New study reveals the US airports where you need to arrive the earliest to avoid travel stress- See the list
A traveler walks past departure monitors, only showing a few cancelled flights, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, at Denver International Airport in Denver. (Getty Images Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
When it comes to air travel, passengers need to take into account how early they should arrive at the airport taking into account parking, passenger volume, and security wait times. A new study by Luxury France Tours reveals the U.S. airports where passengers need to arrive early to avoid trip disruptions.
Travelers move through a TSA security screening line at Orlando International Airport on the day before Thanksgiving in Orlando.(Photo by Paul Hennesy/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Dig deeper:
The study analyzed seven key factors:
- TSA wait times
- Passenger volume
- Airport size
- Number of gates
- Number of terminals
- Parking infrastructure
- Flight delays
By the numbers:
By analyzing the seven key factors, the study found which airport travelers need to build in the biggest buffer to reduce stress as they park, move through check-in, TSA security, and boarding.
Topping the list is George Bush Intercontinental Houston (IAH) due to its massive size, heavy passenger traffic, and a high number of delayed flights.
John F. Kennedy International (JFK) ranks second due to its complexity, TSA wait times, and passenger volume.
Orlando International Airport (MCO), Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), and Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) round out the top five due to long TSA wait times and passenger volumes.
What we know:
Study Methodology
This study evaluated seven metrics to rank U.S. airports based on how early travelers should arrive. Each metric was assigned a specific weight, standardized, scored, and combined to produce a final composite ranking.
Metrics and their weights:
- Average TSA security wait times — 25
- Number of passengers — 20
- Airport size (acreage) — 15
- Number of gates — 10
- Number of terminals — 10
- Parking lots — 10
- Share of delayed departures — 10
Sources: Transportation Security Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Federal Aviation Administration, and Google Maps.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by Luxury France Tours. This story was reported from Orlando.
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