Airlines Set Travel Waivers Ahead of Northeast Winter Storm
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Update 2/9/17 9:00am: Airlines have now canceled nearly 3,000 flights today, based on FlightAware data. The majority of cancellations are in the NYC area, with almost 1,000 total flights canceled, followed by Boston and Philadelphia. Flights are impacted nationwide, however, given that many of the canceled flights were scheduled to/from destinations not affected by the storm.
Update 2/8/17 2:30pm: According to aircraft tracking site FlightAware, airlines have already canceled ~1,600 flights ahead of tomorrow's storm.
After a mild past few weeks, the Northeast is preparing for its first big winter storm since mid-January. The same low pressure system that spawned tornadoes in New Orleans will swing northward and help generate a forecasted 5-9 inches of snow across much of the Northeast on Thursday.
If you decide to keep your original flight schedule, keep in mind that airlines won’t be responsible for paying for your meals or hotels in the case of weather-related delays/cancellations. However, you might be covered by your credit card. Here are the top credit card that offer solid flight delay/cancellation insurance: Citi Prestige ($500 per passenger for 3+ hour delay), Chase Sapphire Reserve ($500 per ticket for 6+ hour or overnight delay) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ($500 per ticket for 12+ hour or overnight delay).
The following airports are covered by at least one of the waivers below:
As of publishing, here are the current travel waivers:
- Travel date: February 9
- Must have bought your ticket by February 7, 2017. Rebook travel anytime between February 7-12. You can’t change your origin or destination city. Must rebook in same class or pay the difference.
- Travel date: February 9
- Ticket must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin by February 12.
- When rescheduled travel occurs beyond February 12, 2017, the change fee will be waived. However, a difference in fare may apply.
- Winter Storm Niko Fee Waiver
- Travel date: February 9
- Customers may rebook their flights for travel through Sunday, February 12, 2017, prior to the departure of their originally scheduled flight. Customers with cancelled flights may opt for a refund. Original travel must have been booked on or before Tuesday, February 7, 2017.
- Northeast Winter Storm Fee Waiver
- Travel date: February 8
- Airports: Boston, MA (BOS); Burlington, VT (BTV); Portland, ME (PWM); Worcester, MA (ORH)
- Customers may rebook their flights for travel from Tuesday, February 7, 2017 through Saturday, February 11, 2017 prior to the departure of their originally scheduled flight. Original travel must have been booked on or before Tuesday, February 7, 2017.
- Travel dates: vary by airport, including February 7-9
- Customers who are holding reservations to, from, or through the cities listed above on the corresponding dates, and want to alter their travel plans may rebook in the original class of service or travel standby (within 14 days of their original date of travel between the original city-pairs and in accordance with [Southwest] accommodation procedures) without paying any additional charge.
- Travel dates: February 9-10, 2017
- The change fee and any difference in fare will be waived for new flights departing on or before February 12, 2017, as long as travel is rescheduled in the same cabin (any fare class) and between the same cities as originally ticketed.
- Travel dates: February 8-9
- Airports: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
- Change flights by February 10
- Rebooked travel through February 16
- Guests can change to available flights from February 10-16, on the same route as the original itinerary and within the same cabin/class of service. Guests who wish to upgrade to available seats in Main Cabin Select or First Class may pay the difference in fare. Changes must be made prior to the originally scheduled departure time and original travel must have been booked on or before February 7, 2016.
No alerts yet from: Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines
