Pittsburgh's airport has been recognized for its customer satisfaction, short wait times and its beauty. Most recently, it received a less positive honor. It was ranked among the most stressful airports in the United States.
Rightway Parking recently analyzed 55 of the busiest U.S. airports to see which ones are the most stressful, based on the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' flight delay and cancellation data from 2025 and the delay rate from 2021 through 2025 for broader trends. The parking company also analyzed driving distance and time from the corresponding city, per Google Maps.
While Pittsburgh International Airport didn't make the top 10 most stressful airports, it still ranked in the top third for the headaches its delays and cancelations
might give travelers.
Where Pittsburgh International Airport ranks among most stressful airports
Out of 55 major U.S. airports, the stress travelers are likely to encounter at Pittsburgh International Airport ranked it at No. 16, putting it between Orlando International Airport (No. 15) and St. Louis Lambert International Airport (No. 17).
PIT has a flight cancelation rate of 1.46% and a flight delay rate of 16.8%, which was a positive change of about 30.85% from 2021 to 2025. It's 18 miles, or about 28 minutes, from downtown Pittsburgh.
How does that compare to the most stressful airport? Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas, Texas has a flight cancelation rate of 2.76% and a delay rate of 27.86%, and it's located about 22 miles — or 26 minutes — from downtown Dallas.
On the flip side, the least stressful airport, Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City, Utah, has a flight cancelation rate of 0.51% and a delay rate of 15.37%. It's located six miles, or a nine-minute drive, from the city's downtown.
Most stressful US airports
The U.S.' biggest airports are also the ones likely to cause the most stress. They serve the greatest number of daily flights and passengers, with the study saying they scored highest for flight disruptions and time and distance from their city centers.
- Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Dallas, Texas
- Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia
- John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, New York
- Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- LaGuardia Airport in New York City, New York
- Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit, Michigan
- Washington Dulles International Airport in Dulles, Virginia
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina
Least stressful US airports
Many of the least stressful airports offer travelers a convenient location, and they're typically smaller than the most stressful airports. Here's a look at the top 10 least stressful major U.S. airports:
- Salt Lake City International Airport in Salt Lake City, Utah
- San Jose Mineta International Airport in San Jose, California
- Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Albuquerque International Sunport in Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Reno, Nevada
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona
- Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport in Anchorage, Alaska
- Sacramento International Airport in Sacramento, California
- Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport in Oakland, California
- Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska
Kathleen Wong contributed to this report.
Finch Walker is the Pittsburgh Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Contact Walker at FWalker@usatodayco.com. Instagram: @finchwalker_. X: @_finchwalker.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Here's where Pittsburgh airport ranks among most stressful US airports
