On August 29, the FAA held 15 US airports under 21 delay programs according to data monitored throughout the day. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL) was the worst hit airport, experiencing ground stop programs triggered by thunderstorms.
Airports and Program Durations
Among the 15 airports affected were major hubs such as New York’s JFK and LaGuardia (LGA), Miami International (MIA), and Denver International (DEN). Delay programmes consisted of six ground stop programs, which hold departures bound for an airport on the ground at their origin, and five ground delay programs that meter arrivals by assigning later departure times. The remaining ten were general arrival/departure delay notices.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International endured a two-hour ground stop program due to thunderstorms between 13:00 and 15:00 UTC. Miami International also faced a two-hour ground stop at the same times plus a ground delay program from
15:20 to 17:00 UTC with peak average delays reaching 94 minutes and maximum up to 301 minutes. Orlando International had a nearly two-hour ground stop late in the day and a general delay program. San Antonio International, Denver International, and Tampa International each had shorter ground stops related to thunderstorms, lasting from 20 to 40 minutes.
At JFK, a ground delay program lasting three hours from midnight saw peak average delays of 121 minutes and maximum delays of 215 minutes. San Diego International had a five-hour 20-minute ground delay program tied to airport volume, with peak average delays of 61
minutes and a maximum delay of 377 minutes.
Other notable delay programs included LaGuardia with a general arrival/departure delay info lasting almost 22 hours driven by weather initiatives and maintenance, San Francisco International faced both ground delay and general delay info programs related to low ceilings and runway construction, and Harry Reid International experienced a general delay program linked to weather and traffic management initiatives.
| Airport | FAA programme | Cause | Peak average delay | In force (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International (FLL) | Ground Stop Programs | thunderstorms | – | 13:00 to 15:00 (2 hours) |
| Miami International (MIA) | Ground Stop Programs | thunderstorms; THUNDERSTORMS | – | 13:00 to 15:00 (2 hours) |
| Orlando International (MCO) | Ground Stop Programs | thunderstorms | – | 21:00 to 22:40 (1 hour 40 minutes) |
| San Antonio International (SAT) | Ground Stop Programs | thunderstorms | – | 01:40 to 02:20 (40 minutes) |
| Denver International (DEN) | Ground Stop Programs | thunderstorms | – | 21:20 to 22:00 (40 minutes) |
| Tampa International (TPA) | Ground Stop Programs | thunderstorms | – | 22:40 to 22:40 (20 minutes) |
| John F. Kennedy International (JFK) | Ground Delay Programs | other | 121 min | 00:00 to 03:00 (3 hours) |
| Miami International (MIA) | Ground Delay Programs | thunderstorms | 94 min | 15:20 to 17:00 (1 hour 40 minutes) |
| San Diego International (SAN) | Ground Delay Programs | airport volume | 61 min | 00:00 to 05:20 (5 hours 20 minutes) |
| San Francisco International (SFO) | Ground Delay Programs | low ceilings | 31 min | 13:20 to 15:00 (1 hour 40 minutes) |
| Denver International (DEN) | Ground Delay Programs | thunderstorms | 21 min | 00:00 to 01:00 (1 hour) |
| Miami International (MIA) | General Arrival/Departure Delay Info | TM Initiatives:MIT:WX; WX:Thunderstorms | 61 min | 00:00 to 22:20 (22 hours 20 minutes) |
| Orlando International (MCO) | General Arrival/Departure Delay Info | TM Initiatives:MIT:WX | 46 min | 20:40 to 22:40 (2 hours) |
| LaGuardia (LGA) | General Arrival/Departure Delay Info | TM Initiatives:SWAP:WX; RWY:Maintenance | 31 min | 00:00 to 21:40 (21 hours 40 minutes) |
Thunderstorms Were the Leading Cause of Delay Programs
Thunderstorms dominated the reasons behind delay programs, featuring as the cause in 36 instances. Related notations such as TM Initiatives:MIT:WX and WX:Thunderstorms accounted for 18 and 15 mentions respectively. Airport volume contributed to 17 programs,
while other causes grouped as ’other’ accounted for 10.
Thunderstorms caused all six ground stop programs, including the longest-lasting one at FLL. Weather-related traffic management initiatives also heavily influenced general arrival and departure delays at Miami, Las Vegas, and LaGuardia. Airport volume was the main reason for San Diego’s extended ground delay program.
Comparisons to Previous Days
This day’s 15 airports affected and 21 total programs represent a decline from 25 airports affected and 40 programs the day before. It also falls below the weekly average of 19.3 airports affected and 31 programs, showing a decrease in FAA delay activity. August 29 was not
the worst day in the recent tracking window based on the number of airports or total programs.
Methodology. travelandtournews.com samples the FAA’s National Airspace System status feed every 20 minutes throughout the US operating day and aggregates the result. This report is built from 69 samples taken between 00:00 and 22:40 UTC on 2026-08-29. Durations are the observed window between the first and last sample in which a programme was in force, so a programme’s true length may be slightly longer than shown. Ground stops, ground delay programmes, airport closures and general delays are all published by the FAA in
real time; the daily aggregation is ours.
