Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Brace for Another Winter Storm; All Major Airlines Issue Waivers

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.

Old Man Winter has no intention to leave the Northeast and mid-Atlantic just because spring is here. With Tuesday officially marking the first day of spring, winter is celebrating with a fourth winter storm in just about three weeks — this time, dubbed Winter Storm Toby.

This time around, the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions are expected to face the brunt of the storm, which is expected to drop wet, heavy snow and rains on the region. Those in its path can also expect to experience significant winds. Ultimately, if you've been around for the past three winter storms this month, you can expect much of the same this time — snow, rain and wind.

Just like the last three storms, this one will likely have some affect on travel. The storm is expected to hit the mid-Atlantic region between Tuesday and Wednesday before making its way to the New York tri-state area and New England states into Wednesday. By Thursday, the snow should taper off, with the possibility of some lingering flakes and strong winds in parts of Maine. American Airlines has canceled 132 flights on Tuesday, and both AA and Republic Airline have already canceled 81 flights on Wednesday — the majority at Philadelphia (PHL) and Washington Reagan (DCA).

All major US airlines have travel waivers in place for travelers with flexible plans — some are separated into two different waivers. If you can’t delay your itinerary, airlines aren’t going to be responsible for paying for your meals or hotels in the case of weather-related delays/cancellations. But some top cards have flight delay/cancellation insurance that can reimburse you for weather issues, including 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 ($500 per ticket for 12+ hour or overnight delay).

As of 8:15 Tuesday morning, here are the travel waivers covering this storm:

Alaska Airlines

• Travel dates: March 20-22
• Airports affected: Baltimore (BWI); Boston (BOS); New York - Kennedy (JFK); New York - LaGuardia (LGA); Newark (EWR); Philadelphia (PHL); Washington, DC - Reagan (DCA); Washington, DC - Dulles (IAD)
• Must have purchased your ticket by March 19
• Rebooked travel must be completed by March 28
• You may request a refund if you choose not to travel at all. Tickets must be exchanged or refunded on or before March 22. Rebook your flight or apply for a refund online.

American Airlines

• Travel dates: March 20-21
• Airports affected: Allentown, Pennsylvania (ABE); Baltimore, Maryland (BWI); Boston, Massachusetts (BOS); Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (MDT); Hartford, Connecticut (BDL); Islip, New York (ISP); Manchester, New Hampshire (MHT); New Haven, Connecticut (HVN); New York Kennedy, New York (JFK); New York LaGuardia, New York (LGA); Newark, New Jersey (EWR); Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PHL); Providence, Rhode Island (PVD); Stewart Newburgh, New York (SWF); Washington Dulles, Washington DC (IAD); Washington Reagan, Washington DC (DCA); White Plains/Westchester County, New York (HPN); Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pennsylvania (AVP)
• Must have purchased your ticket by March 18
• Rebook travel anytime between March 18-25
• You can’t change your origin or destination city. Must rebook in same cabin or pay the difference.

Delta

• Travel dates: March 20-21
• Airports covered: Allentown, PA (ABE); Baltimore, MD (BWI); Boston, MA (BOS); Harrisburg, PA (MDT); Hartford, CT (BDL); Manchester, New Hampshire (MHT); New York – Kennedy, NY (JFK); New York – LaGuardia, NY (LGA); Newark, NJ (EWR); Newburgh, NY (SWF); Philadelphia, PA (PHL); Providence, RI (PVD); Scranton, PA (AVP); Stewart, NY (SWF); Washington Reagan, DC (DCA); Washington Dulles, DC (IAD); White Plains, NY (HPN)
• Ticket must be reissued by March 25
• Rebooked travel must begin no later than March 25
• When rescheduled travel occurs beyond March 25, 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. Final travel must be completed by end of ticket validity.

Frontier

• Travel dates: March 20-21
• Airports covered: New York LaGuardia (LGA); New York Islip (ISP); Philadelphia (PHL); Providence (PVD); Trenton (TTN); Washington National (DCA); Washington Dulles (IAD)
• Must have bought your ticket by March 19
• Rebook travel anytime through March 30
• Origin and destination cities may be changed. Customers whose flights are cancelled may request a refund. Online Refund Form.

