All News
Left arrow

Historic Winter Storm Causes Mass US Flight Cancellations

Historic Winter Storm Causes Mass US Flight Cancellations

A powerful winter storm caused widespread flight cancellations across the United States and parts of Canada on Sunday. 

The disruption reached levels not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic. Airlines warned delays and cancellations would continue into the week as conditions worsened.

Severe Weather Brings US Aviation to a Standstill

The storm delivered heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies to New England. Dangerous conditions slowed airport operations and delayed recovery efforts nationwide.

Emergency declarations were issued in 17 states and Washington, DC. US airlines cancelled more than 11,000 flights on Sunday, according to FlightAware.

This marked the highest daily cancellation total in nearly six years. More than 2,400 additional US flights were already cancelled for Monday.

  • Washington Reagan National cancelled 99% of flights and shut down completely on Sunday.
  • Baltimore-Washington followed closely with a 97% cancellation rate.
  • LaGuardia cancelled over 90% of flights before closing Sunday afternoon.
  • JFK cancelled 80% of flights, while Newark reached an 84% cancellation rate.
Major Airports Face Slow Recovery
  • Airports in Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Philadelphia operated heavily reduced schedules.
  • Boston Logan and Philadelphia airports remained open but struggled with high cancellation volumes.

Crews worked overnight to clear runways, aircraft, and taxiways. More than 70% of flights were cancelled in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Boston recorded a 66% cancellation rate as recovery remained slow.

Canada Sees Fewer Cancellations but Ongoing Delays

Canadian airports experienced fewer cancellations but continued delays.

  • Toronto Pearson cancelled 56% of flights, while Montreal-Trudeau cancelled 24%.
  • Halifax cancelled around 10% of flights on Sunday.

All major Canadian airports remained operational despite snow, wind, and de-icing delays. Airlines across the US and Canada waived change fees and urged passengers to monitor flight status.