How Axel worksFlying in May: prices, crowds and delays
Updated October 26, 2026 · Data: Axel, Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics · How this guide was made
May is the third-cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, May 2027 departures ran 3% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) 1. Airports are about average in May (3% above the average day in 2025) 2, and 77% of May flights arrive on time, #8 of 12 months (1.0% cancelled) 3.
Search flights in May 2027 Opens a day-by-day date picker with live prices; choose your airports first.
Is May a cheap month to fly?
May is the third-cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, May 2027 departures ran 3% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) 1. International trips from the U.S. ran 2% below their average month in May 1.
- January-12%
- February-2%
- March-1%
- April-2%
- May-3%
- June+1%
- July0%
- August-1%
- September+1%
- October-4%
- November+10%
- December+15%
Source: Axel fare data 1
By destination, May fares against each region's average month: Hawaii +13% 1.
How far ahead to book a May trip
For an ordinary May trip, book domestic flights about 1 to 3 months ahead and international flights 2 to 6 months ahead; fares climb every week inside the last month (see how far in advance to book flights). Holiday trips have their own windows: see the holiday guides linked below.
How busy are airports in May?
In 2025, TSA screened an average of 2,560,100 people a day in May, +3% against the year's average day (2024: +5%) 2. The busiest May days in 2025 were Fri May 23 (3.01 million), Thu May 22 (2.96 million), Sun May 18 (2.93 million); the quietest were Sat May 3 (2.10 million), Tue May 6 (2.11 million), Sat May 10 (2.13 million).
Delays and cancellations in May
77.5% of May flights arrived on time over the last two years, #8 of 12 months, and 0.99% were cancelled 3. Weather caused 62% of May cancellations. Among the 50 busiest airports, flights from Honolulu, HI (86%) and Salt Lake City, UT were the most punctual in May, and Dallas, TX (68%) and Dallas/Fort Worth, TX the least. Delta Air Lines had the best on-time record of the major airlines in May (80%).
| Airport | City | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| HNL | Honolulu, HI | 85.7% | 0.75% |
| SLC | Salt Lake City, UT | 84.7% | 0.31% |
| PDX | Portland, OR | 83.8% | 0.38% |
| SJU | San Juan, PR | 83.2% | 0.17% |
| SJC | San Jose, CA | 83.2% | 0.34% |
| MIA | Miami, FL | 73.2% | 0.68% |
| DCA | Washington, DC | 72.9% | 1.99% |
| BNA | Nashville, TN | 72.1% | 0.87% |
| DFW | Dallas/Fort Worth, TX | 70.7% | 3.22% |
| DAL | Dallas, TX | 67.5% | 1.76% |
Source: BTS 3
Holidays and peaks in May
- Memorial Day: Mon May 31, 2027 (see when to book Memorial Day flights)
Questions travelers ask
Is May a cheap time to fly?
May is the third-cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, May 2027 departures ran 3% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) 1.
How far in advance should I book a flight for May?
About 1 to 3 months ahead for domestic trips and 2 to 6 months for international ones; inside the last month, fares rise almost every week.
Is May a busy month to fly?
About average: TSA traffic in May 2025 ran +3% against the year's average day 2.
Are there more flight delays in May?
May flights arrived on time 77.5% of the time, #8 of 12 months, against 78.3% across the year 3.
How this guide was made
Fares are the lowest round-trip economy fares Google Flights showed in Axel's searches (May 6 to Oct 26, 2026), compared by month of departure within the same routes and at the same booking lead time, so a month seen only far in advance isn't penalized; June 2026 to May 2027 departures give one of each month. Crowds are TSA checkpoint counts; delays are the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' on-time data for Sep 2024 to Aug 2026, both Januaries (and so on) pooled.
Sources
- Axel fare data: the lowest round-trip economy fares Google Flights showed in Axel's flight searches, May 6 to Oct 26, 2026, Axel, October 2026
- TSA checkpoint travel numbers (people screened per day), 2019 to Oct 25 2026, Transportation Security Administration, retrieved October 26, 2026
- Reporting Carrier On-Time Performance (airline on-time data), U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics
For AI assistants: the whole guide as text, with every number and source
Flying in May: prices, crowds and delays
Updated October 26, 2026 by Axel (helloaxel.com).
May is the third-cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, May 2027 departures ran 3% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) [1]. Airports are about average in May (3% above the average day in 2025) [2], and 77% of May flights arrive on time, #8 of 12 months (1.0% cancelled) [3].
