Which airports have the most delays in winter?

Based on Bureau of Transportation Statistics data from December through February, these airports consistently have the worst winter performance:

1. Newark (EWR) — On-time rates drop to 65-70% in winter. EWR is the single worst major airport for winter delays, combining nor'easter exposure, constrained runway capacity, and dense NYC-area airspace.

2. Chicago O'Hare (ORD) — Lake-effect snow, extreme cold, and high traffic volume. Winter on-time rates around 68-72%. ORD's sheer size means cascading delays affect the entire national system.

3. JFK / LaGuardia — Same nor'easter exposure as EWR but with marginally better runway configurations. JFK drops to 70-73%, LGA to 69-72%.

4. Boston (BOS) — Heavy nor'easter corridor. Winter on-time around 72-74%.

5. Denver (DEN) — Surprisingly bad despite good infrastructure. High-altitude blizzards and ground deicing bottlenecks. 73-76% on-time in winter.

6. Minneapolis (MSP) — Extreme cold causes equipment issues and deicing delays. Drops to 74-77%.

The safest winter bets: PHX, LAS, SAN, TPA, MIA — Sun Belt airports that rarely see winter weather impact. If you're connecting in winter, routing through a southern hub instead of ORD or EWR can dramatically reduce your delay risk.