Another 3,500 Flights Scrapped Monday After Sunday’s Record 12,500 Cancellations

After travel was essentially halted at dozens of U.S. airports on Sunday, Monday continues to be a nightmare for travelers. While weather conditions are finally beginning to improve, the industry is struggling to dig out from the peak of “Winter Storm Fern.”

According to FlightAware, as of 8:00 AM EST on Monday, more than 3,500 flights within, into, or out of the U.S. have already been canceled. This follows Sunday’s total of 12,585 cancellations, which some meteorologists and analysts are calling the highest single-day total in six years.

The impact remains most severe in the Northeast, where over a foot of snow fell in key hubs like Boston Logan (BOS), JFK International (JFK), Newark Liberty (EWR), and LaGuardia (LGA). However, the “ripple effect” is being felt acutely in the South and Mid-Atlantic. Airports in Texas, including Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Austin-Bergstrom (AUS), along with Charlotte Douglas (CLT), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL), and Raleigh-Durham (RDU), are all reporting significantly higher-than-usual cancellation rates as carriers work to reposition their fleets.

AccuWeather reported on Monday morning that “the worst of the winter storm has passed,” though snow continues to fall across Northern New England, Ontario, and Quebec. While travel is technically on the road to normalcy, a brutal Arctic deep freeze settling behind the storm is expected to slow de-icing and ground operations through mid-week. Travelers scheduled to fly this week should check their flight status and confirm their airline’s latest waiver before heading to the airport.

All major North American carriers have further expanded their travel waivers as Winter Storm Fern moves into the Northeast. With record-breaking cancellation totals on Sunday and Monday, airlines are prioritizing repositioning crews and aircraft. Here is the latest:

Air Canada has extended its “Winter Operational Conditions” waiver through the end of the day on Jan. 26 for several key hubs, including Boston (BOS), Cleveland (CLE), Raleigh-Durham (RDU), and both Washington, D.C., airports (DCA/IAD). The carrier has also issued a recovery waiver for Toronto (YYZ) through Feb. 3, allowing passengers to move flights to later in the week.

American Airlines has updated its “January Major Winter Storm” advisory to cover travel through today, Jan. 26. The airline canceled nearly 50% of its daily schedule on Sunday. Passengers booked through affected airports can now rebook for travel through Jan. 29. American is specifically warning travelers in the Northeast that while snow may stop today, sub-zero temperatures will continue to slow de-icing and baggage operations.

Delta Air Lines has extended its Northeast and Canada waiver through today, Jan. 26. While operations in Atlanta (ATL) are beginning to resume, Delta is warning of ongoing “residual ripple effects” in the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys. To help travelers, Delta is offering full refunds for any domestic flight delayed by more than three hours, even if the flight is not canceled. Rebooking for all storm-impacted regions is currently allowed through Jan. 29.

JetBlue has already cancelled roughly 70% of its total schedule on Monday as near-whiteout conditions impacted its primary base at New York (JFK). Its Northeast fee waiver remains in effect through today, Jan. 26, for 13 airports, with a rebooking window that extends through Saturday, Jan. 31. It is telling all customers to stay away from airports and manage rebookings via the mobile app.

Southwest Airlines is maintaining its travel advisory for 46 airports through the end of the day. The airline has expanded its “reschedule” window, allowing passengers to move flights to any date within 14 days of their original departure without a fare difference.

United Airlines has extended its Eastern U.S. waiver to include travel through Jan. 26, covering 35 airports. United is proactively canceling flights at its Newark (EWR) and Dulles (IAD) hubs to prevent planes from being stranded. Passengers can rebook for travel through Jan. 29. Like Delta, United is waiving both change fees and fare differences for those who stay in their originally ticketed cabin.