Flight cancellations hit 4-year high as new data reveals California airports with the most delays

It’s been a tough year for air passengers.

Following a massive communications system outage that caused over 1,000 flights to be canceled earlier this month, new data shows just how bad things have gotten at US airports in 2026.

Cancellations by U.S.-based airlines are up 15% this summer compared with last year, reaching a four-year high, according to new data from FlightAware.

Overall, 2% of all flights of US carriers this year have been canceled, putting 2026 on track to have the worst year for flight cancellations since 2022.

And while California airports didn’t lead in cancellations, they did rank among the worst for delays.

San Diego International Airport (SAN) came in third among the top five US airports with the worst delays. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, 33.6% of flights at SAN failed to leave on time.

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) wasn’t far behind, ranking fourth, with 32.1% of flights experiencing delays.

The title of worst airport for flight delays goes to Nashville International Airport, where 35.3% of flights were delayed this summer.

But fear not, Californians. One Golden State airport made the list of the country’s most on-time airports.

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) took the top spot, with 82% of flights leaving on time.

Meanwhile, East Coast flyers had a much rougher time when it came to cancellations.

New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) led the country in canceled flights this summer, with 6.5% of flights canceled.

Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) followed with 5.8%, while John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) rounded out the top three at 4.2%.

The new data comes just days after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the Federal Aviation Admission announced the rollout of a new software designed to better anticipate potential flight delays and give airlines and air traffic controllers more information.

The tool will first be deployed in the Washington, DC area, according to Aero News Network.

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