Travelers flying out of Newark Liberty International Airport continue to face a higher likelihood of delays compared to most other major airports in the country.
A recent report by InsureMyTrip, a leading travel insurance comparison site, analyzed the latest flight delay data from the Department of Transportation to identify which airports experienced the most delays.
It placed Newark Liberty International Airport third on the list of airports with the highest percentage of delays for the period from January through June 2025.
Earlier this year, the busy airport faced a shortage of air traffic controllers, which led to hundreds of flight cancellations and delays. In May, United Airlines announced the elimination of nearly three dozen round-trip flights from its daily schedule at Newark Airport due to the ongoing issue.
The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey said the flight delays at Newark Liberty earlier this year were mostly driven by FAA staffing shortages, outdated FAA air traffic control technology and severe weather, which significantly impacted on-time performance.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington D.C. topped the list, followed by Palm Beach International Airport in Florida. After Newark, the airports with the most delays were McGhee Tyson Airport and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
This rise in delays come at a difficult time for travelers. The U.S. Department of Transportation recently scrapped plans that would have required airlines to provide cash compensation when delays occur. This decision leaves passengers dependent on individual airline compensation policies, which vary widely and often provide minimal compensation.
However, there has been an effort to improve conditions. According to NJ.com, SILive.com’s sister site, a $121 million project to repave and improve Runway 4L-22R was completed in early June. The travel hub also spent over $2.7 billion on a new Terminal A, which was completed in 2023.