Salt Lake City Outranks John F. Kennedy, Washington Dulles, Daniel K. Inouye and More in New York, Honolulu, Las Vegas as Most Stressful Airports for Nervous Flyers as Bird Strikes, Accidents and Severe Weather Raise Concerns

Written By: Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar

Tuhin Sarkar is a Senior Journalist at Travel and Tour World with more than 10 years of experience in travel and tourism journalism. A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Jadavpur University, he combines strong research, industry knowledge and storytelling expertise to produce engaging, insightful and impactful travel news and fascinating feature stories.

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July 7, 2026 8:40 PM

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Salt Lake City now outranks John F. Kennedy, Washington Dulles, Daniel K. Inouye and more US airports in New York, Honolulu and Las Vegas as the most stressful airports for nervous flyers, raising fresh concerns over bird strikes, accidents and severe weather.

Salt Lake City has officially outranked John F. Kennedy, Washington Dulles, Daniel K. Inouye and more US airports in New York, Honolulu and Las Vegas as the most stressful airports for nervous flyers. The new ranking highlights how bird strikes, accidents and severe weather continue to raise concerns for travellers. Moreover, the study combines decades of aviation data to identify airports where operational challenges appear more frequent. However, the findings do not suggest that flying is unsafe. Instead, they explain why some airports may feel more intimidating for anxious passengers, while reinforcing that commercial aviation remains one of the world’s safest forms of transport.

Salt Lake City International Airport has been ranked as the most stressful major airport in the United States for anxious travellers in a new safety analysis, followed by New York’s John F. Kennedy International, Washington Dulles, Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International and Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International. The ranking combines accident records, damaging wildlife strikes, wind conditions and snowfall, although aviation experts continue to stress that commercial flying remains one of the safest forms of transport.

A New Study Highlights Airports That May Feel More Stressful for Nervous Travellers

For millions of Americans who experience anxiety before boarding a flight, choosing an airport can sometimes feel as important as choosing the airline itself. A new study by George Salinas Injury Lawyers has identified the busiest US airports that could appear the most intimidating for nervous passengers by analysing accident records, damaging bird strikes and challenging weather conditions collected over the past two decades.

The research examined data from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, measuring accidents per million flights, wildlife strikes that resulted in aircraft damage, peak wind gusts and average annual snowfall. Each airport received a risk score out of 100, with higher scores representing conditions that may contribute to a more stressful experience for passengers who already have a fear of flying.

Why Salt Lake City International Ranks First

Salt Lake City International Airport received the highest overall risk score of 100, placing it at the top of the ranking. According to the study, the airport has recorded around 20 aviation incidents over the past 20 years alongside more than 200 bird strikes that caused damage to aircraft, making it stand out among the nation’s busiest aviation hubs.

Seasonal weather also contributes to its ranking, with approximately 13 snowy days each year creating additional operational challenges during winter. Strong wind gusts reaching as high as 69 mph can further complicate take-offs and landings, although airline crews are trained to operate safely within strict regulatory limits.

JFK and Washington Dulles Also Feature Prominently

New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport ranked second after recording one of the country’s highest accident rates relative to flight volume. The airport also experienced around 200 damaging bird strikes during the study period, while wind gusts approaching 70 mph can occasionally disrupt operations and increase turbulence during arrivals and departures.

Washington Dulles International Airport secured third place largely because of frequent wildlife encounters around its airfield. More than 100 bird strikes resulted in aircraft damage over the study period, while 12 significant incidents and wind gusts reaching 68 mph added to its overall risk score.

Honolulu Records the Highest Incident Rate Per Flight

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu ranked fourth despite experiencing comparatively mild weather conditions. The airport recorded more than 22 incidents per million flights, making its incident rate roughly twice that of many other major US airports included in the research.

Unlike airports where severe weather or bird strikes dominate operational concerns, Honolulu’s unique location over the Pacific Ocean presents different operational considerations. Flights routinely operate over long stretches of open water, requiring specialised procedures that remain routine for airline crews but may feel unsettling for passengers already nervous about flying.

Las Vegas Completes the Top Five

Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas rounded out the top five, recording approximately 25 significant aviation incidents during the past two decades. Wildlife strikes also contributed to its ranking, with around six per cent causing aircraft damage, while desert wind gusts reaching 70 mph can occasionally create challenging landing conditions.

