U.S. airlines have canceled more than 13,000 flights scheduled for Saturday and Sunday as a powerful winter storm threatens large parts of the country with snow, ice, and dangerously cold temperatures, according to flight tracking data.
FlightAware data shows that more than 4,000 flights were canceled for Saturday, while cancellations for Sunday surged past 9,400. The total marks the highest number of single-day flight cancellations since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.
Several major airports across the central and southern United States have been heavily affected. In Oklahoma City, all departing and arriving flights at Will Rogers International Airport were canceled for Saturday, with additional cancellations extending into Sunday morning.
Dallas–Fort Worth International Airport, Nashville International Airport, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport were among the hardest hit hubs as airlines moved to ground flights ahead of deteriorating weather conditions.
Airlines said the widespread cancellations were necessary to protect passengers and crew as the storm moves east.
Delta Air Lines said late Thursday that flight cancellations were required at select airports in North Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee to ensure safe operations. The carrier has also expanded travel waivers across much of the eastern United States, including major cities such as Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.
American Airlines, which operates its largest hub at Dallas–Fort Worth, said it added extra flights to help accommodate stranded travelers as conditions briefly improved in some areas. The airline scheduled additional flights in and out of DFW on Friday and Sunday and added more flights Saturday between Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
Airport officials in Dallas issued a winter weather advisory urging travelers to closely monitor road conditions, confirm flight status directly with airlines, and follow official airport updates for real-time information.
Major U.S. carriers have issued travel waivers allowing passengers to change flights without penalty, though restrictions apply. Delta’s waiver allows customers to rebook flights within a defined travel window, while American Airlines said passengers traveling through 34 U.S. airports could modify itineraries at no additional cost if tickets were purchased before January 19 and travel was scheduled between January 23 and January 25.
Meteorologists warned that the storm could impact travel well beyond the weekend as freezing rain and snow spread across large sections of the Midwest, South, and East Coast. Airlines cautioned that delays and additional cancellations remain possible as conditions evolve.
Travelers are being advised to remain flexible, check flight status frequently, and allow extra time to reach airports as winter weather continues to disrupt transportation networks nationwide.
