Looking to travel far and away this holiday season? If you’re flying to, from and around the Islands, you have a better chance of being on time than in any other state.
That's according to a recent by Squaremouth, a travel insurance marketplace, which found that Hawai‘i is the best state in the nation for on-time flights.
The study, found here, analyzed flight delays and cancellations between July 2024 and June 2025 by airports, state and month, sourcing its data, which only covered major U.S. carriers, from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
In Hawai‘i, 12.7% of flights were delayed or canceled during that time period.
Utah is No. 2 on the list, at 15.6%. Rounding out the top five best states for on-time flights is Idaho, with 17.5% delayed or canceled flights; Oregon with 18.1%; and Montana and Arizona, both with 18.2%.
“Efficient airport operations and generally stable weather keep flights on schedule, even with high volumes of tourism traffic,” the study says about Hawai‘i’s ranking. “However, the average flight delay claim in Hawai‘i is $478, showing that when events do cause disruption, costs can quickly add up.”
That cost, however, doesn’t land Hawai‘i in the top 10 most expensive states for flight delays. That top honor goes to New Jersey, which has an average travel delay claim of $751. The national average is $512.
“The ranking of Hawai‘i as the best state for on-time flights is the result of our strong collaboration with our federal aviation partners, the airlines and numerous other stakeholders, as well as our outstanding airport team throughout the state,” state Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen said in a statement provided to Aloha State Daily. “Our kuleana to ensure Hawai‘i’s airports operate efficiently and safely is also reflected in our ongoing commitment to upgrade airport infrastructure, modernize facilities, and improve operational systems.”
Hawaiian and Alaska airlines — which now operate under a single operating certificate — operate hundreds of flights to, from and in the state. A Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson told ASD that the Honolulu airport is its busiest hub, “but we focus on running a reliable operation on every flight to, from and within the Islands.”
“We achieve punctuality by carefully developing our flight schedule; maximizing aircraft availability, including by running an effective maintenance program, executing efficient and quick turns (deplaning, cleaning, fueling, catering and boarding the same aircraft for departure), especially for our high-frequency Neighbor Island routes; communicating frequently with pilots, ATC [air traffic control] and our airport teams to minimize taxiing times and secure gates; and using modern flight planning tools to chart the most efficient routing,” they said.
During the Thanksgiving holiday, the first since achieving the single operating certificate in late October, there were nearly 7,100 flights by Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air, a regional air carrier and subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, between Nov. 26 and Nov. 30.
According to statistics provided by the airlines, 82.3% of flights arrived within 14 minutes of their scheduled time and 99.1% of scheduled flights were completed without cancellation.
Meanwhile, in the Squaremouth study, West Virginia (27.3%), New Jersey (26.4%), Virginia (23.8%), Kansas (23.8%) and Florida (23.7%) top the list of states with the highest percentage rates of delayed or canceled flights.
None of Hawai‘i’s airports are found of the list of the most delay-prone airports. The top five on that list includes Orlando Sanford International in Sanford, Florida, where 32.4% of flights were delayed or canceled; St. Pete-Clearwater International in Pinellas County, Florida, with 29.5%; Aspen Pitkin County Sardy Field in Aspen, Colorado, with 28.6%; Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, with 27.2%; and Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, with 26.5%.
The study also found that summer was the worst time to fly, while fall is the best.
AAA is expecting record-breaking travel volumes this holiday season, projecting that 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home between Dec. 20 and Jan. 1. That’s 2.2% more than the record 119.7 million travelers in 2024.
Of those, AAA projects that a record 8.03 million travelers will take domestic flights during the holidays, 2.3% more than last year.
In Hawai‘i, there were 727,212 visitor arrivals by air in October, according to preliminary statistics shared by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism late last month, the most recent numbers available.
State leaders also recently provided updates on recent tech enhancements at Hawai‘i’s airports ahead of the holidays.
Here are a few things you should know before takeoff:
The state’s digitized agriculture declaration form, Akamai Arrival, is now live on all domestic flights to the Islands. That means no more hard copies. In an announcement Monday, the DOT says the form can be filled out online in-flight or up to five days before traveling.
Meanwhile, large electronic display signs were installed earlier this year in terminal 1 of the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport , which provide anticipated wait times at security checkpoints. These checkpoint status displays will be added to terminal 2 when renovations to checkpoint 3 are completed, which is expected late next year, the DOT noted.
(And ICYMI: Any items you might have to surrender while going through airport security ends up at auction. Read more about that here).
DOT also offers free wayfinding apps for some of Hawai‘i's airports, with others coming soon. These apps aim to help travelers navigate terminals; check flight information; and find restaurants, shops, and other amenities and services.
You can currently get the HNL Airport app for the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu and the LIH Airport app for the Līhu‘e Airport on Kaua‘i free from Google Play and Apple Store, but the DOT says that the OGG Airport App for Kahului Airport is expected to available on Jan. 20, 2026, and the KOA Airport app for the Ellison Onizuka International Airport at Keāhole is set to launch on Feb. 2, 2026. An app for Hilo International Airport is in development and expected to be ready by March 30, 2026, the DOT notes.
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Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
