Severe Winter Storm Grounds Thousands Of Flights, Triggers Emergency Declarations

A severe winter storm has led to the cancellation of thousands of flights across the United States, affecting travelers nationwide.

Over 9,500 Flights Canceled

According to data from FlightAware, over 9,500 flights were canceled across the U.S. due to the severe winter storm.

Airlines such as Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL), JetBlue Airways Corp. (NASDAQ:JBLU), and United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) have pre-emptively canceled flights, with more than 9,400 flights for Sunday also canceled.

American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL) recorded the highest flight cancellations at 1,399, followed by Delta with 1,211 cancellations.

The storm has already disrupted power for more than 160,000 customers, stretching as far as Texas, and is expected to bring heavy snowfall to the eastern states.

Forecasters predict snow, sleet, and freezing rain will sweep across the eastern two-thirds of the country from Sunday into the following week.

Trump Approves Emergency Declarations

President Donald Trump declared federal emergency disaster declarations in several states, including South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee, among others. He urged citizens to remain safe and warm via a post on Truth Social.

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The Department of Homeland Security reported that 17 states and the District of Columbia have declared weather emergencies.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated that utility crews are working to restore power to tens of thousands affected in the South. As of late Saturday, over 160,000 customers were without electricity, primarily in Louisiana and Texas.

The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas to deploy backup resources to prevent blackouts.

The current storm comes weeks after the Winter Storm Devin, which caused significant travel disruptions during the 2025 holiday season. Airlines faced similar challenges, with thousands of flights canceled or delayed.

The storm’s timing during peak travel periods exacerbates the impact on travelers and the airline industry.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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