These Are 2024’s Most Turbulent Flight Routes

These Were 2024’s Most Turbulent Flight Routes

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Turbulence can terrify even the most seasoned traveler. Out of nowhere, the plane begins to shake, or sometimes it drops without warning.

"Turbulence is when you have rising and sinking air that could cause a bumpy ride while in flight," Senior Meteorologist Dina Knightly explained. "Turbulence can be created by storms in the area, jet streams, winds through mountainous areas, or fronts moving through causing air to rise. Even clear sunny days are not exempt from this phenomena."

While air travel is one of the safest forms of transportation, turbulence is not only scary, but it can be dangerous. It can cause injury to passengers and crew, especially if they aren’t wearing a seatbelt at the time turbulence strikes. I​n March 2023, a passenger died after being injured when a private jet encountered severe turbulence.

Turbulence can even cause damage to the structure of the aircraft.

The Flight Routes With The Highest Average Turbulence

Some flight routes are more turbulent than others. Turbli.com ranked about 10,000 routes connecting the 550 largest airports in the world, evaluating turbulence along those routes in 2024. Here are the most turbulent U.S. flight routes, as well as the highest-ranking turbulent flights internationally:

The Most Turbulent Routes In The U.S. In 2024

10. Las Vegas (LAS) - Salt Lake City (SLC)

9. Las Vegas (LAS0 - Reno (RNO)

8. Bozeman (BZN) - Salt Lake City (SLC)

7. Boise (BOI) - Salt Lake City (SLC)

6. Ontario (ONT) - San Diego (SAN)

5. Bozeman (BZN) - Denver (DEN)

4. Denver (DEN) - Salt Lake City (SLC)

3. Jackson Hole (JAC) - Salt Lake City (SLC)

2. Denver (DEN) - Jackson Hole (JAC)

The Most Turbulent International Routes In 2024

10. Salta (SLA) - Santa Cruz (VVI)

9. Asunción (ASU) - Santiago (SCL)

8. Ciudad de la Costa (MVD) - Santiago (SLC)

7. Cordoba (COR) - Mendoza (MDZ)

6. San Carlos de Bariloche (BRC) - Santiago (SLC)

5. Santa Cruz (VVI) - Santiago (SLC)

4. Mendoza (MDZ) - San Carlos de Bariloche (BRC)

3. Mendoza (MDZ) - Salta (SLA)

2. Cordoba (COR) - Santiago (SLC)

1. Mendoza (MDZ) - Santiago (SLC)

W​hat Should You Do If You Encounter Turbulence?

Because turbulence can not always be forecast, it's important to be proactive to remain safe. The FAA advises that passengers should wear their seatbelts throughout the entire flight, not only when the seatbelt sign is illuminated.

​It's important to remain seated on your flight and to only get out of your seat when necessary.

According to a 2021 National Transportation Safety Board report, the majority of passengers seriously injured during turbulence weren't wearing seatbelts, often because they were in the restroom or traveling the aisle at the time.

"​Remember to listen to your pilots and flight attendants," Knightly added.

According to Tubli.com, seats closer to the front of the plane experience turbulence less severely. If possible, passengers with anxiety about turbulence should keep this in mind when choosing their seats when booking their flight.