Which US Airports Are The Most At Risk For Collisions And Safety Issues?
In March 2026, the United States Federal Aviation Administration flagged over 150 different airports as hot spots. When it comes to travel, a hot spot is usually a positive designation. It often refers to a place that is becoming quite popular among tourists — somewhere that offers unique things to do, natural beauty, great food, or some other exceptional experience. In aviation, however, a hot spot is nothing to be excited about, and the fact that there are so many of them isn't a good sign for travelers.
The Federal Aviation Administration describes a hot spot as a location at an airport where airplanes are moving that have, "a history or potential risk of collision or runway incursion." (Runway incursion refers to aircraft, vehicles, or people on runways without proper clearance.) That means that these places identified by the FAA have a greater risk of safety problems. The FAA identifies these hot spots so that pilots and people who drive vehicles on the tarmac know to use increased caution.
During the spring of 2026, the updated list of hot spots produced by the FAA (via Newsweek) included some of the busiest airports in the United States, many of which are located in popular American tourist destinations. The airports that are the most at risk for collisions and safety issues include busy hubs like Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
Collisions and near misses are more common than most travelers know
The FAA identifies hot spots in order to help decrease the risk of collisions and safety issues that can put passengers, crew members, and other airport personnel at risk. "It is easier for users to safely navigate on the airport surface if they are aware of the hot spots. Proper planning helps avoid confusion by eliminating last-minute questions and building familiarity with known problem areas," the FAA website states. Still, dangerous situations do occur, and they happen more often than most travelers know.
After the Federal Aviation Administration released the updated list of hot spots, a deadly incident occurred at LaGuardia International Airport in New York City. On March 22, 2026, an Air Canada flight with more than 70 passengers on board crashed into a fire truck on the runway. Both pilots were killed in the incident and several other people were injured. A flight attendant was ejected from the plane while still strapped into her jump seat, and miraculously managed to survive. The tragic emergency was just one of many dangerous situations that have occurred over the past decade. There have already been more issues this year. On July 27, 2026, there was a near miss between two passenger aircrafts at Atlanta International Airport.
In total there have been tens of thousands of incursion events since 2001 at airports in the United States. Some of them were merely close calls. Others resulted in severe bodily harm and even death. Some of the most dangerous spots are located at busy airports that see hundreds of thousands of travelers each day.
Some of the busiest airports around the United States are the most at risk for safety issues
Among the FAA's list of hot spots around the United States were some of the country's most popular airports. They're located in some of the most iconic cities that attract tourists from all over the world. Airports in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Chicago, and Atlanta all made the list.
In June 2026, Newsweek conducted an analysis of the Federal Aviation Administration's runway incursion data. Several major airports were identified as being high risk based on their total number of incidents in recent years. Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport were at the top of the list. Each of the aforementioned airports also made the list of the top 20 busiest airports in the United States, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world's busiest airport. So it's important to remember that these airports report more incidents simply because they handle more aircraft movements than smaller airports.
Another major airport that was included in the FAA's list of hot spots is San Francisco International Airport (SFO), which was recently named the most beautiful airport in the world. SFO had four different spots that were considered challenging and where pilots may have trouble navigating the runways safely. Chicago Midway International (MDW), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City, and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in New Jersey were also listed as hot spots by the FAA.