by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:11 AM ET, Wed December 21, 2022
As travelers prepare to visit family and friends during the holiday travel period, Winter Storm Elliott is forecast to impact flight service and roads throughout the United States.
Add in another storm impacting travel in the Pacific Northwest, and this holiday is shaping up to be one filled with delays and cancellations during one of the year's busiest periods.
The winter storm is tracking eastward toward the Plains, Midwest and Great Lakes, where it will produce snow and high winds, including blizzard conditions, as it potentially grows into a bomb cyclone. Elliott will also bring strong winds and a possible flash freeze to parts of the Midwest, East and South.
Data from AAA Travel predicted that 112.7 million people would journey 50 miles or more away from home from December 23 to January 2, an increase of 3.6 million people compared to last year. The survey also found that 102 million Americans will drive to their destinations, an increase of over two million people on the roads.
Air travel will see a 14 percent increase over last year, with nearly 7.2 million Americans expected to fly during the winter holiday travel period. AAA expects the number of people taking flights this year will almost match 2019 totals, when 7.3 million Americans traveled by air.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the Thursday before Christmas is expected to be the busiest travel day of the week, with 47,554 scheduled flights. Friday has more than 44,300 flights scheduled.
In anticipation of the storm, many airlines have started issuing travel waivers, allowing passengers to reschedule their flights without change fees. AccuWeather experts believe as many as 5,000 flights could be delayed or canceled.
Major carriers in the U.S.-including American, Delta, Southwest and United-have issued travel advisories in the Pacific Northwest, Northwest Mountain, Atlantic, Northeast, Midwest and Central Plains regions.
Several major cities are being impacted by the storm waivers, including Baltimore, Boise, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Seattle, Washington D.C. and more.
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