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4 of the Worst 5 Airports In America are in Florida

Author Geno
File photo.

Four of the airports on this list totally deserve to be there. If you’ve ever flown through Miami or Orlando, you know what a hassle it can be. But Tampa has the best airport of any city I’ve lived in. So take this list seriously if you want to. I can’t.

Family Destinations Guide “vacation experts” say they ran the numbers and this is what they came up with. They say they took statistics from the Bureau of Transportation for 2022 and specifically looked at the number of delays. They found four of the worst five aiports in America are right here in Florida. The only non-Florida aiport in the top 5 was Newark Liberty International in New Jersey – which TOTALLY belongs at the top of this list.

According to their data, only 70.5% of the flights out of Tampa International Airport left on time in 2022. 3.63% were just plain canceled. I personally have never had either of those happen to me in the dozens of flights I’ve had from TPA. I will say I’ve been annoyed at how many times the gate crew isn’t ready when a flight arrives. It’s frustrating when after a long day of travel, you have to wait for the plane to get the ok to pull up to the arrival gate. It happens far too often at Tampa International. [Source: Family Destinations Guide]

Here’s their worst 10 airports list:
1. Orlando International Airport
2. Newark Liberty International Airport
3. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
4. Tampa International Airport
5. Miami International Airport
6. Harry Reid International Airport (Las Vegas)
7. Chicago Midway International Airport
8. JFK International Airport (New York)
9. Boston Logan International Airport
10. Baltimore/Washington International Airport

7 Great Airfare Deals from Tampa for 2023 Travel

This time of year, the airlines tend to drop their prices now that the busy holiday travel season is over. You can find some good deals right now for flights out of Tampa… especially if you pack light. The business model for airlines has changed over the years. They lure you in with those super low airfares and then upcharge things like snacks, WiFi or carry on baggage.

Here are some of the best ROUNDTRIP flight deals I found this morning (January 10, 2023) for one week getaways over the next several months.

  • San Francisco: $153

    Leave Tampa January 19 at 8:45 AM, connect in Las Vegas, arrive at 3:32pm
    Leave San Francisco January 25 at 6:20am, stop in Denver, arrive at 5:44pm
    Frontier is one of those no frills airlines. So you’re going to pay if you have a carry on. And hotel accommodations in San Francisco are NOT cheap. But you can’t beat $150 for a coast to coast flight. I lived about an hour away from San Francisco for about 5 years. You can really get the good stuff out of the way in a day or two in SF. The really great spots to visit are a short road trip away. Rent a car and head up to wine country, Lake Tahoe or head south to Monterey.

  • Seattle & Las Vegas: $149

    Leave Tampa January 26 at 2:15pm, connect in Denver, arrive at 9:29pm
    Leave Seattle February 1 at 11:35am, spend 9 hours in Las Vegas, arrive at 6:30am
    This could be fun. Two vacations in one. How good are you at sleeping on a plane? I’ve never been to Seattle but it’s on my list. On your way back, there’s a NINE hour layover. That would normally stink BUT your layover is in Vegas! Get out of the airport and go hit the tables, take some selfies on the Las Vegas strip and fill up at a buffet before you head back to the airport to get back to Tampa for an overnight flight.

  • Boston: $68

    Leave Tampa January 26 at 1:25pm and fly direct, arriving at 4:22pm
    Leave Boston February 1 at 5:15pm, you’re back in Tampa by 8:46pm
    This one is indeed a bargain. But again, there’s an extra charge for a carryon since this is Spirit Airlines. Many refuse to fly Spirit. I only have been on one of their flights and it wasn’t so bad. While in Boston, make sure you visit my second home – the North End. It’s the Italian section with some of the best smells anywhere as you walk up and down Hanover Street. Get the Chicken Parmesan at Giacomo’s and try to save room for cannoli after at Mike’s Pastry … or Modern Pastry if you really want the less flavorful, but more legit Italian desserts.

  • Chicago: $58

    Leave Tampa January 19 at 10:49pm, arrive at 12:31am
    Leave Chicago January 25 at 6:15am, arrive at 9:49am
    If you’re willing to fly at really inconvenient times, this price is a steal. But do keep in mind you’re rolling the dice when you fly to Chicago in January. Bitter cold and lake snow are a tough mix for us Floridians. There could be travel delays and waking up at 4AM to travel is no fun. But Chicago is worth it. Especially when you take that first bite into a deep dish sausage pizza at Lou Malnati’s. By the way – pro tip. You can get their pizza in the freezers at that little deli across from the old race track on Gandy!

  • Bogota: $233

    Leave Tampa February 13 at 7am, arrive at 2:16pm
    Leave Bogota February 22 at 3:10pm, arrive at 10:48pm
    Bet you didn’t thing Colombia would be on this list. South America was really never on my travel bucket list but a friend who moved there 5 years ago kept bugging me to visit. I went this summer and LOVED it. Not only will you save money on this flight, once you get to Colombia, your jaw drops at how cheap hotels, AirBnBs, restaurants and other things are. You can live like a king for next to nothing. There are rough spots for tourists to avoid, but I never felt unsafe. And be sure to take the gondola to the top of Monserrate. It’s an incredible but exhausting experience because of the elevation.

  • Denver: $78

    Leave Tampa January 19 at 8:10pm, arrive at 10:28pm
    Leave Denver January 25 at 12:13pm, arrive at 5:44pm
    Love nonstop flights like me? Again, like all these airfare deals, there’s an extra upcharge for a carry on bag, but here’s my pro tip. Go on Amazon and search for a “Frontier travel bag”. It’s the maximum size for a personal item… and you’d be surprised how much you can fit inside! They’re only about $10. And chances are you won’t be traveling with skis anyway if you’re a Floridian anyway.

  • New York: $118

     

    Leave Tampa at 7am, arrive at 9:40am
    Leave NYC at 7:35pm, arrive at 10:48pm
    Shocker: this Delta deal DOES include a carry-on bag. You’ll be the last to board, but these are both non-stop flights so that’s a win to me. You’ll fly in and out of LaGuardia. New York City is one of those where I highly recommend you use AirBnB. You can save a ton of money, but you also get a more true New York City experience. Generic Manhattan hotels are expensive and boring. You can find great apartments to rent for the same or less in Queens and Brooklyn.

Hear Geno on the air weekday afternoons. Geno's passions include fat guy food, concerts, sports, travel to Europe and South America. He loves 80s and 90s music, from MTV hairbands to old school freestyle, alternative rock to TRL era jams. Geno's radio career began in his hometown of Portland, Maine. Since then he's been on the air coast to coast from Boston to Las Vegas, Tampa to California.

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