Adverse weather conditions and operational challenges is creating a travel nightmare across the United States today, leaving thousands of passengers marooned. More than six hundred flights are canceled and thousands delayed, throwing a wrench into travel plans for major carriers like American, Delta, United, JetBlue, and Alaska, among many others. The key reason for this widespread disruption is a volatile mix of weather hazards, including the intensifying weather, which is already causing major issues in the Southeast and is expected to become a hurricane in the coming days. In addition to the storm, other weather events, such as heavy rain in the southern Appalachians and a critical fire risk in the northern Rockies, are also contributing to the chaos. This combination of factors has forced airlines to ground flights and delay departures, causing a ripple effect of disruption that has reached major airports across the country.
A chaotic scene is unfolding across U.S. air travel, with a total of 600 cancellations and 3,360 delays today. While many airlines are struggling, some are bearing a heavier burden. Republic has grounded a significant number of its flights, with 191 cancellations, representing 16% of its operations, along with 139 delays. Southwest Airlines, meanwhile, is experiencing a high volume of delays, with 392 flights running behind schedule (11% of their flights), in addition to 83 cancellations. Even major international carriers like China Eastern and China Southern are facing a high number of delays, with 696 and 579, respectively.
Domestically, American Airlines has seen 43 cancellations and 365 delays, while JetBlue has 36 cancellations and 102 delays. United has 20 cancellations and 268 delays, and Delta Air Lines has 6 cancellations and 264 delays. Smaller regional carriers and international airlines are also caught in the crossfire, with PSA Airlines seeing 68 cancellations and Endeavor Air with 44.
A wide variety of other airlines are also reporting disruptions. China Eastern leads the pack in terms of delays with a staggering 696 flights (26%), followed by China Southern Airlines with 579 delays (22%). The list of affected carriers is extensive, including Air China (38 cancellations, 378 delays), Mandarin (26 cancellations, 4 delays), and Air Inuit (18 cancellations, 26 delays).
Other notable disruptions include:
The impact of these cancellations and delays is highly concentrated at some of the nation’s busiest airports. The Northeast, in particular, is experiencing significant congestion.
A key factor in this nationwide disruption is the evolving weather situation, dominated by Tropical Storm Erin. The storm is currently moving quickly to the west and forecasters at the National Hurricane Center expect it to strengthen. It’s predicted to become a hurricane late on Thursday or early Friday and could intensify into a major hurricane—a Category 3 or higher, with maximum sustained winds of at least 111 mph—within the next 96 hours. This marks the fifth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, forming earlier than the historical average of August 22.
While the storm’s long-term path remains uncertain, officials are urging residents in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the northern Leeward Islands to closely monitor Erin’s progress. The storm is expected to bring 1-2 inches of rain to Puerto Rico and nearby islands, with localized totals reaching up to 7 inches. Wind gusts may range from 40-60 mph, with isolated gusts approaching 80 mph. Rough surf and dangerous rip currents are also a concern, with forecasts indicating they will likely affect the entire U.S. East Coast, from Florida to New England, beginning this weekend. Forecasters also reminded everyone that the forecast cone has an average error of 150 to 215 statute miles in the days 4 and 5 forecast.
The problems aren’t just limited to the storm. A volatile mix of weather hazards is unfolding across the U.S.
A volatile mix of severe weather, driven by the intensifying Tropical Storm Erin, is wreaking havoc on US air travel, causing over six hundred new flight cancellations and marooning thousands of passengers from airlines like American, Delta, United, and others.
For passengers with flights scheduled in the coming days, the advice is clear: stay in close contact with your airline and check your flight status frequently. The forecast cone has a wide margin of error, and Erin’s path could shift, potentially causing more changes in flight schedules.
