A major winter storm hit much of the United States, producing freezing rain and heavy snow that forced airlines to cancel and delay thousands of flights. Cirium reported nearly 19% of scheduled flights canceled by late afternoon, while FlightAware recorded about 5,220 cancellations and over 6,500 delays. The storm dumped up to a foot of snow from New Mexico to New England, caused at least 18 deaths, and disrupted major hubs including Boston and Dallas–Fort Worth. AccuWeather estimated preliminary economic losses of $105–$115 billion.
Powerful Winter Storm Paralyzes U.S. Air Travel — Nearly 19% Of Flights Canceled
People check the flight tracker screens at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Fort Worth, Texas, U.S., January 23, 2026. REUTERS/Alyssa Pointer
By Shivansh Tiwary (Reuters)
A powerful winter storm that swept across much of the United States with freezing rain and heavy snowfall forced airlines to cancel and delay thousands of flights on Monday, snarling travel ahead of the week and leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded or delayed.
Overview
Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium showed nearly 19% of scheduled flights were canceled by late afternoon. FlightAware reported about 5,220 U.S. cancellations and more than 6,500 delays by early evening. That followed roughly 11,000 flights canceled on Sunday, the highest single-day total since the pandemic, Cirium said.
Airport and Airline Disruptions
The storm dumped up to a foot of snow across a wide swath from New Mexico to New England and paralyzed much of the eastern U.S. Major hubs were hit hard: Boston Logan International recorded the highest cancellation rate at 71%, while Dallas–Fort Worth — American Airlines' largest hub — experienced halts due to ice and freezing temperatures.
Among carriers, American Airlines reported the greatest disruption on Monday with nearly 1,180 cancellations and about 1,130 delays. Other heavily affected carriers included Republic Airways, JetBlue and Delta. American requested FAA ground stops for all flights at Dallas–Fort Worth and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to manage gate capacity constraints.
United Airlines said it was beginning to restore service: cancellations fell from 1,019 on Sunday to 320 by Monday evening, FlightAware data showed. Because airline operations are tightly interconnected, cancellations and delays quickly cascade, leaving aircraft and crews out of position and complicating recovery.
Human Toll and Economic Impact
The storm was blamed for at least 18 deaths, and extreme cold was forecast to linger in some areas through the week. AccuWeather estimated preliminary damage and economic losses of $105 billion to $115 billion, which would make this the costliest severe weather event since the Los Angeles–area wildfires in early 2025.
Outlook
Airlines and airports said recovery teams were working around the clock to restore operations. Still, cascading effects were evident: FlightAware reported about 285 scheduled flights for Tuesday had already been canceled. Travelers were advised to check with carriers for updates and expect longer restoration timelines as crews and aircraft are repositioned.
Note: Figures cited are from Cirium, FlightAware and AccuWeather as reported by Reuters. Operational conditions remain dynamic and subject to change.
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