Flight cancellations in the US drop to lowest rate in a decade last year

By Jordan Valinsky, CNN

New York (CNN) — Flying in the United States was a vastly improved experience last year, as the cancellation rate fell to its lowest level in at least 10 years.

The Department of Transportation released statistics for 2023 that show among the 16.3 million flights in the United States, there was a total cancellation rate below 1.2%, marking “the lowest rate in a decade,” the agency said.

The same figure for 2022 was 2.3%, the second-highest amount of cancellations in the past 10 years, according to DOT’s numbers. 2014 had the highest cancellation rate in the past decade, at 2.4%.

Holiday air travel over the past few weeks was also “notably smooth” with just a cancellation rate of 0.8% between December 17, 2023 and January 1, 2024, DOT said, adding that it saw a “record number” of passengers.

That’s a steep drop from the cancellation rate over a similar time period in 2022, when it was 8.2% because of a massive winter storm that snarled flyers’ plans.

“Thanks to the tireless work of our nation’s aviation safety professionals, millions of travelers were able to fly safely and without disruption last year,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a press release.

Over the past year, airlines have bolstered hiring. Employment in the sector is now at its highest level in more than two decades as travel bounces back following the Covid-19 pandemic and global lockdowns.

In May 2023, the Biden administration also announced a proposal for a new rule that would require mandating airlines to compensate and cover expenses for customers facing cancellations or delays.

Despite the rosy figures, problems still plague US aviation, including an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers and aging technology used by airlines.

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