Giants and Jets fans know MetLife Stadium can be a logistical nightmare on a normal Sunday afternoon.
Now imagine that same stadium hosting the FIFA World Cup Final — the single most-watched sporting event on the planet — with hundreds of thousands of international fans descending on the New York-New Jersey metro area all at once.
A newly released global study from air travel specialist AirAdvisor has identified the airports fans will be flowing through as some of the riskiest in the world for flight delays and missed connections this summer — and the news for the New York area isn’t great.
JFK ranked third-riskiest airport in the world
The AirAdvisor Summer Connection Risk Index analyzed flight volume, historical on-time reliability, cancellation rates, and average delay times at 20 major global hubs to score each airport on a scale of 5 to 10 — with lower scores meaning higher risk.
Here’s where the key New York-area gateways landed:
JFK
John F. Kennedy Intl., New York
6.4 – High risk
EWR
Newark Liberty Intl., New Jersey
6.8 – High risk
DFW
Dallas/Fort Worth Intl. — worst in US
6.15 – Highest risk
ATL
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Intl.
7.15 – Moderate risk
JFK ranks as the world’s third-riskiest connection hub — and it’s the primary gateway for fans arriving from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East for the Final.
That makes the numbers particularly alarming for anyone with a layover or connecting flight on their World Cup travel itinerary.
“The airports at the bottom of this index were already experiencing structural conditions linked to cascading delays — and this summer’s World Cup traffic will arrive on top of that baseline.”
— Anton Radchenko, CEO, AirAdvisor
JFK vs. Newark: which airport should you use?
For fans traveling to MetLife Stadium, the choice between JFK and EWR is a genuine dilemma.
Newark Liberty is significantly closer to the stadium in East Rutherford — about 12 miles compared to JFK’s 35 miles — and NJ Transit runs direct service from Newark Penn Station to Meadowlands Station, right next to the venue.
But here’s the catch: JFK carries a far larger international network.
For fans flying direct from Europe, South America, or Africa, JFK will almost certainly offer more routing options, more direct flights, and more flexibility if delays force rebooking.
EWR, while geographically convenient, has a narrower long-haul network that could leave international travelers with fewer fallback options if something goes wrong.
For domestic travelers or those already in the tri-state area? Newark is likely the smarter call.
For international arrivals? JFK’s network depth may outweigh the extra travel time to the stadium — especially given that NJ Transit, PATH, and car services from JFK to East Rutherford are all well-established on game days.
MetLife’s World Cup schedule — mark these dates
New York / New Jersey — MetLife Stadium fixtures
Jun 13 – Group stage match – Group stage
Jun 16 – France vs. Senegal – Group stage
Jun 22 – Norway vs. Senegal – Group stage
Jun 25 – Ecuador vs. Germany – Group stage
Jun 27 – Panama vs. England – Group stage
Jun 30 – Round of 32 Knockout
Jul 5 – Round of 16 Knockout
Jul 19★ – The World Cup Final — 3:00 PM ETFinal
That’s eight matches at MetLife — more than almost any other venue in the tournament.
Each one will bring a new wave of international fans routing through JFK and EWR.
The congestion on Final day, July 19, will be unlike anything the region’s aviation network has ever seen.
The DFW connection trap
NY-area fans flying to other World Cup cities — or connecting home through Dallas — face a compounding problem.
Dallas/Fort Worth finished dead last in the AirAdvisor index with a score of just 6.15, and the data shows roughly one in six flights experiences significant delays on a normal day.
Dallas is also hosting more World Cup fixtures than any other US venue, meaning DFW will be at maximum stress for the entire duration of the tournament.
If you’re booking a connecting itinerary that routes through DFW at any point this summer, you should treat a delay as a near-certainty, not a possibility.
Five tips for NY/NJ fans traveling to the World Cup
- Build in at least 90 minutes of buffer on any connection — experts specifically recommend this for all high-risk US airports this summer, including JFK and Newark.
- For MetLife matchdays, NJ Transit from Penn Station Manhattan is your best option. Parking is extremely limited and road closures typically cause 60–90 minute delays on game days.
- Book flexible or changeable fares where possible. The cost difference is worth the peace of mind given the disruption risk at both area airports.
- If you’re flying internationally and JFK is your arrival point, consider building in an overnight buffer before your first match — especially for the Final on July 19.
- Avoid routing through Dallas at any stage of your World Cup travel. If DFW is unavoidable, never book a connection with less than two hours of buffer time.
Flight delay risk data sourced from the AirAdvisor 2026 Summer Connection Risk Index. Stadium schedule sourced from FIFA and MetLife Stadium official fixtures listings.
