Newark International Airport is a good place to fly into or out after a hectic week with many travel delays. To help you make an informed travel decision, here’s what you need to know.
When you fly through Newark International Airport Prepare yourself for possible delays and rescheduled flight (EWR).
The New Jersey airport, which serves the broader New York City area, has been plagued by hundreds of flight delays and cancellations for the last week—and the woes continue. The Federal Aviation Administration has lost more than 20 percent its controllers. This has led to flight delays and cancellations as EWR cannot handle the usual volume of flights. These problems persist, and air traffic control issues and thunderstorms at the weekend contributed to the chaos.
The construction of the runways at EWR has resulted in the airport operating only with one functional runway. This further adds to the delays and cancelled flight.
Newark International Airport was ranked 14th in the United States by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics of the Department of Transportation in 2024.
United Airlines, which has a hub at Newark, announced on May 2 that it would cancel 35 daily round-trip flights—representing about 10 percent of the flights operated by United out of EWR—due to the delays in order to protect their customers.
Scott Kirby, United CEO, wrote in an open letter posted on the United site: “It’s disappointing that we have to cut further flights from a schedule already reduced, but there’s no way of resolving the FAA staffing issue in the near term. We feel there is nothing else to do to protect our clients.” “United has been urging the US government for *years* to use its authority to effectively limit the number of flights to what the airport can realistically handle. United, as well as our customers, now face the consequences of failing to make changes in the past.
Check for travel alerts from both the airport website as well as your airline if you are planning to travel through or out of EWR. As the situation continues, it is important that passengers prepare for possible delays and cancellations.
As a federal employee in charge of air safety, travelers should consider rerouting their flights to nearby airports. told MSNBC correspondent Tom Costello Safety is an issue. “It’s not safe.” They said that it was not a good time to be flying. Costello said: “Really a incredible statement, uninvited. He just said that to me, and separately: ‘Don’t fly into Newark. Avoid Newark as much as possible.
Travel + LeisureAt the time of publication, the FAA had not responded to’s question.
Sara Nelson (international president of the Association of Flight Attendants – CWA) said that the union of air traffic controllers, NATCA, has been warning about the need for infrastructure to be modernized and rebuilt since decades. statement obtained by T+L. “We urge all Newark-based carriers to reduce flights in an equal proportion to ensure aviation safety and to protect our jobs. Together, we can find a solution faster and ensure everyone’s safety.