Philadelphia Ranked Among Worst US Airports? What’s The Reason?

Air travelers passing through Philadelphia may want to brace themselves for frustrating delays and long tarmac waits. A startling new study ranks Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) as one of the worst in the United States for lengthy flight delays. In this article we talk about Philadelphia Ranked Among Worst US Airports.

According to FOX29, the travel data research firm Places to Travel analyzed records for nearly 2 million delayed flights across U.S. airports from January 2023 through February 2024. Their findings placed PHL squarely at number 5 on the list of airports with the longest average delay times per flight.

PHL Average Delay Over 1.5 Hours

According to the study, the average delay for flights departing from or arriving at the Philadelphia airport clocked in at a brutal 1 hour, 26 minutes, and 32 seconds per delayed flight over the 14-month tracking period.

To put those numbers into perspective, the PHL delay data was pulled from a total of 20,813 delayed planes that racked up a staggering combined 1,780,068 minutes of delays – nearly 1,234 days’ worth of delays compressed into just over a year’s time.

The four airports that fared even worse for delays were:

1. Provo Airport (Utah): 1 hr 42 mins
2. Orlando Sanford Airport: 1 hr 34 mins
3. Dallas/Fort Worth Airport: 1 hr 29 mins
4. Charlotte Douglas Airport: 1 hr 28 mins

Economic Impacts of Delays

Beyond the headaches and missed connections for travelers, the excessive flight delays emanating from PHL carry serious potential economic impacts for the region as well.

With current delay times exceeding 90 minutes on average, the financial strain on the city quickly racks up into the hundreds of millions annually. That lost economic activity and tax revenue represents a significant drain that PHL and local officials need to make a top priority.

“Excessive delays ultimately scare away business investments, corporate relocation prospects and tourism dollars – putting the entire Philadelphia region at a competitive disadvantage if not addressed urgently,” added Thompson.

As air travel demand returns and flight schedules fill back up post-pandemic, all eyes will be on Philadelphia’s airport leadership to reverse the concerning delay trends. Failure to do so could permanently ground PHL’s reputation among travelers as a reliably on-time, efficient hub airport. I sincerely hope you find this “Philadelphia Ranked Among Worst US Airports? What’s The Reason?” article helpful.