Two South Florida Airports Named Among Nation’s Most Stressful

Only one metropolitan area has more stressful airports than South Florida, according to a new ranking from travel technology company Mozio.

The Miami area is well represented for the dubious honor of most stressful airports, with only the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area having more airports (three) in the top 11. Travel booking company Mozio compared airports on factors like flights departing within scheduled time, daily parking rate, and drive time from city center to determine the nation’s most stressful. The study used factors like daily parking rates, driving time from the city’s center, and the number of flights departing within 15 minutes of schedule.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport tied with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for sixth, while Miami International Airport tied with George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston) and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport for ninth.

Most Stressful Airports in U.S.
1. Chicago O’Hare International Airport
2. LaGuardia Airport
3. John F. Kennedy International Airport
3. Newark Liberty International Airport
5. Denver International Airport
6. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
6. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
8. Los Angeles International Airport
9. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
9. George Bush Intercontinental Airport
9. Miami International Airport

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

The study found more than 75 percent of flights in Fort Lauderdale departed within 15 minutes of its scheduled time; while about 74 percent of Miami flights departed with 15 minutes. Los Angeles (81 percent) had the best record for getting flights off close to the scheduled time, while Dallas (69 percent) had the worst.

Two stats (daily parking rate and driving time from city center) saved Fort Lauderdale and Miami from ranking higher on the stress list. The parking rates (Fort Lauderdale $36 and Miami $25) were far from the most expensive at LaGuardia ($80).

There are more than 300 flights departing Fort Lauderdale on any given day, with more than 32 million passengers recorded last year, according to Broward County data. Miami International Airport (MIA), on the other hand, processed more than 55 million passengers in 2025, according to the airport’s website. It’s one of the busiest airports in the nation, with more than 500 flights departing a day.