Flight Cancellations Hit 10,000 as Winter Storm Slams the Northeast

The winter storm that started sweeping over the U.S. on Friday evening and is now slamming the Northeast is making travel close to impossible on Sunday.

According to FlightAware, flight cancellations within, into, or out of the U.S. have reached nearly 10,000 for Sunday, exceeding predictions from earlier in the week and likely causing a ripple effect into the heart of next week.

Almost every major hub is being impacted.

Airports in areas being hit by Sunday’s heavy snow are all reporting an almost fully canceled slate of flights, including Newark (EWR), LaGuardia (LGA), Reagan National (DCA), Philadelphia International (PHL), and Baltimore/Washington (BWI).

As of 9 a.m. EST on Sunday, the only hubs in that area not seeing more than 80% of their departures canceled are John F. Kennedy International (73% and climbing) and Boston Logan International (64% and climbing).

Snow began in New York around 6 a.m. and is expected to start accumulating at two inches per hour soon. Meanwhile, Washington, D.C. has already recorded 4 inches, and Philadelphia has 2 inches of light, powdery snow.

Airports in other areas of the country are also not safe from the storm’s fallout.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) has seen more than 500 flights canceled on Sunday as rain turned into freezing rain and ice on Saturday night, coating surfaces with ice and making travel dangerous around the city.

Monday Outlook and Regional Ground Disruptions

While weather conditions are expected to improve by Monday, the travel industry is bracing for a difficult start to the work week. FlightAware is already reporting more than 1,800 cancellations for Monday, as airlines work to reposition aircraft and crews that were displaced by the weekend’s peak.

Ground transportation has also ground to a halt in the Northeast. NJ Transit suspended all bus and light rail services early Sunday morning, while rail service was scheduled for a system-wide suspension at 2 p.m. In New York City, the MTA has suspended all bus service, though subways continue to run on a modified schedule.

Airline Waivers

All major airlines operating in North America issued flexible, change-fee-free waivers earlier in the week, and most have opted to expand them as the storm began to grip the U.S. on Friday evening. Here is the latest:

Air Canada has expanded its rolling waiver to include additional cities and extended travel dates. The advisory now covers 13 U.S. cities for Sunday, Jan. 25, including Boston (BOS), Cleveland (CLE), Philadelphia (PHL), Pittsburgh (PIT), and the New York and Washington, D.C., metro areas. For Monday, Jan. 26, the waiver remains in effect for Boston (BOS), Cleveland (CLE), and the New York and Washington hubs (DCA/IAD/EWR/JFK/LGA). Passengers can rebook through Feb. 3, 2026, without change fees or fare differences.

American Airlines has extended the travel window for its primary storm waiver. The advisory, which covers 34 airports across the Southern U.S., the Northeast, and the Mid-Atlantic (including DFW, CLT, and PHL), applies to travel through Monday, Jan. 26.

American also said that, in order to provide additional relief at its hardest-hit hub, it has added over 3,200 extra seats to and from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to help displaced passengers reach their destinations once conditions improve. New travel must be booked by Jan. 27 and completed within one year of the original ticket date.

Delta Air Lines is warning of significant schedule adjustments for its Atlanta (ATL) hub through Sunday due to ice accumulation. Its two primary waivers—one for the Southern Plains/Southeast and another for Eastern North America (including the Northeast and Canada)—remain in effect through Monday, Jan. 26. Rebooking is allowed through Jan. 29.

JetBlue has extended its Northeast fee waiver as heavy snow blankets New England. The waiver now covers 13 airports, including Boston (BOS), Providence (PVD), and the New York metro area, for travel through Monday, Jan. 26. A second waiver remains active for Southeast and Mid-Atlantic cities through Sunday, Jan. 25. Northeast travelers have an extended rebooking window, with new flights permitted through Jan. 31, while those in the South must complete travel by Jan. 28 to avoid fare differences.

Southwest Airlines has updated its travel advisory to include 46 airports. The advisory remains in effect for travel through Monday, Jan. 26, and includes major operations in Dallas (DAL), Baltimore (BWI), Nashville (BNA), and Chicago (MDW). As always, Southwest is allowing passengers to rebook in the same class of service within 14 days of their original travel date with no fare difference.

United Airlines continues to operate under two primary waivers as the “deep freeze” settles in behind the storm. The Southern U.S. waiver covers 26 airports, including Houston (IAH) and Dallas (DFW), through Sunday, Jan. 25. The Eastern U.S. waiver (covering 35 airports including EWR, IAD, and BOS) remains active through Monday, Jan. 26. Additionally, a specific waiver for Chicago (ORD) is in place for extreme cold. United is allowing travelers to rebook for flights departing through Jan. 29 without change fees or fare differences.