U.S. airlines rolled out sweeping travel waivers Thursday as a powerful winter storm forecast to bring heavy snow, sleet and dangerous ice to parts of more than two dozen states threatened to disrupt air travel heading into the weekend.
Airlines warned that the mix of ice, snow and strong winds could slow airport operations, trigger delays and cancellations, and complicate rebooking during a busy winter travel period.
Southwest Airlines said it anticipates disruptions across parts of the South and East, allowing customers to rebook or travel on standby within a two-week window without penalties.
American Airlines expanded similar flexibility across its network, including major hubs in Dallas-Fort Worth and Charlotte.
United Airlines issued a waiver covering much of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, along with parts of the Carolinas and Ohio Valley, including operations in Newark and the Washington area. Affected customers can change travel within a specified period without paying change fees or fare differences if they keep the same itinerary and cabin.
Delta Air Lines said it expects flight cancellations at select airports in North Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee and issued a travel waiver for much of eastern North America to help minimize disruptions.
Low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines said if flights are canceled or delayed for more than three and six hours for domestic and international flights, respectively, travelers can request a refund. Spirit Airlines said it is waiving modification charges and fare differences across 13 cities for travel between January 23 and 25.
All carriers urged travelers to monitor flight status and weather updates closely as the storm system moves across Texas and to the east coast.
As always, stay safe, stay weather aware, and stay connected with the KRLD Storm Center for the latest updates as the storm approaches.
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