Winter Storm Causes Flight Cancellations to Pile Up at Charlotte, Raleigh Airports

Winter weather is once again impacting travel in the U.S. on Thursday, as another snow system is causing cancellations to pile up at several airports in the Mid-Atlantic.

The National Weather Service is warning of heavy snow from the mid-Mississippi Valley and Ozarks to the Tennessee Valley, North Carolina, and the southern Mid-Atlantic states through Wednesday. The storm, called Winter Storm Kingston, is likely to impact travel into Thursday.

As of Wednesday morning, here are the airports most affected, according to FlightAware:

• Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT): 82 cancellations, 11% of its schedule.
• Nashville International Airport (BNA): 28 cancellations, 10% of its schedule.
• Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU): 25 cancellations, 12% of its schedule.
• Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA): 14 cancellations, 28% of its schedule.

Those numbers, particularly in Charlotte and Nashville, are likely to increase as snow begins to accumulate in those cities.

Several airlines have issued travel waivers in preparation for the weather’s impact.

Delta Air Lines issued a waiver for travel through Wednesday at several airports, including Charlotte Douglas (CLT), Northwest Arkansas National (XNA), Bill and Hillary Clinton National in Little Rock (LIT), Memphis International (MEM), Nashville International (BNA), and Raleigh-Durham International (RDU), among others. Delta is allowing passengers to rebook new flights through Feb. 22 without penalty.

American Airlines also has a waiver for flights through a similar slate of hubs—Charlotte Douglas (CLT), Memphis International (MEM), Nashville International (BNA), Tulsa International (TUL), and more. American’s waiver runs through Feb. 19 and allows changes for new flights through Feb. 22 without penalty or fare differences.

American also has a separate waiver for travel through Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW) through Feb. 19th, also for a potential winter storm impact.

JetBlue has a waiver for two airports—Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) and Richmond International (RIC)—for travel through Feb. 20. It is allowing passengers to rebook for new flights through Feb. 26 without penalty.

United Airlines has a waiver for travel through Feb. 20 at Asheville Regional (AVL), Charlotte Douglas (CLT), Greenville-Spartanburg International (GSP), Norfolk International (ORF), Raleigh-Durham International (RDU), and Richmond International (RIC), along with other airports likely impacted by Winter Storm Kingston. United is allowing changes for new flights through Feb. 25.