Airlines in the U.S. have been issuing sweeping travel waivers as forecasts have warned of heavy snow, sleet, and dangerous ice across two dozen states, in a situation that threatens to disrupt air travel.
The National Weather Service has warned that the mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow could make travel dangerous and lead to power outages and tree damage in parts of the Southeast, while heavier snow is expected farther north.
The winter storm is expected to bring cold temperatures not seen since 2021, according to AccuWeather, a weather forecasting company.
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Delta Air Lines canceled flights at select airports in five states on Thursday afternoon, as carriers said the mix of ice, snow and strong winds could slow airport operations, ripple into delays and cancellations, and complicate rebooking during one of the busier winter travel periods.
Dan DePodwin, vice president of forecasting operations at AccuWeather said that this would likely result in thousands of flight cancellations on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Travel booking app Hopper estimates that upwards of 15,000 flights could be delayed due to the storm.
Major airlines are offering flexible options because of this situation. Southwest Airlines said it expects disruptions, and is giving costumers. flexibility to rebook or travel standby within a two-week window.
Delta said weather could affect flights across the Southern Plains and Southeast, including its Atlanta hub, and canceled flights in North Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee. The airline said it will automatically rebook customers to the next-best itinerary and offered fee-free changes for eligible customers who adjust travel within its waiver terms.
American Airlines ( expanded similar flexibility across a network that includes major hubs such as Dallas-Fort Worth and Charlotte, while United Airlines issued a waiver spanning much of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast and parts of the Carolinas and Ohio Valley, including its Newark and Washington-area operations, so that customers can shift travel within a set period without change fees or fare differences if they keep the same itinerary and cabin.
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JetBlue issued a Northeast-focused waiver that covers New York and Boston-area airports and said it will waive change and cancel fees for customers traveling to and from 11 cities. Ultra low cost carrier Frontier Airlines said if flights are canceled or delayed for more than three and six hours for domestic and international flights, respectively, travelers can request a refund. Spirit Airlines said it is waiving modification charges and fare differences across 13 cities for travel between January 23 and 25.
Airlines have recommended that travelers monitor flight status closely and use mobile apps and airline websites for the fastest rebooking options as the storm advances. Hopper said it has seen a 17% increase in travelers adding Disruption Assistance to trips for this upcoming weekend.