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Flight Cancellations Smash Record as Winter Storm Plunges Travel Into Chaos

TRAVEL NIGHTMARE

Airports in major cities bore the brunt of the chaos.

A snow removal machine is seen working while an Airbus A321 Delta Airlines taxied to take off on the tarmac of LaGuardia airport in New York on January 25, 2026. A massive winter storm on January 24, 2026 dumped snow and freezing rain on New Mexico and Texas as it swept across the United States towards the northeast, threatening tens of millions of Americans with blackouts, transportation chaos and bone-chilling cold. Shoppers stripped supermarket shelves as the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast huge snowfall in some areas and possibly "catastrophic" ice accumulations.
Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

A powerful winter storm sweeping across the U.S. triggered massive flight disruptions Sunday, with airlines canceling more than 11,000 flights, the highest single-day number since the start of the pandemic, according to FlightAware.com. The storm brought heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain from the Southern Rockies to New England, and more than 3,600 additional cancellations were already reported for Monday. Airports in major cities bore the brunt of the chaos. Ronald Reagan National in Washington, D.C., canceled all flights, warning travelers to “stay home and off the icy roads,” while LaGuardia in New York City closed Sunday afternoon, with more than 90 percent of flights canceled. Dallas Fort Worth operated on a reduced schedule, with crews treating runways and roads to maintain safety. Atlanta, Charlotte, and Philadelphia also faced disruptions. American Airlines was the hardest hit, followed by United and Delta. Air Lines have issued waivers allowing travelers to adjust plans without penalty. The low-pressure system moving east Monday is expected to bring more snow to the Northeast and Appalachians, freezing rain to the Mid-Atlantic, and rain along the Southeast coast.

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