Air travel finally went smoothly this Thanksgiving.
Airlines canceled more than 1,500 flights and rolled out weather exemptions as a severe storm swept through the upper Midwest and Great Lakes on Saturday, dumping a foot or more of snow on much of the region. Flight cancellations also began to spread Sunday, with 80 flights grounded early due to the storm.
The disturbance, which followed a lull on the eve of Thanksgiving, disrupted the plans of thousands of travelers in what was expected to be one of the busiest Thanksgivings ever for air travel.
• Flight canceled or delayed? This is what to do next
• Three things to do if your flight is delayed
• 7 tips to avoid getting stuck with an airline when things go wrong
• Why was my flight canceled because of “weather” when it was clear outside?
As of 4:30 p.m. ET, airlines had canceled 1,541 flights and delayed another 4,976, according to flight tracking service FlightAware.
Hundreds of flights had been canceled as of Friday evening in anticipation of the storm, and about 80 flights were grounded on Sunday.
The major airports hardest hit Saturday were those in Chicago and Milwaukee, but numerous flight cancellations were reported at many airports in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri.
More than 1,000 departures and arrivals at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) were canceled, nearly 40% of Saturday’s entire flight schedule. About 200 flights (nearly 35% of the day’s flight schedule) at Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) were canceled. To the north, about a third of flights at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE) were canceled on Saturday.
At the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) near Cedar Rapids, more than half of the day’s flights have been canceled. In Madison, Wisconsin, about a quarter of flights at Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) were canceled. The situation is similar at Des Moines International Airport (DSM) in Iowa, where flight cancellation rates are as high as 30%.
Reward your inbox with the TPG daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers and get breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive offers from TPG experts
Other airports experiencing severe winter weather disruptions on Saturday include:
- St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
- Omaha Eppley Airport (OMA), Nebraska
- Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB)
- Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) in Traverse City, Michigan
- Quad-Cities International Airport near Davenport, Iowa (MLI)
- South Bend International Airport South Bend, Indiana (SBN)
- General Wayne A. Downing International Airport (PIA), Illinois
- Waterloo Regional Airport (ALO), Iowa
By Sunday, the system is expected to move eastward, away from most major air hubs — although road travel could be an issue in parts of Pennsylvania and upstate New York.
Additionally, remaining flight cancellations in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions are likely to persist as airlines recalibrate their operations.
Most major airlines have introduced flexible rebooking policies for passengers affected by the storm and planning to fly through the area.
Storm Saving Throw: America | Delta Air Lines | Frontier | Southwest | Sun Country | United
Travelers planning to fly on Saturday or Sunday should check flight status in advance before heading to the airport.
Check back later Saturday for updates.
Related reading:
