Nicole Valdes reports: An Arctic blast forced widespread slowdowns at U.S. airports Sunday, snarling travel as millions try to reach holiday destinations. Flights out of New York’s LaGuardia and Newark, and busy hubs in Los Angeles, experienced long lines and multi-hour delays as disruptions spread coast to coast.
Airlines logged more than 6,000 delayed flights and canceled hundreds of others as passengers faced uncertainty ahead of the Christmas and New Year travel rush. At Los Angeles airports, travelers still dealing with the early holiday surge reported lengthy waits at security and gate areas.
One traveler said, “We always try to book their flights because then we know they’re most likely going out on time.” Jason, traveling with his 13-year-old son, said they hoped to get home to Chicago — “which is 0 degrees. We’re really not looking forward to that.” Another traveler summed up the mood: “I think this year, it’s been a lot more stressful.”
Daniella Perez, flying to Reno as the first of several trips this week, described widespread anxiety about traveling after recent shutdowns and delays. “I think people are having that anxiety to want to travel, just because everything that happened with the shutdowns and the delays. And there’s just been a lot of issues with travel,” she said.
Despite the headaches, AAA projects a record-breaking 122 million Americans will travel for the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period. Ticket prices are higher: the average round-trip airfare is about $900, roughly a 7% increase from last year. Drivers may see a small break, with the national average for regular gas under $3 per gallon; prices are lowest in Oklahoma and highest in Hawaii and California.
Where you fly from could affect your chances of on-time travel. Data from the U.S. Department of Transportation highlights airports and cities such as Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles among the most reliable this holiday season.