Ronald Reagan Washington National tops list of least reliable U.S. airports

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport finished last among large U.S. airports for reliability in 2026, according to a new Consumer Affairs report. The ranking comes as the country enters its peak travel season. The study evaluated airports based on cancellation rates, delays, and diversions.

Philadelphia International Airport ranked as the fifth least reliable major airport in the nation. It recorded the second highest severity score among large airports in the analysis. The report utilized data from the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation to generate these figures.

Travelers from Philadelphia faced a specific operational issue identified in the data. More than one third of canceled flights out of PHL were the final departure to their destination for that day. Consumer Affairs noted this left many passengers without a same day alternative.

The ten most reliable airports in the report included Los Angeles International, Phoenix Sky Harbor International, and Seattle Tacoma International. Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International and San Francisco International also appeared in the top tier. A majority of the airports on the reliable list are located in the Western United States.

The bottom ten list for reliability included a mix of Northeast and Southeast locations. Dallas Fort Worth International and Newark Liberty International held the second and third worst spots, respectively. Miami International and Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International rounded out the Southeast representation in the lower rankings.

Tampa International Airport was named the eighth least reliable large airport in the country. Washington Dulles International and George Bush Intercontinental completed the bottom ten list. The rankings reflect performance metrics from the most recent data set provided by federal agencies.

The report also assessed medium sized and small airports. President Donald J. Trump International in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Asheville Regional in North Carolina ranked at the bottom of their respective categories. The full data set is available for public review through the Consumer Affairs website.