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These airports experience the largest increase in holiday traffic

This study shows which airports experience the most holiday traffic

Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport Daniel L via Unsplash

The holidays are a popular time to visit friends and family or take a vacation, increasing airport traffic. With air travel continuing to break records—like June 28, when the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened 3 million people—it’s helpful to know the most crowded airports before planning a trip. 

Luxury Link analyzed data from the TSA to determine which airports experience the most considerable increase in holiday travel. Here are the results.

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What the Luxury Link study says

Luxury Link study results
Luxury Link analysis of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) data Luxury Link

Luxury Link analyzed data from the TSA’s FOIA Electronic Reading Room, and compared the change in airports’ holiday traffic compared to the rest of the year. The holiday season comprised Thanksgiving — the Friday before through the Monday after — and the winter holiday period — the Friday before Christmas week through January 2nd. The final results were based on 2022 and 2023 data to avoid confusion with pandemic downturns. 

The study found larger airports experience the most significant increase during the holidays, with a 7.2% boost. Medium hubs followed, rising 6.2%, with small hubs increasing 4.5%. Non-hub primary airports grew by 1.5%, while non-hub, non-primary airports decreased by 6.8%.

Additionally, holiday airport traffic varied by state, with some increasing significantly and others experiencing downturns. Balmy destinations like Florida and Arizona led the way at +12.7% and +10.9%. On the other hand, cold-weather states Maine and Alaska trended lower at -26.0% and -17.0%. 

So, which airports experience the most substantial increase in holiday traffic? The table below shows the data for large hubs. For the full results, simply visit the Luxury Link website.

Rank Airport Location Increase in holiday traffic
1 Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport (FLL) Fort Lauderdale, FL +16.3%
2 Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) Honolulu, HI +12.7%
3 Tampa International Airport (TPA) Tampa, FL +12.2%
4 San Francisco International Airport (SFO) San Francisco, CA +11.9%
5 Orlando International Airport (MCO) Orlando, FL +11.4%
6 John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) New York, NY +10.8%
7 Miami International Airport (MIA) Miami, FL +10.7%
8 Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) Newark, NJ +10.7%
9 Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) Dulles, VA +9.2%
10 Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Los Angeles, CA +9.0%
Mark Reif
Mark Reif is a writer from Stowe, Vermont. During the winter, he works as a snowboard coach and rides more than 100 days. The…
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