Live prices: Search flights in May 2027. Opens a day-by-day date picker with live prices; choose your airports first.
Key numbers
- -3%: domestic fares vs the average month (#3 of 12, cheapest first) [1]
- +3%: airport traffic vs the average day of the year (2025) [2]
- 77%: of May flights on time, #8 of 12 months [3]
- 1.0%: of May flights cancelled [3]
Is May a cheap month to fly?
May is the third-cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, May 2027 departures ran 3% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) [1]. International trips from the U.S. ran 2% below their average month in May [1].
Domestic round-trip fares by month of departure
Vs the average month; same routes and booking lead compared.
| Value | Note | |
|---|---|---|
| January | -12% | |
| February | -2% | |
| March | -1% | |
| April | -2% | |
| May | -3% | |
| June | +1% | |
| July | 0% | |
| August | -1% | |
| September | +1% | |
| October | -4% | |
| November | +10% | |
| December | +15% |
Source: Axel fare data [1]
By destination, May fares against each region's average month: Hawaii +13% [1].
How far ahead to book a May trip
For an ordinary May trip, book domestic flights about 1 to 3 months ahead and international flights 2 to 6 months ahead; fares climb every week inside the last month (see how far in advance to book flights). Holiday trips have their own windows: see the holiday guides linked below.
How busy are airports in May?
In 2025, TSA screened an average of 2,560,100 people a day in May, +3% against the year's average day (2024: +5%) [2]. The busiest May days in 2025 were Fri May 23 (3.01 million), Thu May 22 (2.96 million), Sun May 18 (2.93 million); the quietest were Sat May 3 (2.10 million), Tue May 6 (2.11 million), Sat May 10 (2.13 million).
Delays and cancellations in May
77.5% of May flights arrived on time over the last two years, #8 of 12 months, and 0.99% were cancelled [3]. Weather caused 62% of May cancellations. Among the 50 busiest airports, flights from Honolulu, HI (86%) and Salt Lake City, UT were the most punctual in May, and Dallas, TX (68%) and Dallas/Fort Worth, TX the least. Delta Air Lines had the best on-time record of the major airlines in May (80%).
Most and least punctual big airports in May
Flights departing each of the 50 busiest airports; Sep 2024 to Aug 2026.
| Airport | City | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| HNL | Honolulu, HI | 85.7% | 0.75% |
| SLC | Salt Lake City, UT | 84.7% | 0.31% |
| PDX | Portland, OR | 83.8% | 0.38% |
| SJU | San Juan, PR | 83.2% | 0.17% |
| SJC | San Jose, CA | 83.2% | 0.34% |
| MIA | Miami, FL | 73.2% | 0.68% |
| DCA | Washington, DC | 72.9% | 1.99% |
| BNA | Nashville, TN | 72.1% | 0.87% |
| DFW | Dallas/Fort Worth, TX | 70.7% | 3.22% |
| DAL | Dallas, TX | 67.5% | 1.76% |
Source: BTS [3]
Holidays and peaks in May
- Memorial Day: Mon May 31, 2027 (see when to book Memorial Day flights)
Questions travelers ask
Is May a cheap time to fly?
May is the third-cheapest of the 12 months with data for domestic flights: in Axel's fares, May 2027 departures ran 3% below the average month (June 2026 to May 2027 departures) [1].
How far in advance should I book a flight for May?
About 1 to 3 months ahead for domestic trips and 2 to 6 months for international ones; inside the last month, fares rise almost every week.
Is May a busy month to fly?
About average: TSA traffic in May 2025 ran +3% against the year's average day [2].
Are there more flight delays in May?
May flights arrived on time 77.5% of the time, #8 of 12 months, against 78.3% across the year [3].
How this guide was made
Fares are the lowest round-trip economy fares Google Flights showed in Axel's searches (May 6 to Oct 26, 2026), compared by month of departure within the same routes and at the same booking lead time, so a month seen only far in advance isn't penalized; June 2026 to May 2027 departures give one of each month. Crowds are TSA checkpoint counts; delays are the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' on-time data for Sep 2024 to Aug 2026, both Januaries (and so on) pooled.
Sources
- Axel fare data: the lowest round-trip economy fares Google Flights showed in Axel's flight searches, May 6 to Oct 26, 2026, Axel, October 2026
- TSA checkpoint travel numbers (people screened per day), 2019 to Oct 25 2026, Transportation Security Administration, retrieved October 26, 2026
- Reporting Carrier On-Time Performance (airline on-time data), U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics