Summary
U.S. Flight Cancellations and Delays Overview
The United States airline industry is working hard to recover following a tumultuous weekend, during which thousands of flights were canceled and many more were delayed.
On Monday morning, reports indicated that over 470 flights had been canceled and more than 690 delayed within, into, or out of the U.S., according to flight tracker FlightAware. This marks a significant improvement over Sunday, which saw 1,659 U.S. flights canceled and over 5,700 delayed.
Airline Specific Flight Status
On Sunday alone, Southwest Airlines faced the largest number of cancellations, with around 400 flights canceled—equating to 10% of its entire schedule—as well as over 1,400 delays. JetBlue followed next with 373 cancellations (34% of its schedule), while Spirit Airlines reported 308 cancellations (37% of its schedule). Finally, American Airlines experienced 271 cancellations, approximately 8% of its total flights.
Impact of Weather on Flights
More than 3,500 U.S. flights were wiped off the schedule over the weekend. The Associated Press reported that airlines attributed the issues to severe weather conditions in Florida, alongside other challenges such as airspace congestion. Storms wreaked havoc across major tourist destinations, including Orlando.
“Severe weather in the Southeast and multiple air traffic control delay programs have created significant impacts on the industry,” explained a JetBlue spokesperson to the Associated Press. “Today’s cancellations will help us reset our operation and safely move our crews and aircraft back into position.”
Similarly, a representative from Southwest Airlines noted that the interruptions were due to “weather and airspace congestion” in Florida, as well as a “technology issue”.
Airports with Lowest Delay Rates
While flight delays are never guaranteed, travelers might find fewer disruptions at certain airports. Locations such as Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole, Kahului Airport (on Maui), and Lihue Airport (on Kauai) are known for maintaining low rates of significant arrival delays.
Airports with Most Frequent Delays
In contrast, Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport experienced the most frequent delays, according to recent studies.
Alison Fox is a contributing writer for iBestTravel. When not based in New York City, she enjoys beach outings and discovering new destinations, aspiring to visit every country globally. Follow her adventures on Instagram.
