Monday's flight delays and cancellations top 10,000 as winter weather slams East Coast
Editor's Note
The season's most potent winter storm to date pounded the East Coast Monday, wreaking havoc on all forms of travel — from the skies to the rails and roads.
By 8 p.m. EST Monday, airlines had canceled more than 2,200 flights across the U.S., according to data from FlightAware. Nearly 8,000 more have been delayed — with the disruptions totaling roughly 21,000 flights delayed or canceled since the winter storm began dumping snow across a large swath of the country on Sunday.
And nearly 200 flights planned for Tuesday have already been scrapped.
While the disruptions affected a slew of airports up and down the East Coast Monday, the flight troubles were most heavily concentrated in the Washington, D.C. area, where snow totals mounted over the course of the day.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) announced it would shutter its runways Monday evening, to give crews a chance to clear snow and work to prevent overnight refreeze — and, ideally, prevent too many additional disruptions on Tuesday.
DCA saw the highest cancellation rates of any U.S. airport Monday, with more than 85% of planned departures scrapped by the evening hours.
Hundreds of additional cancellations piled up at nearby Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Dulles International Airport (IAD), amid similarly treacherous conditions.
Meanwhile, Amtrak is scraped scores of trains along its busy Northeast Corridor, as parts of the mid-Atlantic — including the Washington, D.C., area — saw heavy snowfall Monday.
Altogether, the messy conditions made for a trying start to 2025's first full work week — and followed a holiday travel period that had its ups and downs, as well.
Forecasters had warned for days of significant travel disruptions for days as the winter storm took shape last week. Ahead of the storm's arrival on the East Coast, the National Weather Service cautioned that "major impacts" to travel would be likely throughout the day on Monday.
Monday's widespread flight cancellations on the East Coast came after a treacherous weekend at Midwest airports, most notably at Missouri's Kansas City International Airport (MCI), which saw nearly 95% of Sunday's departures canceled — a day after the airport had to temporarily shutter its runways in the face of rapid ice accumulation, at one point delaying the Kansas City Chiefs' planned departure for a game in Denver.
Amtrak cancels dozens of trains
The winter storm is affecting more than air travel. On Monday, Amtrak announced dozens of train cancellations for its Northeast Corridor service between D.C. and Boston.
The rail operator also shuttered a handful of planned Acela service along the East Coast.
Head to Amtrak's website for a full list of train cancellations.
Airlines offer additional flexibility
Most major U.S. airlines have issued travel alerts that allow passengers extra flexibility to make itinerary changes amid the bad weather. That includes waiving change fees, even for travelers flying on the most restrictive fare types.
Southwest Airlines has been the hardest hit airline since the start of the storm, leading all U.S. airlines with more than 500 cancellations Monday, FlightAware data shows — about 14% of its schedule — this after shuttering close to 400 flights Sunday. The Dallas-based carrier has a sizable presence in both hard-hit Kansas City and St. Louis — not to mention at both BWI and DCA.
American Airlines canceled at least 240 flights so far on Monday, and has been stung in recent days by ground stops at its DCA hub on Monday, and on Sunday at its Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) home base due to high winds.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier just came off a holiday travel season that had brought a share of hurdles, as well, Christmas Eve tech glitch to severe thunderstorms in Texas throughout Christmas week.
As for this latest round of winter weather, here's what to know if you'll be traveling over the next couple of days.
Watch for a travel advisory
Check your airline's website. Your flight may be covered by one of the many travel advisories issued by major U.S. carriers.
This could allow you to more easily make complimentary itinerary changes right from your airline's app — even if you're flying on an ordinarily restrictive ticket like basic economy.
American Airlines, for instance, has an advisory covering close to three-dozen airports across a large portion of the country, including its PHL and DCA hubs.
United Airlines has done the same for nearly a dozen airports, including its IAD hub. Southwest's travel alert covers a handful of cities where it has a major footprint, including Kansas City, St. Louis, Nashville and Baltimore.
Here are links to travel advisories for the four largest U.S. carriers:
It's worth noting that several carriers also issued travel advisories this past week in the wake of the Jan. 1 terrorist attack in New Orleans.
See a good rebooking option? Don't delay
If you're battling flight delays and see a halfway decent rebooking option pop up in your airline's app, don't waste a second: Lock it in!
With thousands of flights knocked off their normal schedules by bad weather, a huge number of passengers are simultaneously vying for open seats on the flights that are getting out on time — and those open seats can fill up quickly.
Read more: Flight canceled or delayed? Here's what to do next
Staying home? You may be eligible for a refund
If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed and you choose to simply stay home instead of flying, you should be eligible for a refund.
U.S. Department of Transportation rules require airlines to refund passengers for the unflown portion of their ticket when their flight is canceled or significantly delayed — but only if the passenger opts not to travel instead of accepting rebooking.
Easy cancellation and miles back on award bookings
Meanwhile, if Mother Nature has you wanting to stay home and forgo that trip you booked with frequent flyer miles, you're in luck.
Generally, most U.S. airlines will allow you to cancel award bookings and get all your miles back with no fee. You'll typically get a refund for any associated taxes and fees, too.
Make use of airline lounge customer service
Stranded in an airport? If you're a member of an airline lounge, don't forget: There are typically customer service agents there who can help you sort out an itinerary — and there's often a shorter wait than you'll find on the airport concourse amid the masses.
Keep in mind, though, that this applies to airline-branded lounges for the carrier you're flying — not credit card-branded lounges.
Read more: 5 ways to ensure you have lounge access before your next flight
Getting compensation for a delayed flight
Airlines have made a wide range of promises to the DOT for meals, hotel accommodations and other guarantees in the event of flight cancellations and major delays. However, these typically apply to "controllable" disruptions (like maintenance or staffing issues) and generally do not apply when bad weather affects travel.
This is where a travel credit card that offers travel insurance protections can come in handy, helping you recoup unexpected costs when flight trouble leaves you stranded. The one catch: In most cases, you'll typically need to book your trip with that card in order to make a successful claim.
Related reading:
- TPG's 2025 Travel Trends Report
- Key travel tips you need to know — whether you're a first-time or frequent traveler
- Best travel credit cards
- Where to go in 2025: The 29 best places to travel
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- 8 of the best credit cards for general travel purchases
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