Travel & Lifestyle

Flight cancellations increase Saturday as winter storm affects East Coast

Another bout of winter weather is wreaking havoc on air travel. The storm that first caused travel chaos in Texas on Thursday is now causing flight delays and cancellations to mount in parts of the South and mid-Atlantic as the weekend progresses.

Airlines canceled more than 3,500 flights on Friday, according to FlightAware. Another 6,700 people were delayed.

According to FlightAware, another 750 flights were canceled by Saturday morning, and disruptions are likely to continue to intensify this weekend.

help! If your flight is canceled or delayed, here’s what you need to do

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) has been hit hard for the second day in a row, with 125 flights canceled so far. It comes after more than three-quarters of flights to Atlanta, the world’s busiest airport, were canceled on Friday.

As of Saturday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration reported significant ground delays at Delta Air Lines’ home hub.

Atlanta followed the drop in cancellations at major Southeast hub Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), which closed nearly 110 flights on Saturday. More than 40% of flights at the airport were canceled on Friday.

Also severely affected in the past few days: Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Nashville International Airport (BNA).

A winter storm hit Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) on Friday. Joe Reddell/Getty Images

Friday was a particularly chaotic day for airports across the country.

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The Federal Aviation Administration suspended air traffic at Atlanta and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) Friday morning due to cold weather.

Delta Air Lines said all five runways in Atlanta were closed early Friday so crews could clear ice and snow.

The airline warned there could be more disruptions throughout the weekend.

“The safety of Delta customers and employees is our primary focus as we respond to operational disruptions,” Delta told TPG on Friday.

To make matters worse, a Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 jet was bound for Minneapolis-St. Sao Paulo International Airport (MSP) had to suspend takeoffs in Atlanta after pilots received signs of engine problems. A spokesman for the airline confirmed that the 201 passengers on board had to evacuate the aircraft using emergency slides and then return to the terminal via ground transportation.

Four passengers reported minor injuries, the airport said.

Joe Reddell/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) came to a rough end to the week, with more than 1,000 flights canceled between Thursday and Friday.

This winter blast is just the latest hurdle facing the major hub and its main carrier, American Airlines. The airport has had to suspend flights multiple times this week due to high winds and battled persistent severe storms during the busy holiday travel rush late last month.

Roads in Texas were covered in ice and snow Thursday. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

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More than 6,400 flights have been canceled across the country since the winter storm brought freezing temperatures to North Texas on Thursday.

That number is expected to rise Saturday due to remaining disturbances Friday and storms affecting other areas along the East Coast.

Airlines brace for Southeast winter winds

Several major U.S. airlines have issued travel warnings for dozens of airports from Texas to Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Such exemptions give travelers more flexibility to change their tickets for free to avoid traveling during major weather events. (Airlines have also issued similar exemptions for parts of Southern California affected by ongoing wildfires.)

Workers shovel snow at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) on Friday. Joe Reddell/Getty Images

Amid this latest winter storm, Delta Air Lines issued a travel advisory for much of the Southeast, including its massive ATL base.

American Airlines’ massive travel alert covers many airports in the Southeast, including its Charlotte hub.

The airport said on social media Friday that nearly 40 snow and ice removal trucks were involved in responding to the storm.

The National Weather Service warned Thursday that the storm will intensify and bring snow, sleet and freezing rain across the South and Southeast.

The same storm system could bring cold weather and more flight disruptions to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast over the weekend, Accuweather added.

The latest round of weather-related incidents comes after a winter storm grounded thousands of flights from January 4 to 6 and caused Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to close its runway on Monday. flight disruptions due to reasons.

Snow removal equipment at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) on January 6, 2025.

What to do if you’re flying this week

If you’re worried about your upcoming travel plans this weekend, here’s how to prepare.

Check your options

Now is a good time to check if your trip is covered by the airline’s travel advisory.

For the upcoming winter storm, you’ll want to check the information listed under “Winter Storm Kola.”

These suggestions can give you more flexibility to change your itinerary, even if you’re on a regular restricted ticket.

Here’s a rundown of current alerts from the largest U.S. carriers:

Keep an eye on airline apps

Be sure to download the airline’s app and stay booked. Please keep an eye out for notifications about your flight and any signs of potential problems with your itinerary.

If your flight is delayed or canceled, the airline may offer you the opportunity to rebook directly through the app without having to wait to contact customer service.

Learn more: Flight canceled or delayed? This is what to do next

See a good rebooking option? don’t delay

If you’re battling a flight delay and see a great rebooking option pop up in your airline’s app, don’t waste a second: lock it in!

Thousands of flights have been canceled due to bad weather, with large numbers of passengers simultaneously competing for slots on flights that depart on time, and those slots filling up quickly.

Check your refund rights

Now is a good time to brush up on your air travel refund rights.

According to U.S. Department of Transportation policy, when your flight is canceled or severely delayed, the airline must refund you the portion of your ticket that didn’t take off – only if you choose not to travel (and won’t accept a rebooking).

This rule applies even if a flight is disrupted by bad weather, and it comes in handy if you choose to stay home rather than take a later flight during a winter storm.

Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Think twice when checking your baggage

Finally, you might want to think twice before checking a bag—at least if you can avoid doing so. Often, flying amid mass cancellations and delays means last-minute diversions to new flights. It may also mean that your planned 90-minute connecting window in, say, Charlotte may become tighter.

If you need to rebook on the fly, having all your luggage in hand means less hassle and eliminates the risk of your luggage not being able to make it onto your connecting flight.

Remember: putting all of your belongings in a carry-on means everything in your suitcase must comply with the Transportation Security Administration’s 3-1-1 liquids policy.

Get flight delay compensation

Airlines made broad commitments to the Department of Transportation, providing meals, hotel accommodations and other guarantees in the event of flight cancellations and severe delays. However, keep in mind that these generally apply to “controllable” outages (such as maintenance or staffing issues) and generally not no Applies when bad weather affects travel.

That’s where a travel credit card that offers travel insurance coverage can come in handy, helping you recoup unexpected expenses when you’re stuck because of a flight failure. There’s a catch: In most cases, you usually need to book a trip with the card in order to successfully claim.

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