Thousands of Flights Canceled as Winter Storm Grips US

Key Takeaways

• Over 20,000 flights have been canceled amid a winter storm that swept through the U.S. over the weekend.
• Major airlines said they are waiving some fees to change tickets in cities impacted by the storm.

Far fewer planes in the U.S. heard "cleared for takeoff" this weekend.

The winter storm that battered much of the U.S. with snow and ice this weekend has had a severe impact on air travel, with over 20,000 flights canceled Saturday through Monday morning, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.

Further travel disruptions are expected this week, with another 4,300 flights already canceled for Monday with over 10,400 delayed. Flights departing from or set to arrive at airports in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., were hit particularly hard as the cities faced heavy snow on Sunday. Cancellations ranged from more than half to nearly all of the flights leaving from airports across the cities.

Why This Matters to Investors

Snowstorms and extreme cold can lead to widespread flight delays or cancellations, disrupting itineraries for travelers. Those cancellations can also be expensive for airlines, and negatively impact their quarterly results when they are reported to investors.

Major airports such as John F. Kennedy International and Newark Liberty International are currently experiencing close to 50% cancellation rates, per FlightAware, with cancellation rates at Boston Logan Airport hovering around 60% early Monday.

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Several major airlines, including Delta Air Lines (DAL), United Airlines (UAL), American Airlines (AAL), and Southwest Airlines (LUV), have said they are waiving fees to change tickets in cities impacted by the storm, with dozens of airports still on alert for where travel is likely to be impacted.

Shares of the four major U.S. airlines were little changed in early trading Monday.

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