Best Airlines Report: Tips for summer travel after flight cancellations hit 3-year high

9 hours ago 1

For travelers, 2025 wasn't exactly smooth sailing at airports.

Across the country, flight cancellations climbed to the highest level in three years, as Mother Nature — and Congress — dealt airlines and passengers a one-two punch of travel woes.

So far, 2026 has offered a bit of a headache of its own.

Flight cancellations are up

According to TPG's Best Airlines Report, unveiled Wednesday, flight cancellations last year surged nearly 15% versus 2024, as reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

A big reason for the downturn was the government shutdown last fall — the longest one to date — during which airlines were required to cut flights at dozens of the nation's busiest hubs, amid a critical air traffic control staffing crunch.

But the numbers aren't looking great this year, either.

Elevated cancellation rate in 2026

Through March, U.S. airlines had canceled roughly 3.4% of all departures, according to DOT data reviewed by TPG.

If that pace of cancellations continued, 2026 would easily wind up being the worst year for shuttered flights since 2022, when travel roared back in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and airline meltdowns were pervasive.

Even some of the nation's most historically reliable airlines haven't been immune.

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Delta: Strong 2025, but tough start to 2026

Delta Air Lines on Wednesday finished first in TPG's Best Airlines rankings for the eighth straight year. It was thanks, in no small part, to its strong operational performance in 2025 — typically a hallmark for the Atlanta-based carrier.

But 2026 has been a different story.

A quarter of the way through this year, Delta's flight cancellation rate ranked an uncharacteristic sixth in the airline industry, per DOT data, which showed Delta has lagged historically weaker competitors — even perpetual last-place finisher Frontier Airlines.

Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported the airline was working to shore up its operations and staffing ahead of the summer rush.

Plenty of curveballs

The airline industry (and travelers by extension) have faced plenty of curveballs this year, though. This has included an uncertain geopolitical landscape and a handful of punishing winter storms in January, which hit top Delta and American Airlines hubs especially hard.

With summer now upon us, travelers can only hope to avoid the usual waves of pesky summer thunderstorms, which regularly threaten to snarl air traffic at major hubs this time of year.

With that in mind, here are some top things to know — and ways to prepare — as you head to the airport this summer.

Which US airlines are most reliable?

Based on 2025 data outlined in TPG's Best Airlines Report, three carriers clearly outpaced the rest of the industry on key metrics such as on-time performance, cancellations, baggage handling and involuntary bumps:

Allegiant Air won our report's all-important reliability category — an impressive feat even if it comes with the caveat that the budget airline operates a smaller, simpler route network than its larger competitors.
Delta, which, despite its more recent hurdles, generally ran a strong operation in 2025.
Southwest Airlines has made vast operational improvements in recent years, all but burying memories of its high-profile holiday meltdown in 2022.

Southwest now routinely ranks among the most operationally reliable airlines in America — a trend that has continued in 2026.

The carrier's 1.1% cancellation rate to date this year, as reported by FlightAware, trails only that of smaller foe Allegiant. (Southwest's flight delay rate year to date ranked among the middle of the proverbial pack.)

TPG's Best Airlines Report: Reliability category top finishers

MetricBest U.S. airline, based on 2025 DOT data

On-time performance	Delta
Cancellations	Allegiant
Mishandled baggage	Allegiant
Mishandled wheelchairs, scooters and mobility devices	Delta
Involuntary bumps	Delta, Allegiant (both had zero)

Tips for traveling this summer

Here's some of our top advice for flying this summer, regardless of the airline.

Fly in the morning if you can

Morning flights just tend to get delayed and canceled less often.

Flight disruptions often climb throughout the day as planes (and crews) zip between cities and thunderstorms fire up later in the afternoon or evening.

The overnight hours, on the other hand, give airlines valuable buffer time to reset their operations and crew staffing. More often than not, they're starting the day "fresh."

So, if you can stomach the 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. alarm, flying first thing in the morning can be a major itinerary-saver.

Have the airline's app handy, and know what it can do

Flight delays are made even worse if you have to stand in a long line or wait on hold for hours with the airline.

Keep in mind: You can usually rebook yourself — or make other reservation changes — right through your airline's mobile app when problems pop up.

Oftentimes, you'll see updates in your airline's app before the flight attendant or gate agent announces them, giving you a head start on grabbing open seats on a different flight.

Some airlines will now also send meal and hotel vouchers to stranded passengers through the app, eliminating the need to wait in any queue.

Brush up on your refund rights

If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed and you choose not to travel, the airline owes you a refund for the unused portion of your trip — no questions asked — under DOT policy.

This also applies to reservations that go through a significant time change.

Just keep in mind: If you accept rebooking or other accommodations, you're likely not eligible for a refund.

Read more: Airline refund rules

Carry on when possible, or use tech to track your bag

Carrying your bag on board the plane remains one of the simplest ways to keep close tabs on your bag.

That's especially true when problems arise; a last-minute pivot to a new flight is far simpler if you don't have to contend with checked baggage.

But with the Transportation Security Administration's 3-1-1 liquids rules still in place and long summer vacations on the horizon for many travelers, going carry-on-only isn't always realistic.

This is where bag tracking tools come in handy.

The largest U.S. carriers have had built-in bag tracking services on their mobile apps for years.

But a few carriers have now added integrations with Apple's AirTags, which can help travelers get a real-time look at where their luggage is.

United Airlines is one of those carriers. Despite turning in the U.S. airline industry's worst rate of mishandled baggage in 2025, the airline offers robust AirTag bag-tracking technology (and an overall stellar app).

Fuel-related cancellations? Watch your booking

While we're not seeing mass flight cancellations as a result of the global fuel crisis, airlines have been making schedule changes in recent months.

To be clear, we're not talking last-minute cancellations that you hear about on your way to the airport; domestically, in most cases, carriers are reducing their schedules and cutting flights on lower-demand days or during quieter times of the day. Think late-night departures, domestic red-eyes, and flights on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

My best advice: Simply opt into all notifications from your airline, and keep watch on any bookings you have farther into the summer — and, moreover, the fall. If your flight is affected by a cutback, there's a good chance the airline will immediately rebook you onto another flight.

Just remember, you don't have to accept the new departure time. You can opt for a refund instead.

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