Revealed: Most popular and disrupted flight routes for Christmas week

Christmas week is right around the corner, and as travelers head to the airport to visit family and friends or go on vacation, data from AirHelp, an air passenger rights company, about the most popular and disrupted flight routes from 2017, and the worst day to fly based on crowds may help inform travelers about what to expect this year.

All of the below data is from the Thursday before Christmas (December 21, 2017) through January 2, 2018.

Number of Disrupted Flights During Christmas Week:

83,000

Number of Passengers Who Experienced Flight Disruptions During Christmas Week:

7.9 million

Worst Day to Fly:

December 22 (Friday before Christmas)

Most Popular Routes During Christmas Week:

1. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
2. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
3. New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
4. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
5. New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
6. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
7. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS)
8. Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
9. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Portland International Airport (PDX)
10. Portland International Airport (PDX) to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

Most Disrupted Routes During Christmas Week:

1. New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Toronto Lester B Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
2. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to Toronto Lester B Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
3. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Toronto Bishop Billy City Airport (YTZ)
4. Boston Edward L Logan International Airport (BOS) to Orlando International Airport (MCO)
5. Boston Edward L Logan International Airport (BOS) to Toronto Lester B Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
6. Portland International Airport (PDX) to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
7. Indianapolis International Airport (IND) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
8. Kahului Airport (OGG) to Honolulu International Airport (HNL)
9. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Toronto Lester B Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
10. New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)

Total Money Owed for Flight Disruptions During Christmas Week Under European Law EC 261:

$6.3 million

EC 261 is a European law protects all passengers, including U.S. travelers, on flights on European airlines flying to the EU, and any flight departing from an EU airport. According to this law, airlines must provide passengers affected by lengthy delays of more than three hours, flight cancellations, or boarding denials due to overbookings with compensation of up to $700, in addition to meals and drinks for all delays of more than two hours. Also,  if necessary, due to a flight delay or cancellation, airlines are obligated to provide passengers with a hotel room and the transportation there.