JetBlue

• Mid-Atlantic
• Travel dates: March 20-21
• Airports covered: Baltimore, MD (BWI); Pittsburgh, PA (PIT); Washington, DC (DCA); Washington, DC (IAD)
• Must have bought your ticket by March 19
• Rebook travel anytime through March 19-23
• To rebook travel or request a refund online, click here. If you are already checked in for your flight, call JetBlue at 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583) for assistance with rebooking or a credit.
• Northeast/New England
• Travel dates: March 21
• Airports covered: Boston, MA (BOS); Hartford, CT (BDL); New York, NY (JFK); New York, NY (LGA); Newark, NJ (EWR); Newburgh, NY (SWF); Portland, ME (PWM); Providence, RI (PVD); White Plains, NY (HPN); Worcester, MA (ORH)
• Must have bought your ticket by March 19
• Rebook travel anytime through March 19-23
• To rebook travel or request a refund online, click here. If you are already checked in for your flight, call JetBlue at 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583) for assistance with rebooking or a credit.

Southwest

• Mid-Atlantic
• Travel dates: March 20-21
• Airports covered: Baltimore (BWI); Philadelphia (PHL); Pittsburgh (PIT); Washington - Dulles (IAD); Washington - National (DCA)
• Customers who are holding reservations on these 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’s accommodation procedures) without paying any additional charge.
• Northeast
• Travel dates: March 21
• Airports covered: Islip (ISP); New York - LaGuardia (LGA); Newark (EWR)
• Customers who are holding reservations on these 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’s accommodation procedures) without paying any additional charge.
• New England
• Travel dates: March 21-22
• Airports covered: Boston (BOS); Hartford-Bradley (BDL); Manchester (MHT); Portland (PWM); Providence (PVD)
• Customers who are holding reservations on these 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’s accommodation procedures) without paying any additional charge.

Spirit

• Mid-Atlantic/Northeast
• Travel dates: March 20-21
• Airports covered: Atlantic City, NJ (ACY); Baltimore, MD (BWI); Newark, NJ (EWR); New York, NY (LGA); Philadelphia, PA (PHL); Pittsburgh, PA (PIT)
• Modification charge/fare difference waived through March 24. After this date, the modification charge is waived, by a fare difference may apply.
• New England
• Travel dates: March 21
• Airports covered: Boston, MA (BOS); Hartford, CT (BDL)
• Modification charge/fare difference waived through March 24. After this date, the modification charge is waived, by a fare difference may apply.

United

• Travel dates: March 20-21
• Airports covered: Baltimore, MD (BWI); Boston, MA (BOS); Harrisburg, PA (MDT); Hartford, CT (BDL); Manchester, NH (MHT); New York/Newark, NJ (EWR); New York-Kennedy, NY (JFK); New York-LaGuardia, NY (LGA); Philadelphia, PA (PHL); Pittsburgh, PA (PIT); Portland, ME (PWM); Providence, RI (PVD); Washington, DC - Dulles (IAD); Washington-National, DC (DCA); Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (AVP)
• The change fee and any difference in fare will be waived for new United flights departing on or before March 24, as long as travel is rescheduled in the originally ticketed cabin (any fare class) and between the same cities as originally ticketed.​​​

Virgin America

• Travel dates: March 20-22
• Airport covered: Baltimore (BWI); Boston (BOS); New York, Kennedy (JFK); New York, LaGuardia (LGA); Newark (EWR); Philadelphia (PHL); Washington, DC - Reagan (DCA); Washington, DC - Dulles (IAD)
• Tickets must have been purchased by: March 19
• [Virgin] will waive the change fees and the difference in the price of the ticket if the new travel is booked to or from the affected cities in the same cabin and completed on or before March 28, 2018. Additional taxes and fees may apply. You may request a refund if you choose not to travel at all. Tickets must be exchanged or refunded on or before March 22, 2018.
• To modify an existing reservation during this period, you may contact [Virgin America’s] Call Center at 1.877.FLY.VIRGIN* (877.359.8474) for assistance. Or manage your reservation online: Change your flight. Cancel or refund your flight.

No waivers at this time from: Hawaiian.