Airlines set a record for delays in 2006

Josh Roberts believes the best trips involve long hikes and muddy boots. His life goals haven't changed much since he was a kid: He still wants to be Indiana Jones when he grows up.

Follow him on Twitter (@joshwhowrites) and Instagram (@joshwhowrites), and visit his website (joshrobertsbooks.com) or Goodreads page to learn more about his forthcoming novel.

Josh joined SmarterTravel in 2001, and is an active member in both the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

In addition to SmarterTravel, he has written for USA Today, The Boston Globe, Yahoo! Travel, The Huffington Post, Airfarewatchdog, TripAdvisor, Jetsetter, ABC News, Oyster, and Business Insider. His travel photography can be seen in Britain and Ireland's Best Wild Places, published by Penguin UK.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A lacrosse ball. It's small, lightweight, and works wonders on loosening up tight muscles."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Being the first to discover an ancient lost city. Failing that, visiting as many of the already-discovered ancient ruins as possible."

Travel Motto: "Not all those who wander are lost." -J.R.R. Tolkien

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle."

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The airline with the best on-time record last year, it turns out, is actually “none of the above.” Airline delays increased dramatically last year according to a report by Alan Levin in yesterday’s USA Today.

Passengers were delayed for a collective 22.1 million minutes last year, or (put another way) delayed for at least 15 minutes on more than 20 percent of flights with large airlines. At some large airports, like Newark, about a third of all arrivals on major carriers were at least 15 minutes late.

This, of course, comes as no surprise to anyone who’s actually traveled in recent years. Between the air traffic snarls, major surge in lost baggage, and erosion of customer service and in-flight perks, travel these days is as much about dealing with hassles as getting to where you want to go.

And more bad news—it’s not like flights are getting any cheaper, either.

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