A rare and powerful winter storm is expected to paralyze large parts of the US and Canada this coming weekend, affecting an estimated 133 million people. Airlines are warning of widespread flight cancellations and delays as severe weather moves across the continent.
Weather forecasts predict snow, freezing rain and significant ice accumulation across 35 states, conditions likely to disrupt operations at major airports including Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, New York and Washington.
Airlines prepare in advance
Major airlines in the US and Canada have already taken steps to ease the burden on travelers, allowing passengers to change affected flights without additional fees.
Delta Air Lines is offering free flight changes through January 28 and is automatically rebooking passengers impacted by cancellations or missed connections.
American Airlines is allowing cancellations or postponements at no extra cost for most major airports for travel scheduled between January 23 and 25.
United Airlines, Southwest, Spirit and JetBlue have announced similar policies, stressing that passengers should closely monitor updates through airline apps and websites.
Under US Department of Transportation rules, passengers are entitled to a full refund if a flight is canceled, even when the reason is weather-related. Refunds also apply to optional services purchased in advance, such as extra-legroom seating or WiFi. However, airlines are not required to provide meals, hotel accommodation or financial compensation for delays caused by weather.
The swift response reflects hard lessons learned from previous winter storms that led to tens of thousands of flight cancellations, billions of dollars in losses and widespread operational failures across the airline industry.
TRAVEL NIGHTMARE - A destructive winter storm is going make travel virtually impossible from Texas to the Carolinas this weekend. Major airport hubs including Dallas, Atlanta, and Charlotte are likely to have major delays if not complete shutdowns. This will cripple all the… pic.twitter.com/0lI29uyhuB
— Dylan Federico (@DylanFedericoWX) January 20, 2026
What travelers should do
Passengers are advised to track flight updates through airline apps and websites.
They should consider arriving earlier than planned, even by a full day, especially if they are connecting to a cruise or onward flight.
Travelers are also encouraged to secure travel insurance that can cover additional expenses such as lodging or meals in the event of cancellations.
