Winter Flight Disruption: Which US airports are the most likely to face delays?

Winter Flight Disruption: New research reveals the new phenomenon causing flight delays

• A new study has revealed the U.S. cities where drones are causing the highest number of flight disruptions, with Boston leading the ranking. 
• According to the data, 141 flights in Boston were disrupted due to drone sightings between January and September 2025. 
• New York is in second place, closely followed by Los Angeles. 

Over the past few days, the U.S. has been hit by a severe winter storm, causing travel disruption and flight delays across the country. 

On January 26th, recent data shows that more than 6,000 flights into, within or out of the U.S. were canceled, while more than 7,000 were delayed.

However, according to a new study, it’s not just weather conditions that are causing flight delays this winter.

In recent months, there has been a growing phenomenon of drones creating widespread disruption across U.S. airports. Reports have described near-misses between drones and passenger jets, sparking global concern over this growing phenomenon.

In light of this, new research has revealed the U.S. cities where your flight is most likely to be disrupted by drones.

The research team at the rugged computing solutions provider Getac analyzed data from the Federal Aviation Administration to determine which airports are facing the most disruptions due to drones.

The data found that there were 749 flight delays caused by drone activity in airports between January and September 2025. This shocking figure demonstrates how the rising risk of illegal drone activity across U.S. airports is becoming a prominent concern. 

According to the data, flights from Boston, Massachusetts, are the most likely to be disrupted by drones. Between January and September 2025, there were a staggering 141 drone sightings around Boston’s airports.

The number of drone sightings around Boston has been dubbed ‘concerning’ and even led to the arrest of two men in December of last year due to flying a drone dangerously close to Logan International Airport.

The data found that New York is the second-most likely city to face flight delays due to drone activity. Between January and September 2025, 76 drone sightings around the city’s airports led to flight delays.

The New York Stewart International Airport was even forced to close its runways for an hour last December due to a high number of illegal drones operating within the area. Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York, recently called for an active investigation to address the high number of illegal drone sightings across the city.

Los Angeles, California, has witnessed the third-highest number of flight disruptions due to drone activity. 48 flights were disrupted across Los Angeles due to the operation of illegal drones between January and September 2025. This high figure highlights California as a hotspot for illegal drone activity.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the fourth-most likely city to face flight delays due to drone sightings. Within the study’s eight-month timespan, 43 flights were delayed across the city due to illegal drone activity. Residents in Philadelphia who fly drones in restricted areas have faced prosecution, with the city prohibiting the use of drones in the proximity of Philadelphia airport without permission. Philadelphia also bans the use of drones at night without proper authorization and in proximity to the city’s landmark buildings. 

The top 10 cities with the highest number of flight delays caused by drone sightings: 

Phoenix, Arizona, has the fifth-highest number of flight delays due to drones. Between January and September 2025, 32 flights across the city faced delays due to illegal drone activity. Arizona’s legislation prohibits drones from interfering with police, firefighters, or manned aircraft.

Another Californian city takes the sixth spot in the ranking. According to the data, 28 flights in San Diego have been delayed due to drone activity. Back in August of this year, a drone hovering at just 75 feet near San Diego International Airport’s active runway resulted in a near miss with an incoming passenger plane. The incident prompted widespread concern over drone regulation in San Diego.

Denver, Colorado, has the seventh-highest number of flight disruptions due to drone activity. 27 flights across the city’s airports were disrupted due to drones between January and September 2025. Colorado enforces strict legislation surrounding drone ownership. For example, if you own a drone that weighs more than 0.55 lbs (250g) as a hobbyist, you are required to pay a $5 fee to officially register ownership of the device. Denver International Airport requires recreational drone users to stay below 400 feet and contact air traffic controllers within five miles of any airport.

Houston, Texas, is the eighth-most likely city to face flight delays due to drone sightings. Between January and September 2025, 26 flights across Houston were delayed due to nearby drone activity. The data also highlights that Texas has experienced one of the highest spikes in unauthorized drone sightings compared to 2024 data.

