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If you are making an extended journey to an international destination, a small regional airport, or simply booking the cheapest option, you will want to make sure your transfer airport is reliable. As California and New York are home to some of the biggest airports in the United States, there are many flyers who make connections in the hubs that these states are home to. The essential metric for airport reliability is on-time departures, as measured by sources like AAA. Other factors like terminal layout and transit between are also important to consider, so checking an airport map for your arrival and departure gates beforehand is a good idea. So, with that in mind, let’s run down the top airports to make a connection in the West Coast and East Coast’s most popular states. The Layover Leaderboard Owing to a major advantage of agreeable weather, California’s airports gain a major advantage right out of the gate. The NYC area experiences significant weather-related flight disruptions, especially in the winter months. Based on the New York Post’s report from earlier this year, the three major hubs in the NYC area ranked fourth, fifth, and sixth for the most frequently weather-disrupted operations in the US. So, with New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) the fourth most delayed, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) the fifth, and LaGuardia Airport (LGA) the sixth, what do the statistics say about California’s top hubs? Well, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is ranked as the most reliable airport among the states by AAA, with over 81% of operations keeping a schedule like clockwork. Even San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which had a reputation in the past for a high rate of weather delays, is now just behind LAX for the third most reliable airfield, according to a September report by Travel Pulse. San Diego International Airport (SAN) even makes the top ten, ranking number nine for the most reliable departure schedule in the USA. So, at least in terms of the most essential factor, keeping a schedule, the West Coast takes a wide lead. Los Angeles, LAX The generally expected minimum time to make domestic connections is 45 minutes at LAX. International connections require more time to pass through customs, and the variability of that process means at least 90 minutes would be safe. Terminals are connected airside via tunnels, walkways, and bridges, but between renovations and construction areas, the giant airport can be confusing to navigate. Amenities to pass time include food and shopping, free WiFi and charging, lounges, relaxation, and plenty of off-airport activities. Leaving the airport during a layover comes with significant risks due to LA's notorious traffic. Taxis and rideshares are popular, but the designated pickup area (LAX-it) is served by a shuttle and can have long wait times. The amenities, convenience, and efficiency of LAX are improving with the large renovations ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games, but it is still ongoing. Free WiFi is available, but it times out and requires repeated logins. Charging stations are available near the gates. Future improvements include the Automated People Mover, which aims to alleviate airport traffic. Off-airport activities include visiting neighboring beaches like Venice Beach and Santa Monica, the Getty Villa, traveling aviation enthusiasts like the Flight Path museum, In-N-Out park, and dining at off-airport eateries like The Proud Bird, which offer fantastic plane-spotting views. New York, JFK JFK is planned to undergo a $19 billion reconstruction project commencing in 2026 to strengthen its infrastructure and reliability for layovers. The airport has five operating terminals that are not connected airside, making it difficult to transit during peak seasons and holiday surges. The free, 24/7 AirTrain provides transportation between terminals, parking lots, and other airport services, but needs clearing security multiple times for inter-terminal connections. The airport features many amenities to help passengers kill time, including airline lounges, such as the Chase Sapphire Lounge in Terminal 4. The host of terminal offerings includes minute suites with daybeds, high-speed Wi-Fi, and smart TVs, Escape Pods with WiFi and charging connections, and the TWA Hotel connected to Terminal 5 via the AirTrain. Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton commented earlier this year on the project: “From the outset, our goal in building a new JFK International Airport has been to create a world-class passenger experience. Terminal 4’s lineup of appealing, iconic local brands will help to create a travel experience that is unique to New York.” The airport experiences high delay rates generally due to weather. However, issues with aging air traffic control (ATC) infrastructure and short staffing levels have made matters worse. The same can be said of numerous hubs around the USA, but NYC has had an especially bad case. JFK has escaped the worst of it, despite its on-time rate actually being lower than EWR and LGA, where these issues have made headlines. Cali’s Other Top Airports San Diego International Airport (SAN) offers a consolidated layover experience with recent additions, although its reliability can be compromised by its single runway and regional weather patterns. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) connects its terminals airside via AirTrain, which simplifies a trek from one corner of the airfield to another. San Diego is a modern airfield with recently upgraded facilities to improve both operations and customer experience. The one risk is that fog rolls in on occasion, and the single runway limits operations at times. San Diego's Terminal 1 has been expanded to incorporate more gates, extra space, and a dual-level arrivals and departures highway to reduce traffic congestion. Amenities at both airports include a strong selection of shopping and dining options, lounges, free WiFi, and charging facilities are available throughout the terminals. Ongoing construction at SFO can make navigation a bit challenging for first-timers and even repeat customers at times. SFO is less busy than LAX and generally has shorter wait times at security and customs. It also offers unique amenities such as rotating museum exhibitions and art collections, yoga rooms, a "Wag Brigade" team of therapy animals, nap rooms, and showers for a fee. The Notorious NYC Hubs Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport have both completed large remodeling efforts to improve their stopover experiences. EWR has a history of low on-time performance due to its congested airspace and closeness to other popular NYC airports, which can cause problems during seasonal thunderstorms. One controller commented to NPR after the ATC outage in May 2025, saying: "It was like disbelief. And then it was just like fury, honestly, like how could they have us working this, you know? We had had other outages prior to that point that demonstrated to us that our equipment was unreliable.” EWR offers a range of services to enjoy during time between flights, including lounges, food and shopping alternatives, relaxation and WiFi, spas, a meditation space near Terminal C, and massage chairs. A $3.5 billion AirTrain system will replace the old 1996 system by 2030, increasing capacity and improving links between terminals, parking, and train options. LaGuardia recently completed an $8 billion redevelopment, transforming it into a modern, highly rated airport. Terminal B was awarded a 5-star rating by Skytrax in April 2025. LGA's new terminals are not connected airside, so passengers must use a free shuttle bus to transfer and re-clear security. The major redevelopment is largely finished, allowing passengers to experience the full benefits of the new facilities. LGA handles mostly domestic flights, simplifying transfers compared to JFK’s mixed international and domestic traffic. The new terminals offer multiple high-quality lounges, dining and shopping options, and modern facilities with features like floor-to-ceiling windows, improved security checkpoints, and covered rideshare pickup areas. How It’s Going Today At the end of 2024, Aviation A2Z published an analysis of the ten most punctual US hubs, and LAX came out on top with 81.9% on-time flights. Second place was Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) with 80%, but San Diego International (SAN) and Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) tied with 80% as well. This year is on track for similar results for the leading airports. NYC’s hubs have had challenges that are likely to keep them low in the punctuality rankings for 2025 as well. The government shutdown has worsened a chronic national shortage of air traffic controllers, leading to ground stops and delays at major airports, including EWR and LGA, in the last week. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been forced to slow down air traffic entering some airports to ensure safety. While JFK was also impacted by the air traffic controller shortage and government shutdown, its primary challenges stemmed from massive ongoing construction and persistent traffic congestion, which significantly affected reliability. Despite improvements at each of the individual airports, nationwide problems have made layovers at airports in New York a lot riskier than California in 2025.
