More than 3,000 flights canceled as latest winter storms sock US
More than 3,000 flights to, from and within the United States were canceled on Thursday and Friday as a sprawling winter storm system brought rain, snow and ice to states as widespread as Texas and Massachusetts.
On Thursday, 2,147 U.S. flights were canceled, according to FlightAware, more than half of which were scheduled to fly to or from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which saw cold temperatures and freezing rain.
In total, 1,142 flights to or from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) were canceled, which accounts for roughly 57% of the airport's daily operations. Another 201 flights at Dallas Love Field (DAL) were canceled.
American Airlines led the cancellation count with 686 mainline flights, nearly a quarter of its schedule for the day, followed by Southwest with 370 flights (10% of its schedule). Both airlines are headquartered in Dallas. Many of the cancellations were made proactively in preparation for the storm.
The situation in Dallas was largely resolved by Friday morning, with just a few dozen cancellations and delays. But as the storm system moved into the Northeast, the precipitation, rain, sleet and snow led to another 1,417 delays as of 11 a.m. ET.
Related: Here's what to do if your flight is delayed or canceled
There were 311 flights (62%) from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) that had been canceled for the day, with another 229 inbound flights (45%) scrapped. Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) saw 109 outbound (18%) and 76 inbound (12%) cancellations, while LaGuardia Airport (LGA) saw 98 outbound (17%) and 49 inbound (8%) flights canceled. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) saw 56 departing flights (12%) and 71 arriving flights (16%) nixed.
Those flying to or from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Dulles International Airport (IAD) were in for a better time — each airport saw just a few dozen cancellations.
New York-based JetBlue had the most cancellations with 225 flights (24%) grounded, followed by regional carrier Republic, which operates flights across the Northeast on behalf of Delta, United and American — Republic canceled 246 flights (24%).
Air travel has been heavily affected by storms this winter, with continuous bad weather compounding operational difficulties during the holiday period linked to the spread of the omicron variant.
About 20,000 flights to, from and within the U.S. were canceled between Dec. 22 and Jan. 3.
Related: Snapshot: 1 in 13 flights were canceled during the holidays. How US airlines fared
The good news for passengers is that airlines have begun to cancel higher numbers of flights proactively once weather forecasts firm up, instead of waiting for the day of the storm.
That means that instead of watching delays stack up before flights are eventually canceled, passengers can find out as much as a day or two ahead of time, allowing them to manage their schedules before heading to the airport.
If you find yourself facing a cancellation or severe delay, here are TPG's tips for managing those flight delays and cancellations.