Disruption Fallout: Traffic Drops at Newark Airport

‍DALLAS — Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is experiencing a sharp decline in passenger traffic and demand after air traffic control disruptions raised concerns among travelers. 

According to data from Kayak, a subsidiary of Booking Holdings, arrivals at Newark have dropped 19% since April 28, while departures are down 15%.

On April 28, a radar and communications blackout between 30 and 90 seconds led to dozens of flight diversions and cancellations. Though brief, the incident had lasting consequences. If we go by the numbers, many travelers now avoid Newark altogether.

Beyond the outages, EWR is also grappling with infrastructure challenges. Ongoing repairs to the airport’s main runway—scheduled to be completed by June 15—have limited operational capacity. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced upcoming flight cuts to ease congestion.

Further, public sentiment toward EWR has taken a hit. Social media analytics firm Sprout Social reports that 98% of online conversations about the airport are negative.

Travelers Now Prefer LaGuardia, New York JFK

Kayak notes a clear shift in airport preference among travelers in the New York City metro area: LaGuardia (LGA) is now the top choice, followed by New York JFK, with EWR trailing in third place. “Even those living on Manhattan’s west side would rather go the extra distance than risk a three-to-four-hour delay,” said Steve Hafner, Kayak’s CEO.

Data from the Italian analytics firm Data Appeal shows that Newark saw a 13% drop in arrivals between April 28 and May 20, compared to last year. In contrast, LGA’s traffic rose by 5.7%, while JFK saw a 7% drop, mainly due to reduced demand for international flights.

Memorial Day Weekend Forecast

Data from analytics company Cirium provides further evidence of shifting travel patterns at EWR. For flights booked between January 31 and May 14, 2025, for the Memorial Day weekend (Thursday to Monday), overall U.S. bookings are up 6% compared to the same period in 2024. 

However, EWR shows a significant drop of nearly 10%, bucking the national upward trend.

Here are the top 12 U.S. destinations by year-over-year booking change:

• JFK (New York): +20.07%
• Dallas: +12.36%
• Austin: +11.83%
• San Francisco: +11.58%
• Chicago: +11.10%
• Boston: +10.14%
• San Juan: +10.18%
• Miami: +9.92%
• LaGuardia (New York): +7.45%
• Orlando: +7.51%
• Atlanta: +6.49%
• Newark: –9.97%

Despite overall travel growth for the holiday weekend, EWR is the only New York-area airport with a decline in bookings, reinforcing the impact of recent disruptions on traveler confidence.

Newark Airport is at a critical juncture, facing a mix of technical issues, negative public perception, and increasing competition from neighboring airports. Its short-term recovery will depend on rebuilding passenger trust, completing infrastructure upgrades, and restoring operational reliability.