Business travel to the US isn’t all about procuring your VISA (or
ESTA--for people from visa waiver program countries, like Ireland).If you want a smooth trip you have to consider other little things that can happen on the way. Other things which, if ignored, can hamper your meeting up with your arrangements.The United States can be a frustrating place to travel. The earlier you realise that the better you will plan, and the easier your business trips will be.
One area of planning many business travellers neglect is their flight route. It’s possible that your business arrangements in the US require that you to move from one state to another, and it’s very likely you will be using domestic flights in the country to achieve your movements. The bad news is that flight delays in US airports are worsening. To help you with your planning in this crucial area here are five airports to watch out for, so that your flights don’t get delayed and thus ruin your business plans.
Midway, Chicago
If you ever find yourself in Chicago, avoid Midway International airport. It is notorious as US’s slowest airport. It is said that one in every three planes that leave the airport experiences a delay.
However, if you can’t help it and feel you must travel via Midway, then aim for flights leaving around noon when the airport sees fewer delays.
Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area
Of the three airports serving the Baltimore-Washington Area in the US, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport commands the highest traffic. In fact, about 71% of flights leaving Baltimore between 8pm and 11pm experience one sort of delay or another.
The best time to depart from the airport without much delay is between 10am and noon.
North-eastern Denver, ColoradoDenver International airport, with its tent-like roofs, is another airport in the US known for leaving behind schedule. About 33% of flights from the airport leave later than planned from 2pm upwards. Hence, it might do you some good to avoid the airport entirely. Otherwise, travel around 9am and hope for the best.
Illinois, Chicago
If you can stay away from Chicago completely during your business travel, by all means do so. It seems the State has a flair for flight delays and would only mess up your calendar.
O’Hare International Airport, like her sister, Midway International, is racked with flight delays. Although more than 80% of morning flights depart from the airport without any hiccups, the reverse is almost the case from 10pm—far more than half of late night flights leave behind schedule.
Las Vegas, Nevada
McCarran International Airport, the main airport in the Las Vegas Valley, is another departure option that can work against you. So if you plan on taking a quick detour to Las Vegas on your business trip, think twice and remove casinos from your mind.
A little over a third of flights departing from this airport are delayed in the afternoon and evening. So if something happens and you find yourself in Las Vegas, you should save yourself some headaches and board a morning flight.
Planning flights can save you a lot of stress. Get to know which airports are the best to fly into and out of, and leave plenty of time in your schedule if you are using some of the worst airports for delays.