Air travel got off to a good start this long weekend, but it didn’t last long.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, airlines began preemptively canceling flights ahead of expected snow in the Northeast. More disruptions were possible Monday and Tuesday in the Deep South thanks to a second winter storm, this one potentially huge brewing off the Texas coast.
First up, though, was the threat of winter weather in the Northeast.
Airlines had preemptively canceled 585 flights as of 12:45 a.m. EDT Sunday morning, with most of them arriving at airports serving the New York, Washington and Boston metropolitan areas. Nearly three dozen Monday flights had also been canceled.
Leading the pack of cancellations on Sunday: Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), where a total of 178 arrivals and departures were canceled, or about 17% of the airport’s full daily schedule. according to flight tracking service FlightAware. Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) ranked second, with approximately 15% of Sunday’s scheduled schedule preemptively canceled. Both airports are United Airlines hubs.
More delays were possible on Sunday once flakes begin to fall across the region.
Disruptions could continue next week from the second of a double blow to air travel. That second storm was expected to arrive Monday, when airports in the Deep South had already begun warning of another blast of wintry conditions that could wreak havoc in parts of the country where it rarely snows.
That included the possibility of snow accumulating from Texas along the Gulf Coast to northern Florida and then north through the megacenters of Atlanta and Charlotte by Tuesday.
Flight cancellations begin this weekend, most likely
The long weekend got off to a quiet start for most air travelers, with just 45 cancellations reported on U.S. flights on Saturday and 47 on Friday.
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However, in the early hours of Sunday morning, travelers faced hundreds of pre-emptive cancellations as bad weather forecasts became more certain.
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Cancellations and delays along the East Coast are likely to increase Sunday due to the fast-moving winter storm that is forecast to dump snow on parts of the New York metropolitan area, New England and the surrounding region.
Most major U.S. airlines had issued travel warnings for the coming days, covering many of the Northeast’s major hubs, from the three big airports in the New York City area to Boston, Philadelphia and the Washington region. , DC.
Those waivers gave travelers additional flexibility to make free ticket changes, even when flying on an ultra-restrictive ticket.
Northeast Winter Weather
Travelers should plan for disruptions when arriving or departing from LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and especially John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. he said on Friday.
The governing body for those airports urged travelers to check with their airline and allow extra time to get to the airport, particularly at JFK, amid ongoing construction at the region’s largest hub.
DC region hit by intense cold
To make matters worse: Travelers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) had to deal with an outage in its heating system in the terminals, causing temperatures inside to drop as travelers descended. over the city, bracing for extremely cold temperatures, ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday.
More winter weather possible next week
While this weekend’s winter storm is likely to disrupt air travel on Sunday and Monday, parts of the Deep South were already planning for the possibility of a winter storm that could cripple travel.
The National Weather Service warned of an “increasing potential” for a storm that could devastate parts of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, perhaps bringing “accumulation of snow and ice.” That could even include cities like Houston, New Orleans and Tallahassee. Florida, which rarely sees winter weather.
United Airlines, which operates a major hub at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), had already issued an additional travel waiver for next week’s developing storm, covering a number of southern airports, including its base from Houston.
Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) took to social media to note its preparations ahead of the impending storm.
The region has already been hit by severe storms, snow and ice in recent weeks. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), the second busiest in the country, has seen thousands of flight cancellations over the past month due to a spate of bad weather.
Whether your travels take you to the East Coast this weekend or parts of the South next week, here’s how you can start preparing now:
Watch for a travel advisory
Check your airline’s website. If you plan to fly to the mid-Atlantic or Northeast over the next few days, your flight is likely covered by one of the many travel advisories issued by major U.S. airlines.
This could allow you to make free itinerary changes more easily from your airline’s app, even if you fly on a typically restrictive ticket like basic economy.
American Airlines’ notice, for example, covers four of its major hubs: LaGuardia, JFK, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), and DCA.
Southwest Airlines serves its busy base at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), among other airports.
Here is a summary of the current alerts from the largest US airlines:
Note that United has two separate alerts: one for the northeast weather system this weekend that covers a large number of East Coast airports, including its hubs in Newark and Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAH).
The Chicago-based airline has a second warning for the Deep South weather system next week, so it can start planning ahead, now, for potential disruptions.
Keep an eye on your airline’s app
Be sure to download your airline’s app and watch it closely. You may receive notifications about flight delays or cancellations, and you’ll be able to spot early signs of problems with your travel plans.
Plus: If your flight is delayed or cancelled, your airline may allow you to book a new flight directly in the app.
This could save you a lot of time that you would otherwise spend waiting in customer service.
Read more: Flight canceled or delayed? Here’s what to do next
Do you see a good rebooking option? don’t delay
If you’re battling flight delays and see a halfway decent rebooking option popping up in your airline’s app, don’t waste a second: block it!
With thousands of flights likely to be affected by winter weather in the coming days, many other passengers will “compete” for seats on flights that depart on time. That means those open spaces will fill up quickly.
Don’t forget the living room
If using your airline’s app to make itinerary changes isn’t enough, you might consider visiting your airline’s lounge (if you’re a member, of course). Customer service desks at airline clubs can often have much shorter waits for assistance than what you’ll find in the airport lobby.
Just keep in mind: this applies only to airport lounges that are affiliated with your airline; clubs with credit card brands like the American Express Centurion Lounge either Capital One Lounge — while it’s a great place to kill time during a delay, it won’t be able to help you change your flights.
Review your refund rights
Now is a good time to review your rights to a refund when it comes to air travel.
Under U.S. Department of Transportation policy, airlines must refund you the unflown portion of your ticket when your flight is canceled or significantly delayed, only if you choose not to travel (and do not accept rebookings).
This rule applies even when the flight interruption is due to bad weather and can be helpful if you choose to stay home rather than catch a later flight in the middle of a winter storm.
Get compensation for a delayed flight
Airlines have made a wide range of promises to the DOT about meals, hotel accommodations and other guarantees in case of flight cancellations and major delays. However, keep in mind that these typically apply to “controllable” disruptions (such as maintenance or personnel issues) and are generally not No Apply when bad weather affects travel.
This is where a travel credit card offering travel insurance protections can come in handy and help you recover unexpected costs when flight problems leave you stranded. The only catch: In most cases, you’ll typically need to book your trip with that card in order to make a successful claim.
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