Why Crowded Airports Make Annoying Travel Habits Harder To Ignore, New Survey Reveals

As airports became busier, travel became less predictable and more expensive, and annoying airport habits tend to be more noticeable.

Busiest Airports And Routes In The United States

OAG's May 2026 airport data shows that Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport remained not only the U.S.'s, but also the world's busiest airport, with 5.56 million seats. Chicago O'Hare jumped to second place from fourth, with 5.07 million seats, a 15% increase from May 2025, while the next U.S. airport, Dallas-Fort Worth, ranked fourth, with 4.55 million seats. 

OAG's May 2026 flight route data also shows just how concentrated U.S. air traffic is around its major hubs, as five of the country's 10 busiest domestic routes include either Atlanta or Chicago O'Hare. 

New York LaGuardia to Chicago O'Hare became the busiest domestic route in the U.S. in May 2026, with 326,000 seats. Los Angeles to San Francisco ranked second, followed by New York JFK to Los Angeles. 

At the same time, air travel is becoming less predictable. Spirit Airlines recently ceased operations and received court approval on May 5 to begin liquidating assets after filing for bankruptcy in 2025, as reported by The Associated Press.

Travelers are also feeling broader price pressure. The U.S. Travel Association's March Travel Price Index rose 5.8% year over year, with energy and transportation costs driving much of the increase. Airline fares were up 14.9% from a year earlier.

That pressure is already affecting Americans' summer travel plans. According to a new U.S. News summer travel survey, 65% of respondents said they had already changed or canceled summer plans because of rising prices. Some are cutting their total budget, while others are taking fewer trips or choosing a different destination.

Together, those trends help explain why airport behavior feels more noticeable now. When flights are crowded, costs are higher and disruption feels more likely, airports reveal the kind of traveler people become when time, crowds and uncertainty collide.

Airports Are Where Travel Personalities Come Out

According to Opodo's latest poll of 9,000 travelers, while 59% of global respondents said they feel more comfortable arriving earlier than needed, 4% said they arrive just before takeoff because they would rather cut it close than waste time. 

Nearly half of respondents, 48%, said they stay seated until their boarding group is called. Opodo's press release on the study's findings called this group "the sitters," travelers who watch the line form but refuse to join too early.

Another 23% are "hoverers," standing near the queue and waiting for the right moment to merge.  

Then come the more divisive types. About 12% said they join the unofficial line early to secure a better spot, making them the "pre-queuers," while another 11% said they prefer to board last because they know their seat is waiting for them.

From Quirky To Annoyed

The survey also shows which behaviors make fellow passengers most annoyed. 48% of global respondents said people cutting in line at security or boarding irritate them most.

Blocking the seat with belongings while it was empty came next, at 45%, while leaving trash behind and making loud phone calls bothered almost as many respondents (42% and 40%, respectively).

What happens at baggage claim is less universally irritating. Only 19% of respondents objected to people standing too close to the carousel, while only 9% said rolling a carry-on that squeaks, tips over, or crashes into fellow travelers is more than bothersome. 

Arriving early or sitting quietly may bother no one. But cutting in line, claiming extra seats, blocking the baggage belt, or crowding the boarding lane can quickly turn one traveler's coping strategy into everyone else's problem.