Travelers wait in line at O’Hare International Airport on Dec. 22 in Chicago. Photo: KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP) (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images
Flight delays and cancellations disrupted thousands of travelers Thursday as a major winter storm unleashed wicked weather across the U.S.
The latest: As of 9:30 pm ET Thursday, FlightAware reported at least 9,431 delays and at least 2,430 cancellations for flights into, within and out of the country, setting the stage for a chaotic holiday travel period for millions.
Details: Denver International Airport had the highest percentage of both delays (43%) and cancellations (27%) nationwide as of Thursday evening, per FlightAware.
- Chicago’s O’Hare International was a close second with nearly one in five flights canceled and one in three delayed, according to the data.
- These figures are likely to rise as major hubs, including Denver and Chicago, face extreme, inclement weather over the next several days.
- Friday is expected to be the busiest pre-Christmas day for travel, CNN reports.
Yes, but: Airlines are already making plans for delays and cancellations. Major companies like United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines already have waivers available for changing your flight amid the weather.
Be smart: Read the fine print before rebooking, as airlines have specific airports and eligibility requirements for receiving fee waivers.
Threat level: The winter storm, which has sparked a bomb cyclone, has put 300 million people across the U.S. under weather alerts.
- The storm is bringing frigid temperatures, howling winds and blizzard conditions to wide swaths of the Lower 48.
- The extreme weather will likely interfere with cargo transport too, Axios’ Joann Muller and Andrew Freeman write.
What they’re saying: “I don’t know if your bosses will let you, but if you have travel plans, leave now,” Biden told reporters Thursday. “It’s not a joke.”
- Biden said he told his own staff to “leave now” ahead of the weekend.
- “They can talk to me on the phone,” he said. “It’s not life and death, but it will be if they don’t get out. They may not get out.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated with Biden’s remarks and new figures on the number of flight delays and cancellations.
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