettly identified the worst airports to fly out of this Thanksgiving and didn't have many nice things to say about those in our state.

In fact, two New York airports were found to have the worst wait times in the entire country.

America's Worst Airports for Holiday Travel

Jettly says millions of Americans are planning to hit the air this Thanksgiving, which means larger crowds and a higher risk of missing flights.

Miami International Airport was found to have the worst average peak wait times during the holidays, with travelers set back by 54.1 minutes. Los Angeles International came in 2nd with an average wait time of 53.6 minutes.

In third, which should hardly shock any New Yorker, was John F. Kennedy International, which has people hemming and hawing at security for about 53.2 minutes - slightly under a minute less than 1st place MIA.

Newark Liberty International was found to have the 7th worst average wait time at 46.2 minutes during peak travel.

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Making things worse is that New York is also home to the airport with some of the highest flight delays in America.

Comparing the percentage of flights that were delayed around this time last year, #1 went to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International. The study found 21.2% of their Thanksgiving flights didn't leave on schedule.

In second was Orlando International, with 19.8% of their holiday flights delayed last year.

In third was Newark, with 18.6% of all its Thanksgiving flights unable to go wheels up on schedule.

It's no secret flying out of New York is a lot more time consuming than other states, which is why most travelers tend to check in well before the recommended 2-hour waiting period.

On the bright side, at least LaGuardia wasn't mentioned - which we'll take as a win.

Christmas Might Not Be Much Better

Jettly also looked into its crystal ball for the upcoming Christmas and New Years travel,

Those flying out of JFK should expect to spend at least 62.1 minutes in security, which is the fourth-worst wait time in the country.

Newark didn't fare much better, as it had the 6th worst wait time at security. The average traveler waited around 49.7 minutes in line during peak hours.

On the other hand, neither airport showed up in the top 10 in the country with the most flight delays. At least we have that, right?

Ways to Save Time at the Airport

I recently spent 2 weeks in Japan and flew out of Newark. My flight was around 10am, so the airport was pretty packed by the time I arrived.

To cut down wait time and frustration, I elected to head to my flight more than 2 hours ahead of my departure.

I also elected for TSA PreCheck so I could speed through security, and it definitely was a time saver. Jettly says 30% of Americans have paid for this service, which you can sign up for either online or at stores like Staples.

A smaller 8% of Americans have opted for CLEAR, which further expedites the check-in process.

Last year, about 6% of all Americans flying out over the holidays missed their flights due to long security lines. If that sounds like a nightmare, it might be worth investigating PreCheck or CLEAR.

While not necessary, another option is to elect for an upgrade. Those who fly business or first class tend to have a separate check-in line at the counter than those flying economy, which could save valuable minutes.

In all, welcome to another intense holiday travel season. AAA should have its forecast of how many people will hit the air in the coming days.

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