These are the 10 US airports with the longest wait times – see where JFK, ATX, LAX, more rank

Coming out of JFK? You will most likely need additional time.

While it’s important to get to any airport early, some flight centers are notorious for taking ages to get through security lines and passport control.

Ahead of the holiday travel season, luggage storage company Bounce has ranked the airports with the longest waits — and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport topped the list.

“It’s common to experience airport delays, with long security lines or passport control adding to your time spent in international hubs,” said Bounce CEO Cody Candee. “Knowing which airports are home to the longest delays can provide a more efficient experience and save valuable time.”

To determine which airports had the longest waits, Bounce analyzed the average times for security and passport clearance at airports across the country in 2024, using data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Airport Times. and TSA Wait Times.

Bounce found that the number one least efficient hub, JFK, had an average total wait time of 39 minutes and 48 seconds. The security check took an average of 15 minutes and five seconds, while passport control took about 24 minutes and 43 seconds, according to the study.

The long times are attributed to the fact that JFK is New York’s “major international hub,” handling “millions of domestic and international passengers” annually.

“For many people, this is a final destination; for others it is a vital key point,” they write. “This heavy traffic inevitably leads to delays in both security and passport control.”

The result is that JFK has significantly improved its combined wait times over the past year, with the total time in lines at eight minutes and 36 seconds.

Compare that to Newark Liberty International Airport, which went from one of the fastest airports in 2023 to one of the slowest today.

Combined wait times have increased from 13 minutes 55 seconds to 32 minutes 25 seconds over the past 12 months. However, that wasn’t enough for the New Jersey airport to make the list of the top 10 flight hubs with the longest wait times.

After JFK, Orlando International Airport in Florida took second place with an average total wait time of 39 minutes and 16 seconds. Bounce is chalked up to the flight supplier being a hub for pilgrims at Disney World, which has similarly endless lines.

O’Hare International Airport in Chicago (37:52), Los Angeles International Airport (35:25) and Bergstrom Austin International Airport in Austin, Texas (35:22) rounded out the top five.

The 10 airports with the longest waits in the US:

Order	Airport	State/Territory	Average TSA Wait Time	Average passport control waiting time	Average combined wait time
1	John F. Kennedy International Airport	New York	15:05	24:43	39:48
2	Orlando International Airport	Florida	3:34 pm	11:42 p.m	39:16
3	O’Hare International Airport	Illinois	11:53	25:59	37:52
4	Los Angeles International Airport	California	11:32 am	11:53 p.m	35:25
5	Austin Bergstrom International Airport	TEXAS	15:53	19:29	35:22
6	Miami International Airport	Florida	2:40 in the afternoon	20:19	34:59
7	San Francisco International Airport	California	12:43 p.m	9:01 pm	33:44
8	George Bush Intercontinental Airport	TEXAS	13:53	19:16	33:09
9	Ontario International Airport	California	13:32	19:35	33:07
10	Salt Lake City International Airport	Utah	15:17	17:23	22:40

The airport with the shortest wait time, according to the study, was Palm Beach International Airport in Florida with a combined time of seven minutes and 27 seconds.

The TSA wait time came in at five minutes and 29 seconds, while passport clearance took just under two minutes – the shortest in the rankings.

That marks a big turnaround from last year, when Palm Beach’s wait was among the longest of all U.S. airports, at about 36 minutes and 42 seconds, according to the study.

In other words, passengers waited an average of 29 minutes and 16 seconds less, making the Florida airport the most improved player in terms of efficiency.

“PBI’s efficiency makes it the ideal airport for those looking for a delay-free experience,” Bounce wrote.

Below we have listed the ten airports with the shortest waiting times:

Order	Airport	State/Territory	Average TSA Wait Time	Average passport control waiting time	Average combined wait time
1	Palm Beach International Airport	Florida	05:29	01:58	07:27
2	John Wayne Airport	California	09:03	05:35	2:38 pm
3	Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport	Arizona	11:11	05:45	16:56
4	San Antonio International Airport	TEXAS	08:04	11:02 am	19:06
5	San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport	California	07:39	12:58	20:37
6	Sacramento International Airport	California	07:05	13:36	20:41
7	Portland International Airport	Oregon	08:44	12:33	21:17
8	Philadelphia International Airport	PA	10:48 am	11:02 am	21:50
9	Raleigh – Durham International Airport	North Carolina	08:47	13:19	22:06
10	Tampa International Airport	Florida	10:23	12:19 p.m	22:42

In general, the experts at Bounce urge vacationers to fly out of smaller airports when possible to help curb wait times.

“Busy airports like JFK and LAX are notorious for their long passport control times,” Candee said. “If you have the option, flying into John Wayne Airport instead of Los Angeles International Airport can save you an average of 20 minutes 47 seconds.”

Fortunately, on average, US airports have reduced the time passengers spend waiting from about 29 minutes and 35 seconds to 27 minutes and 16 seconds.