US flight delays worst decade 2025

U.S. flight delays worsened in 2025 to their highest level in more than a decade, according to a report released May 19 by U.S. PIRG Education Fund. The group’s analysis, based on federal data from the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, said on-time performance for U.S. airlines fell to its weakest level since 2014. Nearly one in four flights on the 10 largest U.S. airlines and their marketing partners was delayed, canceled or diverted, the report said. The findings land as Memorial Day travel begins, with AAA projecting 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home between May 21 and May 25, including 3.66 million by air. ### How bad did delays get in 2025? U.S. PIRG Education Fund said 2025 brought the worst on-time results for U.S. airlines since 2014. Among flights that were not canceled or diverted, one in nine arrived at least 45 minutes late and one in 12 arrived at least 60 minutes late, the group said. Domestic tarmac delays of three hours or more rose 63% from 2024, according to the report. (pirg.org) The Bureau of Transportation Statistics defines a delayed flight as one that arrives 15 minutes or more behind schedule. BTS publishes monthly counts for on-time, delayed, canceled and diverted flights in the Air Travel Consumer Report and on its delay database. ### What is driving the disruptions? Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director at U.S. (pirg.org) PIRG Education Fund, said “a lot of issues are converging,” including a shortage of air traffic controllers, bad weather, more cancellations and delays, higher airfares and baggage fees, and government shutdowns that affect security lines. The report also said passenger volume declined in 2025 even as reliability worsened, a combination it described as unusual in the last quarter-century. (transtats.bts.gov) The Federal Aviation Administration said on May 15 that it had released a new 2026-2028 air traffic controller workforce plan aimed at erasing a longstanding staffing shortage and preparing for future demand. The FAA said the plan is intended to support the long-term efficiency of the National Airspace System. (pirg.org) ### Why does this matter for holiday travelers now? AAA said on May 11 that 3.66 million people are expected to fly over the 2026 Memorial Day weekend, up slightly from 2025, as part of a record 45 million holiday travelers. AAA said average round-trip domestic airfare for the holiday was about $800, based on booked trips. (faa.gov) The pressure on the system is visible in federal traffic forecasts. In last year’s Memorial Day planning guidance, the Federal Aviation Administration said flights would peak at nearly 54,000 on the Thursday before the holiday weekend, while the Transportation Security Administration said it expected to screen about 18 million passengers and crew over the travel period. Those figures illustrate the scale at which weather or staffing problems can spread through the network. (southjersey.aaa.com) ### What should passengers watch in the federal data? The Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection posts the Air Travel Consumer Report each month with airline delay, cancellation and complaint data. The April 2026 report includes February 2026 flight-delay data and 2025 oversales data. (abcnews.com) The Transportation Department’s refund rules, updated in 2024 and amended again after the FAA reauthorization law, require airlines to provide automatic refunds when flights are canceled or significantly changed and passengers do not accept the alternative offered. DOT also says travelers may be entitled to refunds for delayed bags and unprovided ancillary services. (transportation.gov) ### Where can travelers check what comes next? May 21 through May 25 is the Memorial Day travel window in AAA’s 2026 forecast, and the Department of Transportation’s consumer site continues to post monthly airline performance reports. The FAA’s new controller workforce plan, released May 15, is the agency’s latest published benchmark for staffing progress as the summer travel season begins. (southjersey.aaa.com) (transportation.gov)