A new report reveals the most turbulent flight routes in the US, highlighting areas to avoid for a smoother journey.
Albuquerque: Fasten your seatbelts. If turbulence makes you anxious, you might want to steer clear of the Rocky Mountains. Last year, this high-elevation area had some of the most turbulent air in the US.
With videos of bumpy flights popping up on social media, a new analysis shows which routes are the worst for turbulence. If you’re a nervous flyer, you might want to rethink your travel plans.
One route to avoid is from Albuquerque to Denver, which topped the list of the most turbulent flights. The data comes from Turbli, a tool that forecasts turbulence.
They looked at turbulence data from NOAA and the UK Met Office, checking nearly 1.5 million flight tracks each year to find the most jumpy routes.
Denver is a major player in this turbulence game. The flight from Denver to Jackson, Wyoming, is the second worst, followed by Jackson to Salt Lake City in third place. Salt Lake back to Denver is fourth, and Bozeman, Montana, to Denver rounds out the top five.
Interestingly, all the top ten flights are in the Mountain Time Zone, except for a short hop from Ontario, California, to San Diego, which also goes over some hilly areas.
Flights east of the Rockies didn’t make the list at all. The report also looked at international flights, with routes over mountain ranges ranking high for turbulence.
One notorious flight is from Mendoza, Argentina, to Santiago, Chile, described as “quick and brutal.” A travel blogger shared that the seatbelt sign stayed on the whole time, making it a rough ride.
So, if you’re planning a trip, keep these turbulent routes in mind and maybe choose a different path for a smoother experience.
