Two Florida airports, Key West International and Miami International, rank among the most stressful in the US, based on analyses of delays, cancellations, passenger volume, and Google ratings.
Key West International Airport ranked 25th in the nation, driving an average departure delay of over 25 minutes and a cancellation rate of 3.5%, with a stress score of 3.41 out of 10. Despite the modest passenger volume, these performance issues are a significant stress point for island-bound travelers.
Miami International Airport, the busiest in the country, ranked 32nd with a 3.23 score. Cancellation rates and delay times are relatively low compared to smaller area airports, but slightly below Google averages will result in a heavier overall score.
These findings are part of a broader analysis by Mood.com, which examined 384 US airports using five equally important factors: passenger volume, departure delays, arrival delays, cancellation rates, and Google review ratings.
How other major Florida airports stack up
Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Jacksonville didn’t crack the most stressful list, but other studies highlight them as the state’s most traveler-friendly.
Orlando International Airport (MCO) has not appeared on the stress tierists despite being Florida’s busiest airport (which handles over 57 million passengers in 2024), but that’s not necessarily a good thing for the traveler experience. The independent “Best Airport for a Fun Experience” index ranks 6th in the nation for its outstanding amenity score. Tampa International Airport (TPA) has been widely praised for its traveler-centric design, with Tampa winning the “most stress-free” ranking in another study, valuing ease of navigation, retail options and lost distance rates. Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) received the highest customer satisfaction rating at Florida Airport in the JD Power Study, ranking second among all “large” airports nationwide for traveler satisfaction. Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International (FLL) and Orlando (MCO) will also appear in the “Mega” airport category. This is rated in the top 10 for Megahub’s overall satisfaction. Orlando came in 8th and Fort Lauderdale came in 9th. Miami missed the cut and landed in 11th place.
Stress-centric rankings
The flag areas of Key West (25th) and Miami (32nd) have heavy delays, cancellations, or ratings in the minds of many travelers.
Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale shine for traveler satisfaction and experience, including amenities, layout design and customer service.
If you’re planning on traveling around Florida, whether you’re heading to a bustling theme park via Orlando or navigating local gateways like Tampa or Key West, you’ll know how each airport rank can help you choose a stress-free route.
