Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth Top List for Longest Recommended Connection Times
HOUSTON — Travelers connecting through some of the nation’s busiest airport hubs may need to plan for significantly longer layovers in 2026, according to a new study that ranked the most difficult U.S. airports for connections based on factors including terminal size, gate distance, passenger volume, and flight performance.
The analysis, conducted by Upgraded Points, found that George Bush Intercontinental Airport requires the longest layover buffer among major U.S. airports, with a recommended connection time of 2 hours and 17 minutes. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport followed closely at 2 hours and 16 minutes.
The study evaluated 25 of the country’s most connected airports using 14 operational and infrastructure-related factors that influence how quickly passengers can move between flights.
At the opposite end of the rankings, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was identified as the easiest airport for connections, requiring just 50 minutes for a recommended layover. Researchers said the airport’s compact footprint and straightforward layout offset weaker on-time performance.
Largest Airports Drive Longer Layover Needs
Houston, Dallas, and JFK Lead the Rankings
The report assigned each airport a difficulty score out of 50, with higher scores indicating more challenging connections and longer recommended layovers.
Houston’s IAH recorded the highest score at 36.13, narrowly ahead of Dallas-Fort Worth at 36.09. Researchers attributed the rankings largely to the airports’ physical scale. DFW spans 16,838 acres across five terminals, while IAH covers 9,769 acres and also operates five terminals.
John F. Kennedy International Airport ranked third, reflecting its role as a major international gateway with six terminals and 169 gates. The airport also posted one of the lowest on-time departure rates in the study at 69.68%.
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport followed closely behind and stood out for handling the highest passenger volume in the dataset at 93.6 million travelers annually. Atlanta also recorded the longest average walk between terminals at 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, Denver International Airport ranked high due to its massive footprint of 33,182 acres, making it the largest airport by land area in the study.
Why These Airports Require More Time
Researchers found that physical size consistently played a greater role in determining layover stress than flight punctuality alone. Large terminals, extended walking distances, and heavy passenger traffic all contributed to longer recommended buffers.
The findings suggest that even airports with relatively strong operational performance can still require lengthy connection windows if travelers must navigate sprawling terminal systems.
Smaller Airports Offer Faster Connections
Washington National and Midway Rank Best
The study found that airports with smaller footprints and fewer terminals generally offered easier and faster transfers.
Washington National led the group, helped by its compact 781-acre layout and 59 gates. Notably, the airport also recorded the lowest on-time departure rate in the study at 64.28%, underscoring how efficient terminal design can compensate for delays.
Chicago Midway International Airport, the smallest airport measured at 524 acres, ranked among the quickest for connections, alongside Dallas Love Field.
Researchers said simplified layouts and shorter walking distances reduced the amount of time travelers needed between flights.
Mid-Tier Airports Show Mixed Results
Several major airports fell in the middle of the rankings, balancing moderate size with manageable passenger flow.
Newark Liberty International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and Boston Logan International Airport each required approximately 1 hour and 39 minutes for connections.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport posted a recommended layover time of 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Another group of airports clustered around 1 hour and 29 minutes despite having very different operational profiles. San Francisco International Airport benefited from the shortest average walk between terminals in the study at six minutes, while Salt Lake City International Airport combined a large 7,523-acre footprint with relatively sparse amenities.
Washington Dulles International Airport also landed in this group despite operating the largest single-terminal footprint measured at 12,803 acres.
Study Highlights Impact of Airport Design
Scale Matters More Than Punctuality
The report concluded that airport design and scale have a greater impact on layover difficulty than departure performance alone.
Houston topped the rankings despite posting the highest on-time departure rate in the study at 85.20%, illustrating how terminal spread and internal transit times can outweigh schedule reliability.
By contrast, Washington National ranked easiest for travelers even with the weakest punctuality performance because passengers can move quickly between gates.
Other operational factors also shaped rankings. O’Hare International Airport recorded the highest gate count at 207 and one of the highest delay rates at 24.81%, while Los Angeles International Airport spread operations across nine terminals, the most of any airport measured.
Amenity density varied sharply as well. LaGuardia Airport packed 61.46 restaurants and bars per square mile into its compact 616-acre footprint, compared with Denver’s 1.87 per square mile across a far larger area.
What the Findings Mean for Travelers
The study highlights how terminal sprawl, passenger congestion, gate distance, and airport layout collectively shape the connection experience.
Researchers said the findings offer a practical takeaway for travelers booking connecting itineraries: larger hubs generally require significantly more time than smaller regional airports, even when flights are operating on schedule.
For passengers traveling through airports such as Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, or JFK, building in additional connection time may reduce the risk of missed flights. Meanwhile, travelers connecting through more compact airports like Washington National or Chicago Midway may be able to manage tighter layover windows with less difficulty.
