what air port is bigger mess?

Question

i am going to orlando and there are not any nonstop flights my options are stopping in either chicago or D.C durning the end of feb both transfers are around one hr so my question is if there is crazy weather going on what air port do i have the best shot at getting on the next flight with out crazy delays chicago is bigger than dc so i would assume dc the delays would be less chicago has crazy snow and dc has ice what is worst lol cant be late going on a cruise planing for no more than 2 hrs in delays

Answer 1

I'd recommend you fly in a day earlier than you plan or at least take the earliest flight to Orlando that you possibly can. All of the airports in the DC area and the Chicago area have the same weather issues, plus they're prone to getting backed up when bad weather is going on somewhere else even if the weather in those cities is fine. If you get a huge ice storm in Boston, for example, both Chicago and DC are going to have delays and cancellations because the planes are stuck in Boston and can't get to where you are waiting.

Most of the time you'd be just fine but if you're trying to make a cruise AND trying to go in February, no airline or route or airport is going to be a safe bet. You can't predict the weather and all it takes is one massive storm *somewhere* to put even the direct flights on hold.

Go a day early; you'll spend a little money on a hotel room but at least you won't have to worry about missing the cruise all together.

Answer 2

DC (I assume you mean Reagan National) is far less crazy and although they do have ice once in a while it happens far less frequetly than chicago (I assume O'hare) has snow or ice or other delays. I am not sure how you ended up with a choice between DC and Chicago. I live in the DC area and generally there are more flights out of the other DC area airports, BWI and Dulles, than out of National.

Answer 3

I used to live in DC, but now live in Chicago. Honestly, if weather is your big concern, you'll have fewer days of problem winter travel using DC than Chicago. (Frankly, I think you'll get more transfer choices out of (IAD) Dulles than (DCA) Reagan National, although the latter is a smaller airport.) However, the DC airports have poorer recovery from storms than O'Hare because Chicago has so-o-o much winter experience!

If, however, making your cruise is your biggest priority, you should definitely fly in a day earlier and pay for a hotel night. I've done 2 cruises, one with that extra day, and one without, and I'll never cut it close, again. Cutting it close at all is a terrible way to start your cruise vacation! Go earlier to be safe.

Happy Trails!

Answer 4

I think you will have less delays in DC airport because of its size and the air traffic. Chicago has the busiest airport in the world, and being snow time it can have plenty of delays. You will have better probability of fewer delays in DC.

Answer 5

O'Hare is crazy this time of the year. I would advice D.C.