This Airport Was Just Ranked the Best in the U.S. for International Holiday Travel

"Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) may be delightfully tiny, but it punches far above its weight, especially when it comes to the year-end travel rush. A new analysis by Upgraded Points ranked the West Palm Beach airport No. 1 in the nation for international holiday travel thanks to exceptionally short customs wait times. The company told Travel + Leisure passengers had to wait an average of just 3.8 minutes, the shortest of all 41 major airports analyzed."

"What's more, nearly nine in 10 travelers (or 87.1 percent) were processed in just 15 minutes or less, according to the study. And none waited more than an hour. It is worth noting PBI only offers nonstop service to three international destinations: Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas and both Toronto and Montreal in Canada, according to the airport. For its analysis, Upgraded Points drew on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data from last year's peak holiday travel stretch from the week before Christmas"

"While the company said demand this year should be steadier than the frenzied "post-pandemic 'revenge travel' era," which airport travelers choose to fly into will still determine congestion and delays. "Even with air travel demand normalizing in 2025, airport choice is still the biggest swing factor for customs wait times," Alex Miller, the founder and CEO of Upgraded Points, said in a statement shared with T+L."

Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) recorded the shortest international customs wait times among 41 major U.S. airports, averaging 3.8 minutes during last year's peak holiday stretch. About 87.1% of international arrivals were processed within 15 minutes and none waited more than an hour. PBI offers nonstop international flights to Marsh Harbour, Toronto, and Montreal. U.S. Customs and Border Protection data from the week before Christmas through New Year's were used for the measurements. Arrival time and citizenship status affect waits: arrivals between 5 a.m. and 3 p.m. faced roughly 26% longer lines, and non-U.S. citizens waited about 97% longer. John Wayne (SNA) and Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) followed PBI in short wait times.

Read at Travel + Leisure