Air travel chaos spread nationwide on Sunday, with more than 9,900 flights canceled amid one of the worst winter storms in years. This marks the highest number of single-day cancellations since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Snow, sleet, freezing rain and dangerously cold temperatures have gripped much of the U.S., halting operations at several major airports and forcing airlines to suspend thousands of scheduled departures. The National Weather Service has warned that the effects could linger well into the week.
Airlines Face Largest Wave of Cancellations since Pandemic
The scale of disruption across U.S. air travel on Sunday surpassed any single-day total since early 2020, with more than 9,900 flight cancellations, according to FlightAware. That figure is more than double the number of cancellations recorded on Saturday. Already, over 1,800 flights for Monday have been canceled as the winter storm moves eastward.
The storm, which began impacting parts of the South and Midwest late last week, has caused significant delays and shutdowns across major airports, including Dallas Fort Worth International, LaGuardia in New York, and Ronald Reagan Washington National in Washington, D.C. According to a statement from Reagan National, snowfall began around midnight, and no flights were allowed to take off or land while snow was cleared from the airfield.
Flight operations at Dallas Fort Worth were also significantly reduced Sunday, with airport teams “actively treating roads, bridges and airfield surfaces to maintain safe operations,” the airport said. Passengers were advised to monitor their flight status closely due to ongoing changes.
In the Northeast, LaGuardia issued a warning of “significant travel impacts,” while disruptions were also reported at airports in Atlanta, Charlotte and Philadelphia. Flight tracking service Flightradar24 indicated that American Airlines experienced the highest number of cancellations, followed by United Airlines and Delta Air Lines.
Airlines Issue Travel Waivers, Brace for Continued Disruption
In response to the severe weather conditions, major airlines have issued travel waivers, allowing customers to modify their plans without incurring penalties. According to American Airlines, passengers with tickets booked before January 19 for travel between January 23 and 25 can change their flights without a fee, as long as the origin and destination cities remain the same and the changes are made by January 25.
Delta has offered similar flexibility. According to a statement on its website, travelers scheduled to fly through affected areas between Friday and Sunday may rebook for departures through January 28 without change fees. The airline also said it is notifying affected passengers by email or text message.
Budget airlines are taking similar measures. Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines both announced they would waive change and cancellation fees, though customers would still need to pay fare differences if applicable. JetBlue is allowing rebookings or cancellations without penalty for customers who booked travel before January 22. According to United Airlines, travelers with tickets purchased before January 20 for flights between January 24 and 26 may also reschedule without paying extra, provided the new travel dates fall between January 21 and 28 and involve the same cities.
Meanwhile, travel agency Hopper Technology Solutions reported a 17% uptick in customers purchasing its “Disruption Assistance” policy, which allows travelers to rebook flights regardless of the airline. With weather conditions expected to worsen across the eastern Gulf Coast and up through New England, authorities are urging travelers to expect further cancellations and delays into the beginning of the week.
