Study: The Best U.S. Airports for Early-Morning and Late-Night Flights

Published by FareCompare on September 2, 2024

No matter if you're an early rise or a late owl, there's a U.S. airport that best works with your style. Depending on your preferences, you might like to fly out first thing in the morning, or save your travel until well after the work day is done. Thanks to a new study released by Upgraded Points, travelers can study the data and decide the best option for them depending on the time of planned departure.

The company, which specializes in credit cards and travel rewards, ranked 50 U.S. airports by scheduled departure times. Other factors like flight delay percentages, coffee shops, and bars that serve alcohol were also factored as part of the methodology.

Read on to see which airports came out on top – and which could use some improvement – when it comes to early-morning and late-night flights.

The Best Airports for Early-Morning Flights

1. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) — Scored 39.9 out of 50
   • Percent of Flights Departing Before 8 am.: 38.5%
   • Percent of Early Flights Delayed: 13.9%
2. Kansas City International Airport (MCI)— 38.5/50
   • Percent of Flights Departing Before 8 a.m.: 39%
   • Places that Sell Coffee: 1 per 1 million passengers (*third most in the study!)
3. Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) — 36.6/50
   • Percent of Early Flights Delayed: 12.4%
   • Places that Sell Coffee: 0.79 per 1 million passengers

Early flights at three U.S. airports actually take off earlier than they’re scheduled to. Flights before 8 am at Kahului Airport (OGG), William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), and Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) all take off up to two minutes early, on average.

The Worst Airports for Early-Morning Flights

1. Miami International Airport (MIA) — Scored 9.2 out of 50
   • Percent of Early Flights Delayed: 31.6% (*highest in the study)
   • Average Delay of Early Flights: 7 minutes
2. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)— 15.6/50
   • Percent of Flights Departing Before 8 am: 9.4%
   • Places that Sell Coffee: 0.33 per 1 million passengers
3. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL)— 16.4/50
   • Percent of Flights Departing Before 8 am: 4.7% (*lowest in the study!)
   • Average Delay of Early Flights: 6 minutes

Conversely, early flights at four major U.S. airports are delayed, on average, longer than 10 minutes. Flights before 8 am at Nashville International Airport (BNA), Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) all experience an average delay between ten and 16 minutes.

The Best Airports for Late-Night Flights

1. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) — Scored 36.5 out of 50
   • Percent of Flights Departing After 8 pm: 21.7%
   • Average Delay of Late Flights: 8 minutes
2. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)— 36.1/50
   • Percent of Flights Departing After 8 pm: 22%
   • Places that Sell Alcohol: 0.79 per 1 million passengers
3. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)— 33.7/50
   • Percent of Flights Departing After 8 pm: 19.6%
   • Average Delay of Late Flights: 9 minutes

Late flights at 3 airports experience an average delay of less than 5 minutes: Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Kahului Airport (OGG).

Ready for some more interesting data? Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is notable because, although only 0.3% of the flights analyzed took off after 8 pm, not a single one was delayed. On average, late flights out of IND take off about five minutes before scheduled. Kansas City International Airport (MCI) didn’t have a single flight that took off after 8 pm based on the 1,200 flights analyzed.

The Worst Airports for Late-Night Flights

1. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) — Scored 3.1 out of 50
   • Percent of Flights Departing After 8 pm: 1%
   • Percent of Late Flights Delayed: 77.8%
2. San Antonio International Airport (SAT)— 14.6/50
   • Percent of Flights Departing After 8 pm: 1.4%
   • Average Delay of Late Flights: 31 minutes
3. Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)— 16/50
   • Percent of Flights Departing After 8 pm: 1.1%
   • Percent of Late Flights Delayed: 50%

Late flights at three airports experience an average delay of longer than 30 minutes:

1. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport: 45 minutes
2. Miami International Airport: 34 minutes
3. San Antonio International Airport: 31 minutes

How the Study Was Carried Out

To determine the best and worst airports for early-morning and late-night flights, Upgraded Points analyzed 50 of the busiest U.S. airports and ranked them from 1 to 50 based on factors that would be important for early birds and night owls.

The company collected data on each airport, considering flight factors like the percentage of flights departing before 8 am and after 8 pm, the percentage of flights in those time frames that get delayed, the average departure delay in minutes for both timeframes, and the number of places in each airport that sell coffee and alcohol.