Major winter storm disrupts U.S. travel as airlines cancel thousands of flights
Airlines have canceled over 4,000 flights as a massive winter storm sweeps across the country, with heavy snow, ice and frigid temperatures expected through the weekend.
January 23, 2026
A powerful winter storm is disrupting travel across the United States, with airlines canceling thousands of flights ahead of the system's arrival. By Friday afternoon, more than 400 flights had been canceled for Friday, with an additional 1,725 cancellations scheduled for Saturday, according to flight tracking service FlightAware. By midday Friday, the total number of canceled flights had reached over 4,000 when including Friday and Saturday operations.
The storm is expected to bring a mix of heavy snow, freezing rain and sleet across a 2,000-mile expanse of the country, starting Friday in the Southern Plains and moving through the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys on Saturday before reaching the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on Sunday into Monday. The National Weather Service has issued winter storm watches and warnings spanning more than 2,000 miles, and more than a dozen states have declared states of emergency.
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is experiencing the heaviest disruptions, with approximately 1,121 cancellations scheduled for Saturday and about two in three flights already canceled for that day. Dallas Love Field has 152 cancellations. American Airlines, based in Fort Worth, had canceled 19 percent of flights planned for Saturday by midday Friday, while Southwest Airlines, based in Dallas, had canceled 10 percent.
Delta Air Lines said late Thursday that flight cancellations "are necessary at select airports in North Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee to ensure the safety of our customers and people." The airline has also issued a travel waiver for the eastern U.S., including Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Major U.S. carriers including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines are issuing travel waivers ahead of the storm, allowing customers to change their plans without penalty.
Snow accumulation is expected to be substantial across multiple regions. Some areas in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky could see up to two feet of snow. Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston could receive enough snow to make travel very difficult or nearly impossible, with snow amounts potentially reaching a foot or more in I-95 major cities from D.C. to Boston.
Ice accumulation poses a particular hazard in some regions. The National Weather Service has warned of potentially "catastrophic accumulation" of ice in affected areas. Hot Springs, Arkansas Mayor Pat McCabe told CBS News that he expects ice to be "a real problem" for residents and utility services. Ice can weigh down power lines, causing widespread outages, and the frigid conditions and high demand can strain the power grid.
The slow-moving system will bring freezing rain, snow and rain starting Friday to the Southern Plains, then move into the Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys on Saturday before reaching the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on Sunday into Monday. An atmospheric river of moisture is projected to be in place by the weekend, pulling precipitation across Texas and other states along the Gulf Coast and continuing across Georgia and the Carolinas before heading northeast.
Airlines routinely cancel flights ahead of major storms to prevent planes, passengers and crew from getting stranded, which can worsen disruptions after severe weather moves out. Travelers are advised to monitor their flights using airline apps and FlightAware, as updates could appear there first.