Hartsfield-Jackson ranks among best in nation for stress-free travel

When it comes to taking the stress out of traveling the skies, business outlet MarketWatch said Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is one of the best in the country.

There have been more than 1.6 million flights in the United States this year, and that’s a lot of opportunities for mishap. With 330,478 of those flights having been delayed, travelers have about a 1 in 5 chance of not making it to their destination on time. There’s also around a 2% chance a flight will be diverted or outright canceled. That’s more than 30,000 affected departures.

MarketWatch recently ranked America’s 30 major airports based on their ability to provide stress-free travel, ultimately giving Atlanta’s airport the second highest spot.

“Our research showed that every region had its share of both top performers and low rankings in terms of passenger experience,” MarketWatch reported. “Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport boasted the shortest Transportation Security Administration (TSA) wait time at just nine minutes, although it ranked second for the percentage of canceled flights. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Ga., and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., stood out for their relatively short average wait times.”

The business outlet considered six metrics to determine its rankings: delays, cancellations, diversions, prices, flight traffic and TSA wait times. Hartsfield-Jackson ranked within the top five airports for fewest canceled flights. It’s no small accomplishment, considering it retained its title as the world’s busiest airport in 2023 with 104.7 million total flights.

Phoenix Sky Harbor earned the top rank overall, boasting better scores almost entirely across the board. Harry Reid, Los Angeles International and Reagan National finished out the top five.

George Bush Intercontinental/Houston, Newark Liberty International, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, Chicago Midway International and John F. Kennedy International were considered the most stressful places to travel from.