These airports top the list for the worst delays and cancellations this summer

Travel demand is surging, and anyone who’s been to an airport recently can see it. However, the infrastructure and resources needed to manage the influx of passengers are still lacking.

When you combine summer weather with airport and airline staffing shortages, it creates the perfect storm for widespread delays and cancellations.

Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada has been hit hard, with more than half of its flights delayed between May 26 and July 19, according to data from FlightAware compiled for Dinogo Travel.

A staggering 52.5% of flights at Toronto Pearson have been delayed this summer, and the airport ranks 4th worldwide for cancellations, with 6.5% of its flights canceled during this period.

On Tuesday, Air Canada announced a flexible policy allowing fee-free ticket changes (subject to availability) specifically for travelers at Toronto Pearson due to unusually long delays.

The new policy enables passengers to switch their flights to or from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, or to adjust their connection times at Toronto Pearson.

To mitigate flight disruptions, Air Canada has already reduced its summer schedule, while Transport Canada has been collaborating with the industry to decrease wait times.

Europe is also facing widespread delays

Toronto’s airport is not the only one grappling with disruptions.

Seven of the world’s top 10 airports for delays this summer, based on the percentage of delayed flights, are located in Europe. Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, and London are experiencing the most severe delays, according to FlightAware data.

In an extraordinary move, London’s Heathrow Airport recently asked airlines to stop selling outbound tickets for this summer.

Orlando International Airport in Florida is the only US airport to make the global top 10 for delays. In separate FlightAware data analyzed by Dinogo last week, three Florida airports were among the top 10 for delays in the United States.

US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently shared with Dinogo that while air travel is improving, he still expects airlines to perform better.

"We’re relying on airlines to meet their commitments to passengers and ensure they honor the tickets they sell," Buttigieg stated.

The airports worldwide with the most significant delays this summer

Here are the top 10 airports globally this summer, ranked by the percentage of delayed flights:

1. Toronto Pearson International Airport (Canada): 52.5%

2. Frankfurt Airport (Germany): 45.4%

3. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (France): 43.2%

4. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (Netherlands): 41.5%

5. London Gatwick Airport (United Kingdom): 41.1%

6. Heathrow Airport (United Kingdom): 40.5%

7. Munich Airport (Germany): 40.4%

8. Athens International Airport (Greece): 37.9%

9. Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (Australia): 34.2%

10. Orlando International Airport (United States): 33.4%

The rankings are based on FlightAware data from May 26 to July 19.

Airports around the world with the highest number of summer cancellations

Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport in Guangdong Province, China, tops the global list for cancellations this summer, with nearly 8% of its flights canceled, according to FlightAware data. Guangzhou Baiyun International and Chongqing Jiangbei International airports in China also make the top 10.

Ongoing travel restrictions and sudden lockdowns have severely impacted travel in China, where strict Covid-containment measures have kept the country largely closed to international travelers since the pandemic began.

During China’s Labor Day holiday in May, domestic travel was down by a third compared to the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Three US airports are also among the top 10 for flight cancellations, with New York's Newark and LaGuardia airports ranked 2nd and 3rd, and Washington D.C.’s National Airport at 8th.

Looking at the global top 20, airports in Boston (12th), Charlotte (13th), Philadelphia (14th), and Miami (16th) are on the cancellations list, along with New York’s John F. Kennedy International (15th) and Chicago’s O'Hare International (19th).

While European airports dominated the global delay rankings, only one European airport – Amsterdam Schiphol – makes the top 10 for cancellations between May 26 and July 19. Australia and Indonesia each have one airport in the top 10 for cancellations.

Here are the top 10 airports worldwide for cancellations this summer, along with the percentage of flights canceled:

1. Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport (China): 7.9%

2. Newark Liberty International Airport (US): 7.4%

3. LaGuardia Airport (US): 7%

4. Toronto Pearson International Airport (Canada): 6.5%

5. Soekarno–Hatta International Airport (Indonesia): 6.2%

6. Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (Australia): 5.9%

7. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (China): 5.2%

8. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (US): 5%

9. Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (China): 4.6%

10. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (Netherlands): 3.9%

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly referred to 'delays' instead of 'cancellations' when discussing Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and airports in Australia and Indonesia.