As of 12:30 p.m. ET, over 3,400 flights to, from or within the United States have been canceled due to a gargantuan weather system disrupting air travel. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed ground stops and delays at key airports which include Atlanta and Houston, according to data from FlightAware and the FAA.
An additional 5,700-plus U.S. flights face delays, the data indicated.
The travel hiccups are hitting during a peak spring break travel period — one of the busiest times of the year for airlines — forcing many passengers into a rush for a rebook or alternative options. (RELATED: Winter Makes Return As Storm To Unleash Hurricane-Force Winds, Blizzard Conditions In Northern Tier)
The heaviest concentration of cancellations have occurred at Chicago O’Hare International Airport with 214. New York‘s LaGuardia Airport reported 195 canceled flights, Charlotte Douglas International Airport had 174, Orlando International Airport had around 133 and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport had 141, per FlightAware. These numbers are subject to change.
The New York-region corridor is one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs, so interruptions there quickly cascade throughout the national air travel network.
Severe weather on the East Coast is causing flight delays and cancellations at airports. Be sure to check your flight status with your airline before leaving home. Get real-time updates about your airport at https://t.co/smgdqJN3td. #FAAWeatherSquad pic.twitter.com/QU74q5K7FH
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) March 16, 2026
Numerous large carriers were significantly impacted. American Airlines had the most cancellations with 580, while Southwest Airlines was second with 457. Rounding out the top five, per FlightAware, are: Delta Air Lines (421), Endeavor Air (297) and Republic (256).
The travel chaos stems from a strong March storm hitting the country, unleashing blizzard conditions on portions of the Midwest and a rare severe weather risk across the East Coast. (RELATED: Hurricane Season ’26: Here Are Storm Names For Weather’s Most Powerful Force)
Federal aviation officials had already enacted traffic management restrictions in the early hours Monday as the storm rolled across the U.S. The status page of the FAA’s National Airspace System listed a ground delay at Hartsfield-Jackson (Atlanta) as a result of thunderstorms, ground delays at George Bush Intercontinental (Houston) due to high winds and departure delays at LaGuardia (New York) because of low cloud ceilings.
It’s also being cautioned by the FAA that there could be the implementation of more ground stops and delay programs as Monday goes along at key hubs such as Chicago O’Hare, New York’s JFK, Boston Logan and airports in the Washington area as the intensity of the storm increases.