Research on key factors of flight delays in the United States based on data mining

Flight delays in the United States pose a significant global challenge. With the continuous growth of the aviation industry, the increasing number of flights raises demands on transportation infrastructure, making flight delay a serious challenge affecting the aviation industry and passengers. Through comparative analysis, we found that the average flight duration and departure times of delayed flights were significantly later than those of non-delayed flights. Additionally, the delay rates were highest in California and lowest in Texas for both departure and arrival locations. Using cluster analysis, major airlines in the United States were classified into three categories. Factor analysis was employed to analyse the correlations among different factors. Logistic regression revealed a positive correlation between departure times, flight durations, and flight delays. Conversely, the day of the week showed a negative correlation with flight delays. These studies provide practical insights for improving flight punctuality and enhancing the aviation transportation system. This, in turn, aids airlines in optimizing operations and mitigating the adverse impacts of delays on the economy and passengers.