US Airlines Cancel Thousands of Flights Amid Winter Storm

More flights and rail trips are expected to be canceled or delayed over the coming days, with Amtrak canceling trips in the Northeast and Midwest.

A jet taxis in snow at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on Dec. 22, 2022. Scott Olson/Getty Images

Thousands of flights have been delayed or canceled across the United States amid the ongoing winter storm, with disruptions likely to continue for the next few days. Weather forecasts predict current conditions to persist.

On Jan. 6, the total number of flights affected stands at 2,827 as of 9:20 a.m. EST, which includes 1,343 delays within, into, or out of the United States and 1,484 cancellations, according to tracking data from FlightAware.

There were 9,334 delays on Jan. 5, along with 1,816 cancellations, taking the total number of affected U.S. flights to 11,150.

More than 8,000 flights were delayed or canceled on Jan. 4 when the storm began in the central region of the United States.

The National Weather Service (NWS) had predicted a storm between Jan. 4 and 6, warning that there would be “significant snow and ice from the Central Plains through Mid-Atlantic,” according to a post on social media platform X.

Weather forecasters have warned of windchills in the eastern two-thirds of the United States beginning Jan. 6, with temperatures potentially 12 degrees Fahrenheit to 15 degrees Fahrenheit colder than usual.

Between Jan. 6 and 8, the NWS is expecting eight to 14 inches of snow from northern Missouri through the Central Appalachians. About six to 12 inches of snow are expected “across the Mid-Atlantic states including the Washington, D.C. metro area.”

“Heavy freezing rain will create a swath of damaging ice accumulations from Kansas through the central Appalachians,” the NWS stated.

The forecast means that flight disruptions could continue over the coming days.

Multiple airlines, such as United Airlines and American Airlines, have issued travel advisories, listing the airports affected by the winter weather.

American Airlines is allowing affected customers to change their flights and is waiving fees typically charged for such changes.

United is also waiving fees and fare differences for customers rescheduling their trips.

“[The] new flight must be a United flight departing between January 3, 2025, and January 13, 2025. Tickets must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked,” it stated.

Rail Travel, State Emergencies

Rail traffic has also been affected by the weather. On Jan. 5, Amtrak announced adjustments to rail travel schedules “due to forecasted winter weather.” The affected customers were provided no alternative transportation solutions.

For Jan. 6, Amtrak has canceled several trains in the Northeast and Midwest regions, and for Jan. 7, two train schedules are canceled in the Northeast.

Several states such as Kentucky, Arkansas, and Virginia have made emergency declarations.

A plow clears a parking lot during a winter storm in Cincinnati, on Jan. 5, 2025. Joshua A. Bickel/AP Photo

In Kentucky, the governor has “implemented the state’s price gouging laws to protect Kentuckians from overpriced goods and services as they clean up and recover from the storm,” according to a Jan. 4 statement from his office.

In it, Kentucky Emergency Management Director Eric Gibson asked citizens to be careful when using generators.

“Many households run generators during a power outage, and homeowners should take extra precautions to avoid injury,” the statement read. “Gasoline- or diesel fuel-powered generators can produce potentially deadly levels of carbon monoxide and should be operated only in well-ventilated, covered, unheated areas—never inside.”

In Washington, Mayor Muriel Bowser said that public schools would remain closed on Jan. 6. She declared a snow emergency to be in effect until at least the end of Jan. 7.

Motorists are prohibited from parking on snow emergency routes while the notice is in effect. Vehicles that violate the rule “may be towed,” her office said in a Jan. 5 statement.

Firefighters with the Louisville Fire Department Quint 9 shovel snow in front of their station in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 5, 2025. Luke Sharrett/Getty Images

Residential and commercial property owners “are encouraged to spread abrasives (e.g., salt, pet-friendly deicer, or non-clumping kitty litter) on their sidewalks before precipitation begins to reduce the possibility of icing and to prevent slips and falls,” the statement read.

In Virginia, state police advised residents to postpone travel and avoid driving until the weather improves, according to a Jan. 3 statement from Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office.

Police said that if a person has to travel during this period, vehicle headlights must be turned on to increase visibility and that people should drive slowly to avoid potential crashes.

“If you find yourself needing to be on the roadways, please heed any warnings and make sure you are keeping yourselves and others safe,” Youngkin said.