Chicago O’Hare is officially America’s most stressful airport

A new study by airport transfer provider Mozio has ranked the most stressful airports in the United States, identifying major hubs where flight delays, expensive parking and lengthy journeys into city centres combine to make travel more challenging for passengers. The firm compared these factors to produce an overall “stress score” for the 20 busiest airports in the US by passenger traffic.

Chicago O’Hare tops the stress ranking

Mozio ranked Chicago O’Hare International Airport the most stressful airport in the United States, with a score of 8.42 out of 10.

According to the Mozio study, 74.6% of flights out of Chicago depart within 15 minutes of schedule, meaning more than a quarter experience delays. Parking also adds to the burden for travellers, with daily terminal parking costing about $43.

Accessibility is another stress factor that Mozio included in its study. Driving from O’Hare to downtown Chicago — measured using Chicago Union Station as the reference point — takes around 60 minutes, the longest transfer time among the airports studied.

OAG ranked O’Hare as the world’s eighth busiest airport last year, with over 50 million airline seats. It handled over 776,036 aircraft movements and over 80 million passengers in 2024, according to airport data, which means Chicago’s operational challenges can cause stress for many travellers each year.

New York airports dominate the top rankings

Airports serving the New York metropolitan area also rank among the most stressful hubs in the country.

LaGuardia Airport takes second place with a stress score of 7.54, followed by John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, which tie for third at 7.19.

Parking prices played a major role in LaGuardia’s ranking. At $80 per day, it has the highest daily parking rate among the airports analysed. Parking at JFK and Newark is slightly lower but still high at $70 per day.

These airports also serve one of the world’s largest travel markets. New York City welcomed about 65 million visitors in 2025, many arriving by air.

How other major hubs compare in the top stress rankings

Several other large US airports also appear in the top rankings.

Denver International Airport ranks fifth for travel stress with a score of 7.02, while Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport tie with a stress score of 5.44. 

Despite its size and heavy traffic, Los Angeles International Airport performs strongly on punctuality. The study found that 81.9% of flights departed within 15 minutes of schedule, the highest on-time performance among the airports analysed.

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental, and Miami International Airport wrap up Mozio’s list of the most stressful US airports in a three-way tie with scores of 4.91. 

The most stressful US airports: ranked

The full details of Mozio’s most stressful US airports rankings can be found here:

The 3 least stressful airports in the US

At the opposite end of the ranking, Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport was named the least stressful airport in the United States, with a score of 1.76 out of 10.

The airport benefits from relatively moderate parking costs of around $30 per day and a 20-minute drive to downtown Minneapolis, making it easier for travellers to get to their flights on time.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport ranks as the second-least-stressful airport in the US, with a score of 2.28, 78.7% of flights departing on time, parking costs of $33 per day, and an 11-minute drive to the city centre.

San Francisco International Airport ranks as the third least-stressful airport in the US, with an overall stress score of 2.98 out of 10. It surpasses other major airports in terms of punctuality, with 81.1% of flights departing on time. The drive downtown to Union Square is only 18 minutes. Parking costs are a bit higher at SFO than at the other two low-stress airports—$39 per day. 

How airports can be a less stressful experience

Nicole Kerr, CEO of Mozio, said the findings reflect how airport infrastructure affects the overall travel experience.

“Approximately 91% of Americans plan to travel in 2026, with many choosing air travel as their preferred transport option,” Kerr said. “As peak travel season approaches, Mozio wanted to reveal the most stressful airports across the country and share advice to help travellers have a more relaxed and stress-free airport experience.”

The Mozio study examines stress factors at airports beyond flight delays, including parking costs, congestion and the time required to reach downtown destinations. Still, it omits other factors that can significantly affect the passenger experience. 

A previous passenger study conducted by aviation technology firm SITA, based on an online survey of 7,317 respondents, representing over 76% of global passenger traffic, confirmed that passengers are highly stressed by flight delays (43% negative impact), as Mozio determined. 

However, they are also affected by long security queues (21% negative impact). Furthermore, “when asking passengers what improvements they would like to see in the travel experience, shorter waiting times at the airport come out as by far the most commonly selected option (64%),” SITA reported. 

By comparison, SITA found that pricing issues, which might include the cost of airport parking, account for only a 13% negative impact, and airport accessibility accounts for a 7% negative impact.    

Eliminating airport stress requires policy that suppports solutions to smooth out all these wrinkles in the journey, including optimised flight operations to avoid delays, technology applications such as automated biometric clearance to reduce queues, and more efficient airport and airspace management infrastructure.   

For passengers looking to reduce stress at the most stressful airports in the US, Mozio recommends pre-booking a transfer to avoid waiting for transport on arrival and to save on parking costs. Tackling the other stress factors, like flight delays caused by ATC staffing shortages, and long TSA lines caused by government budget shortfalls, will require policy change.

Featured Image: marchello74 | stock.adobe.com

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