Major Winter Storm Disrupts Air Travel Across the United States

Sun Feb 01 2026 12:58:51 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A powerful winter storm wreaks havoc on air travel, resulting in thousands of flight cancellations and significant delays, impacting nearly 180 million people from the South to the Northeast.

A severe winter storm has affected air travel across the U.S., leading to over 11,400 flight cancellations and extensive delays at major airports. The storm, impacting 180 million Americans, is expected to drop up to 2 feet of snow in the Northeast. Airlines have been overwhelmed, with significant cancellations reported by Delta, American Airlines, and others, causing ripple effects in flight operations nationwide.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A massive winter storm made for a brutal travel day Sunday, with widespread cancellations and delays at some of the nation’s busiest airports.

Widespread snow, sleet, and freezing rain threatened nearly 180 million people — more than half the U.S. population — in a path stretching from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England. Following its sweep through the South, the storm moved into the Northeast on Sunday, bringing an expected snowfall of about 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimeters) from Washington through New York and Boston.

According to flight-tracking site FlightAware, over 11,400 flights were canceled on Sunday, marking the highest cancellation event since the pandemic began. By Sunday afternoon, many flights were grounded, particularly at major airports in the Northeast.

LaGuardia Airport in New York closed by the afternoon, and the Federal Aviation Administration reported all departing flights were canceled. Philadelphia saw 94% of its flights canceled, and other airports followed suit, including JFK Airport, which saw about 80% of its flights grounded.

Significant disruptions also hit major hubs such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Charlotte, and Atlanta. Airlines have begun communicating about the cancellations, with American Airlines reporting over 1,790 cancellations and Delta Air Lines over 1,470. Experts warn that recovery from such widespread disruptions will take days due to the complexity of airline networks.

Travelers impacted by cancellations are advised to contact their airlines and seek rebooking options or refunds. Most airlines will allow rebooking for no additional charge depending on availability, and passengers are entitled to refunds for canceled flights.