Traveling is always stressful, but there is something about a well-managed airport that eases the tensions as flights take off.
Unfortunately, at least according to a new survey by StressFeeCarRental.com, our very own Chicago O'Hare International Airport doesn't fit that bill.
The outlet just released its 2024 Stressed Airports Index, crowning O'Hare as the nation's most nerve-wracking travel hub, followed by New York's JFK and Dallas/Forth Worth International in Texas.
To come up with its ranking, the site looked at five stress factors: passenger numbers, distance from the city centre, number of flight destinations, parking fees, and the airport's overall satisfaction score.
According to the metrics analyzed, O'Hare suffers from high parking fees and a relatively high number of flight destination options, factors that contributed to its ranking.
“With more than 33 million passengers, 249 airline destinations, and the second most expensive one-week parking fee at more than $283, it ranks nearly 10 spots higher than any other airport,” reads the report, which you can find in full here.
However, perhaps the installation of a beautiful new satellite arena will change things for the better in the coming years. Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Aviation just unveiled new renderings of the space, the first new building scheduled to be constructed as part of the Terminal District program, and it sure looks great.
Unfortunately, despite a newly released survey, O'Hare is the largest international airport stuck in Chicago — so you might as well browse our list of the best things to do and the best things to eat and drink there while passing through. It doesn't have to be all doom and gloom.
Below you can find a list of the 15 most stressful airports in America according to StressFreeCarRental.com:
1. Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois
2. New York JFK International Airport in New York
3. Dallas/Fort Worth International in Dallas, Texas
4. Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado
5. Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California
6. Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida
7. Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida
8. Newark International in New York
9. Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia
10. Las Vegas International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada
11. Seattle International Airport in Seattle, Washington
12. Charlotte Douglas International in Charlotte, North Carolina
13. George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas
14. San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California
15. Phoenix International in Phoenix, Arizona
