While less people are expected to fly this upcoming holiday season, travelers should not expect less delays or shorter lines when arriving at their local airport. According to a report released today, air traffic congestion has become an ongoing issue at most U.S. airports with the top three offenders located within a short car ride from each other.

Newark, LaGuardia and JFK Airports topped the list of the worst airports in the nation for on-time arrivals throughout the first nine months of 2009. This problem doesn’t just affect New Yorkers. A large percentage of flights come through these three airports and that causes eventual delays nationwide. New York area airports accounted for three-quarters of all delays in the United States in 2007.

The FAA stepped in two years ago in order to resolve the problem, but delay times have still remained high. But with fewer flights this year, there have been fewer delays at the New York area airports. LGA is reporting a 66% on-time report for 2009, up from 58.6% in 2008. Newark’s on-time report also went up from 60.8% to 64.1% and JFK also saw on-time improve from 66.8% to 71.4%.

While airports in cities like Seattle, Atlanta, Chicago, and Boston have improved their runways, there are no immediate plans to do so at any of the New York area airports. So the FAA will continue to tinker around with ideas on how to ease the pain of traveling, especially when the Big Apple is in your itinerary.

Source the Associated Press and picture courtesy of Flickr member mini_joan