Friday flight cancellations mount as winter storm moves east

Another blast of winter weather is wreaking havoc on air travel. Two busy hubs in Texas have already been hit with disruptions, and cancellations are now piling up across parts of the Midwest, South and mid-Atlantic on Friday.

As of 9:30 a.m. EST, airlines have already canceled more than 2,100 flights Friday, according to data from FlightAware. Another 1,300 have been delayed.

The world’s busiest airport has been hit the hardest, with at least 300 flights shuttered by early Friday at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). Following closely is Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), with more than 280 departures scrapped.

As of mid-morning, the Federal Aviation Administration halted air traffic both at Atlanta and at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) due to wintry conditions.

Meanwhile, it’s another rough day to fly from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) after more than 800 departures were canceled Thursday — over 70% of its planned schedule.

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In all, well over 4,000 flights nationwide had been canceled since this winter storm first brought wintry conditions to North Texas on Thursday.

And that tally is expected to rise sharply Friday as conditions detriorate across a large section of the southern U.S., with disruptions piling up from Memphis to Nashville, Atlanta, Charlotte and Raleigh.

Airlines prepare for Southeastern winter blast

Several major U.S. carriers have issued travel advisories for dozens of airports ranging from Texas to Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Such waivers allow travelers more flexibility to make free ticket changes to avoid travel during a major weather event. (Airlines have also issued similar waivers for parts of Southern California affected by the ongoing wildfires.)

Amid this latest winter storm, Delta Air Lines has issued a travel alert for a large section of the Southeast, including its massive hub operation at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).

The world’s busiest airport this week took to social media to confirm it’s preparing for the effects of the storm — expected to hit the region on Friday.

American Airlines’ vast travel alert covers a slew of southeastern airports, including its Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) hub.

On social media Thursday, that airport said it had close to 40 snow removal and de-icing trucks on standby.

The National Weather Service on Thursday warned the storm would strengthen and spread a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain across the South and Southeast. Ice and “dangerous travel conditions” are expected from Atlanta to North and South Carolina.

That same storm system could bring wintry conditions and more flight disruptions to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast by the weekend, Accuweather added.

This latest round of weather-fueled flight disruptions comes after a previous winter storm scuttled thousands of flights between Jan. 4 and Jan. 6 and led Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to shut down its runways on Monday.

Meanwhile, the hundreds of cancellations at DFW Thursday are just the latest hurdle for the major hub and American, its dominant airline. The airport had to halt flights multiple times this week because of high winds, and battled persistent severe storms over the busy holiday travel rush late last month.

What to do if you’re flying this week

If you’re concerned about upcoming travel plans on Friday or this weekend, here’s how you can prepare.

Review your options

Now is a good time to check and see if your trip is covered by an airline travel advisory.

Specific to this impending winter storm, you’ll want to review the information listed under “Winter Storm Cora.”

These advisories can offer you more flexibility to make itinerary changes, even if you’re flying on an ordinarily restrictive ticket.

Here’s a rundown of the largest U.S. carriers’ current alerts:

Keep an eye on your airline’s app

Make sure you download your airline’s app, and keep your reservation pulled up. Look out for notifications about your flight and for any signs of potential trouble with your itinerary.

If your flight is delayed or canceled, the airline may offer you an opportunity to rebook yourself right through the app, eliminating the need to wait on hold to speak to customer service.

Read more: Flight canceled or delayed? Here’s what to do next

See a good rebooking option? Don’t delay

If you’re battling flight delays and see a halfway decent rebooking option pop up in your airline’s app, don’t waste a second: Lock it in!

With thousands of flights knocked off their normal schedules by bad weather, a huge number of passengers are simultaneously vying for open seats on the flights that are getting out on time — and those open seats can fill up quickly.

Review your refund rights

Now is a good time to brush up on your rights to a refund when it comes to air travel.

Under U.S. Department of Transportation policy, airlines are required to refund you for the unflown portion of your ticket when your flight is canceled or significantly delayed — only if you choose not to travel (and don’t accept rebooking).

This rule applies even when the flight disruption is due to bad weather, and it can come in handy if you opt to stay home instead of taking a later flight in the midst of a winter storm.

Think twice about checking luggage

Finally, you might think twice about checking a bag — if you can avoid it, at least. Oftentimes, flying in the midst of mass cancellations and delays means needing to pivot to a new flight at the last minute. It can also mean that that 90-minute connection window you’d planned in, say, Charlotte, could become a lot tighter.

Keeping all of your luggage in hand can mean fewer wrinkles if you need to be re-booked on the fly — and removes the risk that your bags won’t make it onto your connecting flight.

Just remember: Putting all of your belongings into a carry-on bag means everything in your suitcase must be compliant with the Transportation Security Administration’s 3-1-1 liquids policy.

Getting compensation for a delayed flight

Airlines have made a wide range of promises to the DOT for meals, hotel accommodations and other guarantees in the event of flight cancellations and major delays. However, keep in mind, these typically apply to “controllable” disruptions (like maintenance or staffing issues) and generally do not apply when bad weather affects travel.

This is where a travel credit card that offers travel insurance protections can come in handy, helping you recoup unexpected costs when flight trouble leaves you stranded. The one catch: In most cases, you’ll typically need to book your trip with that card in order to make a successful claim.

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