Although these figures may appear alarming at first glance, aviation professionals emphasise that incidents include a wide range of events and should not automatically be interpreted as serious accidents. Many reported occurrences involve precautionary inspections, technical irregularities or minor operational issues that are resolved without placing passengers at risk.

Understanding What the Numbers Actually Mean

One of the most important points highlighted by the study is the distinction between aviation incidents and crashes. Modern commercial aviation reports even relatively minor events to regulators, creating a comprehensive safety database that helps airlines, manufacturers and airports continuously improve operational standards.

Attorney George Salinas noted that passengers should not confuse reported incidents with catastrophic accidents. He explained that travellers remain statistically far more likely to be involved in a serious road accident while driving to the airport than while travelling aboard a commercial aircraft, reinforcing aviation’s long-established safety record.

Weather and Wildlife Continue to Challenge Airports

Bird strikes remain one of the aviation industry’s most persistent operational challenges because airports naturally attract wildlife through nearby open spaces and water sources. Most bird strikes result in little or no damage, but airports continue investing in wildlife management programmes, radar systems and habitat control to minimise risks.

Weather presents another unavoidable factor influencing airport operations throughout the United States. Strong crosswinds, snow, reduced visibility and seasonal storms frequently require airlines to delay flights or adjust operations, decisions that are designed to enhance safety rather than increase risk.

Flying Remains Exceptionally Safe Despite Operational Challenges

Although rankings like these may concern nervous passengers, they should be viewed within the broader context of modern aviation safety. Every commercial flight operates under rigorous maintenance requirements, highly trained flight crews, sophisticated air traffic management systems and strict regulatory oversight that collectively make commercial air travel one of the safest ways to travel.

For travellers who experience flight anxiety, experts generally recommend booking direct flights where possible, selecting seats that feel most comfortable and understanding that turbulence, weather-related delays and precautionary operational decisions are normal parts of commercial aviation. Better knowledge of how airlines manage risk can often help reduce anxiety and provide greater confidence before departure.

The ranking is driven by accident records, damaging bird strikes, powerful wind gusts and seasonal weather, including snowfall, collected over the past two decades. Salt Lake City emerged as the highest-scoring airport because it recorded a combination of frequent operational incidents, significant wildlife strikes and challenging weather conditions that affected its overall risk score. The study evaluates factors that may increase stress for nervous flyers rather than measuring airport safety. Aviation experts continue to emphasise that commercial aircraft operate under strict regulations, highly trained crews and rigorous safety procedures, making air travel exceptionally safe despite these operational challenges. This July 2026 research by George Salinas Injury Lawyers ranked the busiest US airports by how dangerous they are. Using FAA and NTSB records from the past 20 years, the study measured how often planes got into accidents and how many bird strikes were bad enough to damage the aircraft. The report also looked at how strong the wind gusts get and how many snowy days each airport deals with per year. Airports were then scored on a scale from 0 to 100, with higher numbers meaning a more stressful flying experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which airport ranked as the most stressful for nervous flyers?

Salt Lake City International Airport ranked first with the highest overall risk score of 100 in the study.

Which airports completed the top five?

The top five were Salt Lake City International, John F. Kennedy International, Washington Dulles International, Daniel K. Inouye International in Honolulu, and Harry Reid International in Las Vegas.

What factors were used to create the ranking?

The study assessed accident records, damaging bird strikes, peak wind gusts and average annual snowfall using FAA and NTSB data covering the past 20 years.

Does a higher ranking mean an airport is unsafe?

No. The ranking reflects operational factors that may feel more stressful for anxious passengers rather than indicating that an airport is unsafe. Commercial aviation remains one of the safest modes of transport.

What is the difference between an aviation incident and a crash?

An aviation incident includes a wide range of operational or technical events, many of which passengers may never notice. A crash is a far more serious event and is much rarer than routine incidents.

How can nervous travellers make flying less stressful?

Experts recommend choosing direct flights when possible, arriving at the airport early, understanding that turbulence is usually harmless, and remembering that commercial flying remains statistically much safer than travelling by road.