This article is about 8 months old

Is it worth taking an early-bird or red-eye flight from D.C.-area airports?

It’s not always comfortable taking a red-eye flight, especially if you are in economy and forced to sleep upright, but off-peak travel may be worth it, if it means an emptier airport and cheaper airfare.

However, you’ll want to keep in mind which airport you’re traveling out of.

A new ranking of the 50 best and worst U.S. airports for both early and late-night flights put Arlington’s Reagan National Airport (DCA) toward the bottom of the list for both. DCA is No. 34 for pre-8 a.m. flights and No. 32 for post-8 p.m. travel.

The UpgradedPoints.com list of best airports for off-peak travel factors in the percentage of off-peak flights available, the number and average of delays and the number of places that sell coffee or alcohol.

Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Airport fares better for early birds, coming in at No. 16. Dulles International Airport ranked at No. 27.

For late-night travelers, BWI falls to 27 and Dulles rises to 18.

Nationwide, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Ohio was No. 1 for early morning flights. Miami International Airport is in 50th place.

On the other side of the spectrum, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta was first on the list for late night travel and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport came in last.

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Shayna Estulin

Shayna Estulin joined WTOP in 2021 as an anchor/reporter covering breaking news in the D.C. region. She has loved radio since she was a child and is thrilled to now be part of Washington’s top radio news station.

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