2010 Summer Air Travel
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It's always tough to travel in the US during summer. And now it's even worse.
JFK has shut down its main runway since March for major renovations and is likely to remain closed till July.
The mile-long terminal at the Miami International Airport is slowly opening up but there won't be a train to take you through until the fall. And traffic is heavy heading up to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
Summer is when the most people go on travel for vacations. Add to that the unpredictable weather that causes major shut downs in critical air space.
Historical data indicate that the worst ten airports to go through when traveling in the US include La Guardia and JFK in New York, Newark in New Jersey, Logan International in Boston, along with those of Philadelphia, San Francisco and Dallas-Fort Worth. Completing the ten are Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International and O'Hare in Chicago.
During the summer months, only about 80 percent of all flights actually arrive or depart on time and this percentage is lower at the airports mentioned above.
New York is infamous for its overcrowded skies, especially since it shares its air space with Philadelphia. Fog almost always causes delays in San Francisco while thunderstorms are not uncommon in Miami. Airports that serve as major hubs also add to the delays. JFK, Miami and Dallas are all hubs for American Airlines while Chicago serves as the major hub for United.
Access to Chicago's Midway International Airport is tougher with major reconstruction going on the road. Mild delays caused by repaving on an express road should also be expected heading into Newark Airport. Upgrades to a parking garage are expected to result in minor delays at Logan Airport as well.
Plane traffic this year will drop by less than one percent at the country's 35 largest airports. Some of these airports are even expected to see increases in air traffic. The number of passengers traveling this summer is also seen to go up by at least one percent compared to last year's summer.
When traveling this summer it is always a good idea to first check the website of your airline and airport for delays or traffic detours. Flightstats.com gives real-time flight data, travel planning information and traveler comments about airports. Try to avoid hubs and peak travel times, book nonstop flights if you can and strictly follow the carry-on requirements of your airline. It is always better to fly as early in the day as possible.