As two significant winter storms—Harlow and Iliana—threaten to bring heavy snowfall to the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions this week, major airlines are offering passengers the opportunity to rebook their flights without paying penalties.
According to Forbes, the National Weather Service indicates that Winter Storm Harlow stands to deliver significant snowfall across the Central Plains, Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic regions on Tuesday. This will be closely followed by Winter Storm Iliana, which is expected to develop Tuesday night in the Plains and extend its reach eastward, impacting more than 20 states with snow and ice.
To minimize disruptions, several major U.S. airlines are offering travel waivers, allowing affected passengers to alter their travel plans without incurring additional fare differences. However, the ability to change itineraries or receive reimbursements may vary depending on the airline, ticket type and whether customers had purchased a travel insurance policy.
- American Airlines has issued a travel alert for 31 airports across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, affecting flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 11 and 12. The advisory includes key airports serving New York City and Washington, D.C.
- Delta Air Lines has also implemented a travel advisory for 14 airports in these regions, including major hubs in the Washington, D.C. area.
- United Airlines has rolled out two separate travel advisories—one for Winter Storm Harlow, affecting 10 Mid-Atlantic airports on Tuesday and Wednesday, and another for Winter Storm Iliana extending to 25 Midwest airports on Wednesday and Thursday.
- JetBlue Airways has issued a similar travel alert for Winter Storm Harlow, impacting eight Mid-Atlantic airports for Tuesday and Wednesday travel.
- Southwest Airlines’ own travel advisory covers five Mid-Atlantic airports near Washington, D.C., for the same timeframe.
- At this time, neither Frontier Airlines nor Spirit Airlines have issued travel alerts related to these oncoming winter storms.
Those flying during this period should note that flight delays and cancellations may extend beyond directly impacted regions. Even travelers flying outside storm-affected areas could experience disruptions, particularly for late-afternoon departures, when delays are most likely to occur.
Weather-related flight disruptions are a common occurrence in the U.S. Just last week, Winter Storm Freya led to over 5,000 flight delays and cancellations. Earlier in January, Winter Storm Blair caused significant travel chaos, affecting more than 22,000 flights over a two-day period.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
