The stress of getting in and out of airports is difficult to avoid. Some airports are more stressful than others.
A new survey from Rightway Parking ranked the most and least stressful airports in the United
States, based on flight delay and cancellation data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and driving distance and time from the city based on Google Maps data.
Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah was named the least stressful; Dallas Fort Worth International Airport was named the most stressful.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport enjoys a reputation for a customer-forward airport experience, one that was reflected in JD Power's latest best airports ranking. Amenities such as its free PHX Reserve program, now available in every terminal, aim to enhance the ease of getting through the airport.
Is Phoenix Sky Harbor a stressful airport?
Sky Harbor was named the No. 6 least stressful airport in the United States, helped by a low rate of canceled flights and the close distance between the airport and downtown Phoenix.
Less than 1% of flights were canceled in 2025, the sixth-lowest cancellation rate that year, the study showed. Salt Lake City, the top airport in the overall study, had the lowest cancellation percentage.
The study did note that the airport had a higher rate of delayed flights between 2021 and 2025, increasing by about 5%. It added that just under 21% of Sky Harbor's flights were delayed in 2025.
But that increase pales in comparison to other airports that saw more delays. Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina had an 80% increase to its flight delay rate from 2021 to 2025, while the rate at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, D.C. spiked by 74% during that same time, the study showed.
Another contrast between Sky Harbor and more stressful major airports comes from its geography. The airport is only 4 miles from downtown Phoenix, a strength frequently highlighted by airport and tourism officials.
Least stressful airports in the United States in 2025
- Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah.
- San Jose Mineta International Airport, California.
- Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Albuquerque International Sunport, New Mexico.
- Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Nevada.
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona.
- Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Alaska.
- Sacramento International Airport, California.
- Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, California.
- Eppley Airfield, Omaha, Nebraska.
Most stressful airports in the United States in 2025
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Texas.
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Illinois.
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington, Virginia.
- John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York.
- Philadelphia International Airport, Pennsylvania.
- LaGuardia Airport, New York.
- Denver International Airport, Colorado.
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Michigan.
- Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles, Virginia.
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport, North Carolina.
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Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at Michael.Salerno@usatodayco.com.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How stressful is Sky Harbor? Where it ranks in new airport study
