Life
Airports, even with their magazine stands and 10-minute massage chairs, can be brutal to spend a copious amount of time in — particularly during the holiday season, when too many people are traveling at once. But for those of us who have to board a plane to get to family or to a beach for our dream vacation, it's necessary. Thankfully there are some of the easiest airports to travel to in the U.S. this holiday season that could make everything a little jollier. Meaning, you won't have to play bumper carry-on luggage with the other 10 million people traveling through the airport or stomach delay after delay after ... delay.
There are, believe it or not, airports that are a lot like coves of paradise. Some airports that feel like they could actually be the destination. These are the types of airports that operate smoothly, churning out on-time flights. They're easy to navigate and are comfortable. In essence, an easy place to wait for take off. During the holiday season, you might want to keep these airports in mind when it comes to planning where your family should gather this year.
Thankfully, the easiest airports in the U.S. are located in many different regions. No one state hogs all the easy ones. With this knowledge of stress-free traveling, you are no free to roam about Google Flights.
Honolulu International
Hawaii's Honolulu International Airport was rated the best overall airport to fly in and out of for the holidays by SmartAsset.com. If you call Honolulu home — first of all, can I move in with you? — then good news, you're smoothly sailing into the holidays. If you're heading to Hawaii on vacation, prepare for takeoff. According to SmartAsset.com, "Less than half a percent of flights leaving from Honolulu were cancelled during the past three years, and less than four percent of arrivals were significantly delayed."
Charlotte Douglas International
Don't expect a cancellation at this North Carolina airport. According to SmartAsset.com, the cancellation rate at this airport is "less than 1 percent" meaning you'll be home for Christmas. It's amongst the southeast region's most reliable airports and is considered one of the best to have a connecting flight.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International
Got a connecting flight home and anxious about dodging all the terminal foot traffic from one airplane to the next? Make sure you're connecting through Phoenix Sky Harbor International in Arizona. The southwest region's best airport to make a connection is also the, according to SmartAsset.com, "third lowest delay rate for arriving airplanes, it also had the 10th lowest cancellation rate." People with a crunch connection time of 45 minutes make their flight.
Seattle-Tacoma International
Flying from the home of Starbucks to your home for the holidays? Consider the lack of delays an early Christmas present. According to NerdWallet.com, "only 0.47 percent of flights from here are canceled, compared with an average cancellation rate of 1.24 percent at the 50 busiest U.S. airports."
Pittsburgh International
The northeast region of the United States can get a little ... messy when it comes to the holiday season. Snow storms, high winds, sleet, rain. The northeast has it all in the winter weather department. Despite what the weather person predicts, "its missed connection odds of 6.75 percent were below the average for major U.S. airports," according to SmartAsset.com. It's not ~the best~ but it's better than most airports for northeast travelers.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Atlanta is a ~happening~ airport. Apparently 100 million travelers strutted to their gates in 2015, according to Airports Council International. Even though there's all that heavy foot traffic, Atlanta's international airport is considered one of the easiest to fly out of. According to NerdWallet.com, "only 0.45 percent of flight departures from Atlanta were canceled." Holiday stress is not a thing at Atlanta's airport. Departing from the airport is so smooth it's practically a vacation itself.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International
Minneapolis, Minnesota is familiar with frigid weather and heaps of snow. But despite that, it's considered one of the best airports to have a connecting flight. According to SmartAsset.com, only 1 percent of departing flights are cancelled from St. Paul International.
