Free Flight Changes Due to Flooding in California, Bad Weather in East Coast
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Just months after devastating fires ravaged California, people in the state are having to evacuate again due to widespread flooding. And, bad weather on the east coast continues to delay and cancel flights. Not even halfway through the day on Tuesday, there have already been almost 1,500 delays and more than 200 flight cancellations so far in the US.
Due to fog in DC, Reagan National (DCA) has seen the worst of the delays and cancellations midday according to FlightAware's Misery Map. Dallas (DFW/DAL) and Chicago (ORD/MDW) are also experiencing a large number of delays:
Some airlines are allowing free flight changes to allow flexible travelers to avoid these problem areas. However, these continuing weather issues underscores yet again the importance of booking flights with a credit card that offers trip delay and cancellation insurance. After all, airlines aren't responsible for paying for your meals or hotels in the case of weather-related delays/cancellations.
That's why you want to cover yourself by booking with cards such as the Citi Prestige ($500 per passenger for 3+ hour delay), the Chase Sapphire Reserve ($500 per ticket for 6+ hour or overnight delay) and Chase Sapphire Preferred Card ($500 per ticket for 12+ hour or overnight delay).
As of 12pm Eastern, the following airline waivers are available:
American Airlines
SAN FRANCISCO
- Travel dates: January 8-9
- Airports covered: San Francisco (SFO)
- Must have purchased your ticket by January 8
- Rebook travel anytime between January 8-13
- You can’t change your origin or destination city. Must rebook in same cabin or pay the difference.
Delta
NORTHEAST
- Travel dates: January 8-9
- Airports covered: Baltimore, MD (BWI); Boston, MA (BOS); Hartford, CT ( BDL); Newburgh, NY (SWF); New York - Kennedy, NY (JFK); New York - LaGuardia, NY ( LGA); Newark, NJ ( EWR); Philadelphia, PA (PHL); Providence, RI (PVD); Washington D.C. – Reagan (DCA); Washington D.C. – Dulles (IAD); White Plains, NY (HPN)
- Ticket must be reissued by: January 12
- Rebooked travel must begin no later than: January 12
- When rescheduled travel occurs beyond January 12, the change fee will be waived. However, a difference in fare may apply. Final travel must be completed by end of ticket validity, one year from date of original issue.
- If travel is not able to be rescheduled within these guidelines, customers may cancel their reservation and apply any unused value of the ticket toward the purchase of a new ticket for a period of one year from the original ticket issuance. Applicable change fee and fare difference will apply for new travel dates.
United
LOS ANGELES
- Travel date: January 9
- Airports covered: Los Angeles (LAX)
- The change fee and any difference in fare will be waived for new United flights departing on or before January 13, as long as travel is rescheduled in the originally ticketed cabin (any fare class) and between the same cities as originally ticketed.
