Airlines Issue Change Fee Waivers in Preparation of Winter Storm Toby

Update 3/21: According to FlightAware, as of 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 21, almost 4,000 flights have already been cancelled: more than 400 flights have been cancelled at LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International, an additional 290 have been cancelled at John F. Kennedy International, and 200 more at Philadelphia International.

Just over a week after a third nor’easter slammed parts of the Northeast and New England, the region is preparing for yet another snowstorm this week as Winter Storm Toby bears down.

The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings for cities from the Mid-Atlantic to New England for tonight into Wednesday. Most major northeast U.S. cities are expected to be impacted by the storm, with snow, strong winds, and coastal flooding possible for the region and snow expected for parts of the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians, according to meteorologists at Weather.com.

Flights scheduled for today have already been canceled out of Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and more in preparation of Wednesday’s storm, according to FlightAware, and more than 75 flights out of Philadelphia International have already been called off for Wednesday.

Airlines have begun issuing change fee waivers in preparation of the storm’s impact.

Alaska Air
Alaska Airlines is waiving change fees and fare differences for all tickets scheduled for Mar. 20-22, if the tickets were purchased on or before Mar. 19. Most of its Northeast routes are included: flights in and out of Baltimore, Boston, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

American Airlines
American Airlines will allow trip changes with no fee for American flights between most major Northeast cities for tickets purchased before Mar. 18 for travel on Mar. 20 and 21.

Delta Air Lines
Delta is offering a travel change waiver for Mar. 20 and 21 for travel between most Northeast cities including Baltimore, Boston, Hartford, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Tickets must be reissued on or before, and for travel no later than, Mar. 25.

Frontier
Frontier will allow an itinerary change, with fees waived, for travelers who are scheduled to fly on Mar. 20 and Mar. 21 for travel between New York, Philadelphia, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C., airports. Travel has to be rescheduled for no later than Mar. 30.

JetBlue
JetBlue is waiving change/cancel fees and fare differences for travelers going to and from Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C., on Mar. 20 and 21; and for those traveling to and from most other Northeast cities including Boston, New York, Newark, and Providence, for Mar. 21. JetBlue flight status can be checked on its website.

Spirit Airlines
Travelers flying on Spirit on Mar. 20 and 21 can reschedule travel for another date through Mar. 24 if they are flying from cities impacted by Winter Storm Toby: Atlantic City, Baltimore, Boston, Hartford, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh.

United Airlines
United will waive change fees and any differences in fares for new flights leaving on or before Mar. 24 if flights were originally scheduled for Mar. 20 and 21 between most Northeast cities including Baltimore, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C.