Las Vegas, Nevada, takes the ninth spot in the ranking. The study found that 24 flights across the city were disrupted due to nearby drone activity between January and September 2025. Nevada law prohibits the use of drones within a certain distance of critical facilities and airports without permission, but the data identifies the state as a growing hotspot for illegal drone activity.

Miami, Florida, rounds off the top 10 ranking. Within the study’s eight-month timeframe, 23 flights were disrupted across Miami due to drone activity. An incident back in 2024 highlighted the severity of illegal drone operations around Florida’s airports, in which a pilot reported a “close encounter” with a drone near Miami International Airport. The plane was flying at an altitude of 4,000 feet when it almost collided with a drone.

Other high-ranking cities include Orlando, Seattle, and Portland. 

Overall, Massachusetts is identified as the state with the highest number of flight delays caused by drone activity. All 141 of the drone sightings that caused flight disruptions across the state were recorded in Boston, demonstrating the need for greater legislation surrounding unauthorized drone activity within the city.

California recorded the second-highest number of flight disruptions caused by drones. Between January and September 2025, a total of 102 flights were delayed across the state due to nearby drone sightings. 

New York Cityexperienced the third-highest number of illegal drone sightings overall, with a total of 79 sightings across the state.

Texas follows behind in fourth place, with a total of 62 unauthorized drone sightings across the state’s airports.

In Florida, there were a total of 56 flight delays caused by illegal drones, which is the fifth-highest figure nationwide.

Other states with a high number of illegal drone reports include Pennsylvania, Arizona, and Colorado. 

The top 10 states with the highest number of flight delays caused by drone sightings: 

The spokesperson for Getac commented on the study:

“Ultimately, this data presents the rising threat that unauthorized drones are having on airports across the country. ‘Near misses’ are becoming increasingly common, and it’s safe to say that if an aircraft ended up colliding with a drone, the result would be catastrophic.

“This is why it’s so important for strict legislation surrounding the use of drones in airports to be implemented in every state. As seen by recent near misses, some drones can reach dangerous altitudes, posing devastating risks for nearby passenger planes.

“Thanks to the expansion of drone ownership across the country, some owners may be unaware of the strict legislation that prohibits the use of drones in the proximity of airports. This results in a drone accidentally causing disruption by creating hours of flight delays.

“However, in some cases, drones may operate within the proximity of airports due to military operations or for research purposes. It’s crucial for drone operators to obtain permission before flying near an airport in order to mitigate the risk of safety hazards.

“While there have been certain calls for drones to be ‘shot down’ while in airports, it’s important to flag that this is realistically a safety hazard. This is why there’s evidently a need for greater technology to be installed across airports to quickly identify the threat of illegal drones.

“Military technology can also be used when it comes to spotting drones. Instead of relying on public reports, it’s clear that certain airports need more sophisticated technology in place to detect the presence of an unauthorized drone. The U.S. Army is currently investigating the use of high-energy laser weapons to tackle the presence of illegal drones in restricted areas, which could prove to be an effective security measure further down the line.

“As AI systems continue to evolve, it’s becoming increasingly common for military operations to incorporate AI in data analysis, gathering intelligence, and system creation. Thanks to their durability, rugged tablets also overlap with the military’s increased use of AI, demonstrating how technology is becoming essential to recent military operations.

“Based on this ever-evolving technology, it’s possible for the U.S. military to create AI-based detection mechanisms to quickly identify illegal drones.

“Regardless of how this is achieved, this data demonstrates the immediate need for greater security and safety measures across U.S. airports to mitigate the rising risk of drone sightings.”

This information was provided by the research team at the rugged computing solutions provider, Getac.

[ENDS]

If you use any insights from this piece, please provide a linked credit to Getac.com, as they conducted the research for this story. 

Methodology: 

•  The research analyzed data from the Federal Aviation Administration to determine which U.S. cities are facing the highest number of flight delays due to the presence of illegal drones.
• The study collected data from January to September 2025.

Sources: 

• Federal Aviation Administration: https://www.faa.gov

The complete ranking (by city):