The Amsterdam–Barcelona route tops a ranking that also lists Madrid–London Heathrow flights in tenth place, according to an AirAdvisor study.
The route between Amsterdam Schiphol and Barcelona El Prat is Europe’s most stressful air link for passengers who are afraid of flying, according to an analysis by AirAdvisor, which also places the connection between Madrid Barajas and London Heathrow among the top ten in the ranking.
The study takes into account factors such as delays, cancellations, weather conditions and flight duration, but does not assess aviation safety
“Fear of flying rarely depends on a single factor,” said AirAdvisor CEO Anton Radchenko, quoted in a statement. “Long waits at the boarding gate, unexpected last-minute cancellations and challenging weather conditions can significantly increase a passenger’s anxiety.”
The connection between Amsterdam and Barcelona scores 75.1 points out of 100, the highest rating among the 26 European routes analysed. Between September 2025 and August 2026, 7.02% of its flights were delayed by more than an hour, 0.83% by more than three hours and 2.93% were cancelled. On top of that, flights are exposed to adverse weather conditions at the Dutch airport.
The second most stressful route, according to the study, is London Heathrow to Amsterdam, which has the highest cancellation rate, at 3.69%. This route, linking two of the world’s busiest airports, scores 63.8 points.
The route between Madrid Barajas and London Heathrow ranks tenth, with 40.8 points. Some 3.38% of its flights were delayed by more than an hour, while 0.17% were delayed by over three hours and 1.15% were cancelled.
Other Spanish connections also appear in the ranking. Barcelona El Prat and Rome Fiumicino are in seventh place, with 45.2 points, while the route between Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca comes in thirteenth. The latter stands out for its delays, which affected 6.89% of flights.
The index, which weights cancellations, delays, weather and journey time, measures the predictability of flights, not their safety. According to Radchenko, knowing about past disruptions can help passengers who are afraid of flying prepare better for their journeys.
Europe’s 10 most stressful routes
- Amsterdam-Barcelona – 75.1
- London Heathrow-Amsterdam – 63.8
- Manchester-Dublin – 63.4
- Lisbon-Madeira – 61.4
- Paris Charles de Gaulle-Nice – 60.8
- Oslo-Stavanger – 46.8
- Barcelona-Rome Fiumicino – 45.2
- London Heathrow-Frankfurt – 44.2
- Oslo-Trondheim – 42.4
- Madrid-London Heathrow – 40.8
Source: www.euronews.com
