Over 10,000 Flights Canceled as Winter Storm Disrupts Travel

A massive winter storm is slamming airports across the country, and flight cancellations just hit levels not seen since the early days of COVID.

More than 10,900 U.S. flights were canceled and over 3,400 delayed for Sunday, January 25, as of 4 p.m. ET, according to FlightAware. That's the highest number of cancellations since March 30, 2020, when 12,143 flights got axed.

For travelers caught in the chaos, it's meant long delays, overnight stays, and hours stuck on planes watching de-icing trucks do their thing.

One Woman's Three-and-a-Half Hour Tarmac Adventure

Annie Yuen's flight was already delayed last Friday before a major winter storm started rolling in.

The 23-year-old was traveling from Dallas to Guatemala for vacation when her plane had to wait for a missing passenger. "And then by the time we got out of the gate, we were getting ready to taxi, that's when the frost started hitting," she said. "So we had to spend some time de-icing the plane."

Once that was done, passengers got told the pilots had timed out. Her original 8:12 p.m. departure got pushed to 6:40 a.m. American Airlines provided a hotel, but the next morning snow and more de-icing kept everyone sitting on the plane for about three-and-a-half hours before they finally took off—"longer than the flight," Yuen pointed out.

"After we got out and we got above the clouds, we saw the sun, and it was amazing," she said. "It felt very reassuring." Yuen said she was "grateful" to make it to her destination, where the temperature was around 80 degrees.

Where It's Hitting Hardest

The winter weather that brought heavy sleet and snow to Texas and Oklahoma last Friday has moved across the country. In the Washington, D.C., area, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport canceled all originating flights Sunday. Raleigh-Durham, Baltimore, and La Guardia are all at over 90% cancellations.

Those numbers could climb as the storm keeps pushing east. Airlines started offering travel waivers earlier in the week to help customers avoid disruptions and have expanded which flights are covered.

Why Airlines Cancel Early

Airlines often start preemptively canceling flights ahead of bad weather to make sure planes and crews are positioned to get things moving as soon as the storm clears.

That's why thousands of flights were already axed for this weekend as of Friday. Airlines were slowing operations to help with recovery.

"It's about keeping the airport, the environment clean and ready, snow removed, and then it's about having our pilots, our flight attendants and our airplanes all lined up so we can get our customers onboard and move them to where they want to be," John Laughter, Delta's chief of operations, previously said.

It's likely some flights will be canceled for a day or two after the weather clears too, as airlines work to get aircraft and crews back into place.

"Two days later, it's really hard to explain that the weather is what caused your flight to be delayed or canceled," Suzanne Williamson, managing director of American Airlines' Integrated Operations Center, said.

What to Do If You're Flying

Get ready for disruptions. Monitor updates from your airline and consider rebooking if possible.

If you absolutely have to travel, be prepared to roll with it. More flights are likely to get delayed or canceled as the storm progresses. Research rebooking options and alternative itineraries ahead of time. Use airlines' self-service tools to avoid long lines at airport desks or hold times on the phone.

"Speed is going to be critical," Katy Nastro, a travel expert at Going, said. "There will not be an endless supply of seats to reaccommodate you on ... there is no time like the present to give yourself the best odds at a decent rebooking."

Pack extra provisions—clothes, medication doses, charging cables—in case you get stuck.

Most major airlines have travel waivers up that let travelers rebook without penalty or get flight credit if they cancel. Check your airline's website for details.

If Your Flight Gets Canceled

Airlines will automatically rebook you on another flight. If your flight is canceled for reasons within the carrier's control—staffing, aircraft maintenance—you're entitled to a meal if you wait more than three hours. If you're stranded overnight, most airlines cover hotel and ground transportation.

Weather is outside of airline control, though.

If your flight is canceled for any reason and you choose not to fly, DOT rules require the airline to offer a refund, regardless of ticket type.

If Your Flight Gets Delayed

Airlines have to get you to your destination, but they don't owe you anything else for weather delays. It's different for significant delays—typically at least three hours—due to issues within their control. Airlines will rebook customers and cover meals for controllable delays at least three hours long. Most also cover hotel stays and ground transportation for overnight delays they caused.

Again, weather doesn't count as within their control.

U.S. regulators don't require cash payments for delays, but customer service reps sometimes have the power to provide meal vouchers, mileage credit, or other compensation on a case-by-case basis.

The storm's still moving, cancellations keep climbing, and airports are a mess. If you're flying this weekend, good luck.

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