Flight Cancellations Reach Four-Year High; California Airports Among Most Delayed

Flight cancellations by U.S.-based airlines have increased by 15% this summer compared to last year, reaching a four-year high, according to data from FlightAware. Overall, 2% of all flights operated by U.S. carriers this year have been canceled, indicating that 2026 is on track to have the highest number of flight cancellations since 2022. California airports ranked among the worst for delays, with San Diego International Airport (SAN) coming in third for the highest percentage of delayed flights at 33.6% from Memorial Day to Labor Day. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) ranked fourth with 32.1% of flights delayed. The airport with the highest delay rate was Nashville International Airport, where 35.3% of flights were delayed this summer. In contrast, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) had the fourth-best on-time record this year, with 78% of flights departing as scheduled. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) had the highest on-time rate at 82%. On the East Coast, LaGuardia Airport (LGA) led the country in canceled flights this summer, with 6.5% of flights canceled, followed by Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) at 5.8% and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) at 4.2%. This data was released shortly after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration announced a new software rollout aimed at better anticipating potential flight delays, which will first be implemented in the Washington, D.C. area.