Today across the United States, more than 10,800 flights are experiencing delays and nearly 200 cancellations, with severe Thanksgiving‑week storms driving most of the disruption. Travelers should expect weather‑related delays at major hubs and plan extra buffer time.
Current Flight Disruptions
- Delays: Over 10,895 flights delayed globally today, with 761 delays within, into, or out of the U.S. FlightAware
- Cancellations: 468 flights canceled worldwide, including 199 cancellations affecting U.S. routes FlightAware.
- Airports most affected: New York (JFK, LaGuardia, Newark), Philadelphia, Houston, Memphis, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and Seattle are reporting significant delays due to weather systems adept.travel adept.travel.
Reasons for Disruptions
- Thanksgiving storms: Two major storm systems are sweeping across the country, bringing heavy rain, thunderstorms, snow, and fog adept.travel Swikriti’s Blog southerndigest.com.
- Regional impacts:
- South & Plains: Heavy rain in Texas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee Valley.
- Midwest & Great Lakes: Snow and icy conditions affecting Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis.
- Northeast: Rain and low clouds impacting New York, Philadelphia, Boston.
- Northwest: Wintry weather slowing operations in Seattle and Portland adept.travel National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
- Holiday demand: With 52,000+ flights scheduled today and the busiest Thanksgiving travel period in 15 years, even minor disruptions ripple across the system adept.travel adept.travel.
Forecast for the Day
- Morning: Fog and low visibility in the South and Midwest (Dallas, Houston, Chicago).
- Afternoon: Thunderstorms likely in the Northeast corridor (New York, Philadelphia, Washington).
- Evening: Snow and icy conditions in the Great Lakes and interior Northeast, with potential ground delay programs Swikriti’s Blog southerndigest.com National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Advice for Flyers
- Add buffer time: Plan 1–3 extra hours for connections, especially through storm‑hit hubs adept.travel.
- Check flight status frequently: Use airline apps or trackers like FlightAware and FlightStats for real‑time updates FlightAware FlightStats.
- Look for waivers: Many airlines issue weather waivers allowing free rebooking when storms hit.
- Avoid tight connections: If possible, reroute through less affected airports.
- Pack essentials: Bring snacks, chargers, and medications in carry‑on in case of extended delays.
- Travel early: Morning flights are less likely to be canceled than evening ones during storm disruptions.
Bottom line: With storm systems and record holiday demand, U.S. flyers today face widespread delays and cancellations. Staying flexible, monitoring updates, and using airline waivers are the best strategies to navigate the disruption.
