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The most powerful winter storm of the season so far struck the East Coast on Monday, causing chaos across various means of transport — from air travel to railways and roads.
As of 8 p.m. EST Monday, airlines had canceled in excess of 2,200 flights nationwide, according to statistics from FlightAware. Almost 8,000 additional flights experienced delays — with total disruptions reaching approximately 21,000 flights impacted since the winter storm began blanketing a significant portion of the country with snow on Sunday.
Furthermore, nearly 200 flights scheduled for Tuesday have already been canceled.
Though the interruptions impacted numerous airports along the East Coast on Monday, the majority of the flight complications were situated in the Washington, D.C. region, where snowfall accumulated throughout the day.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) declared it would close its runways Monday evening, allowing crews the opportunity to remove snow and mitigate overnight refreeze — in hope of minimizing further disruptions on Tuesday.
DCA reported the highest cancellation rates of any U.S. airport on Monday, with over 85% of scheduled departures canceled by the evening.
Countless additional cancellations occurred at nearby Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and Dulles International Airport (IAD), amid similarly hazardous conditions.
Simultaneously, Amtrak is canceling numerous trains along its busy Northeast Corridor, as segments of the mid-Atlantic — including the Washington, D.C., area — witnessed substantial snowfall on Monday.
In total, the challenging conditions cultivated a difficult beginning to the first full workweek of 2025 — following a holiday travel season that had its own share of challenges.
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Meteorologists had predicted considerable travel disruptions for days as the winter storm developed last week. Before the storm’s onset on the East Coast, the National Weather Service warned that “major impacts” to travel were likely throughout the day on Monday.
The extensive flight cancellations across the East Coast on Monday followed a perilous weekend at Midwest airports, particularly at Missouri’s Kansas City International Airport (MCI), which experienced nearly 95% of Sunday’s flights being canceled — a day after the airport was compelled to temporarily close its runways due to rapid ice buildup, which at one point delayed the Kansas City Chiefs’ scheduled departure for a game in Denver.
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Amtrak cancels multiple trains
The winter storm is impacting more than just air travel. On Monday, Amtrak revealed a number of train cancellations for its Northeast Corridor service operating between D.C. and Boston.
The railway operator also suspended a few scheduled Acela services along the East Coast.
Visit Amtrak’s site for a complete list of train cancellations.
Airlines provide added flexibility
Most major U.S. carriers have released travel alerts that enable travelers greater flexibility to alter their itineraries amid the inclement weather. This includes the waiving of change fees, even for passengers booked on the most restrictive fare types.
Southwest Airlines has been the most impacted airline since the onset of the storm, with more than 500 cancellations on Monday alone, according to FlightAware data — about 14% of its schedule — following nearly 400 flight cancellations on Sunday. The Dallas-based airline has a significant presence in both heavily affected Kansas City and St. Louis — not to mention at both BWI and DCA.
American Airlines has so far canceled at least 240 flights on Monday and faced recent disruptions due to ground stops at its DCA hub on Monday, as well as at its Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) base on Sunday owing to strong winds.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline just finished a holiday travel season that came with its share of challenges, including a Christmas Eve technical glitch and severe thunderstorms in Texas throughout Christmas week.
Concerning this latest bout of winter weather, here’s important information for travelers in the next couple of days.
Watch for travel notifications
Review your airline’s site. Your flight might be subject to one of the numerous travel notifications released by major U.S. airlines.
This could facilitate complimentary itinerary changes directly through your airline’s application — even if you’re flying on a typically restrictive ticket such as basic economy.
American Airlines, for example, has an advisory affecting nearly thirty airports across a broad section of the nation, including its PHL and DCA hubs.
United Airlines has taken similar action for almost a dozen airports, including its IAD hub. Southwest’s travel alert encompasses several cities where it has a major presence, such as Kansas City, St. Louis, Nashville, and Baltimore.
Here are links to travel notifications for the four largest U.S. airlines:
It’s important to recognize that numerous airlines also issued travel advisories earlier this week following the Jan. 1 terrorist attack in New Orleans.
If you see a good rebooking option, don’t wait
If you’re facing flight delays and spot a decent rebooking alternative in your airline’s app, don’t hesitate: Secure it immediately!
With thousands of flights grounded due to severe weather, an enormous number of passengers are simultaneously competing for available seats on flights that are departing on schedule — and those available seats can fill up fast.
Read more: Flight canceled or delayed? Here’s what to do next
Staying at home? You might qualify for a reimbursement
If your flight is canceled or considerably delayed and you opt to remain home rather than travel, you should qualify for a reimbursement.
Regulations from the U.S. Department of Transportation mandate that airlines must reimburse passengers for the portion of their ticket that was not flown when their flight is canceled or significantly delayed — but only if the passenger chooses not to proceed with travel instead of agreeing to a rebooking.
Simplified cancellation and miles returned on award reservations
In the meantime, if Mother Nature is prompting you to stay home and skip that trip you scheduled with frequent flyer miles, you’re in good fortune.
Typically, most U.S. airlines will permit you to cancel award reservations and recover all of your miles without any fee. Generally, you will also receive a reimbursement for any related taxes and fees.
Utilize airline lounge customer assistance
Stuck in an airport? If you’re a subscriber of an airline lounge, remember: There are usually customer service representatives available who can assist you in sorting out your itinerary — and there’s often a shorter wait compared to what you’d encounter on the airport concourse among the crowds.
Do keep in mind, though, that this is applicable to airline-branded lounges for the carrier you’re traveling with — not lounges branded by credit cards.
Read more: 5 methods to guarantee you have lounge access prior to your next flight
Obtaining reimbursement for a delayed flight
Airlines have made various commitments to the DOT regarding meals, lodging, and other guarantees in case of flight cancellations and significant delays. However, these usually pertain to “controllable” disruptions (like maintenance or staffing problems) and generally do not apply when adverse weather impacts travel.
This is where a travel credit card that provides travel insurance benefits can be beneficial, assisting you in recovering unexpected expenses when airline issues leave you stranded. The only caveat: In most instances, you will typically have to book your journey using that card to successfully file a claim.
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