Airlines cancel flights, offer waivers as winter storm spreads across US

US airlines announced travel waivers as a winter storm expected to spread heavy snow, sleet and dangerous ice across two dozen states could disrupt air travel before the weekend.

FOX Weather said the mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow could make travel dangerous and lead to power outages and tree damage in parts of the Southeast, while heavy snow is expected in the North. Weather forecasting company AccuWeather said the winter storm is expected to bring cold temperatures not seen in the country for five years.

“This will likely result in thousands of flights being canceled on Saturday, Sunday and Monday,” Dan DeBaudouin, vice president of forecast operations at AccuWeather, said in a statement.

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Travel booking app Hopper estimates that up to 15,000 flights could be delayed due to the storm, citing a 17% increase in travelers adding outage assistance to trips this coming weekend.

Delta Air Lines canceled flights Thursday at select airports in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee, saying the move was to ensure the safety of its customers. The airline said it will automatically rebook customers to the next best itinerary, and that it will offer flexibility to customers with existing bookings to change their travel without any fees.

Southwest Airlines said it expects disruptions in parts of the South and East, offering customers the flexibility to rebook or fly standby during a two-week window.

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The combination of ice, snow and strong winds can slow airport operations, leading to delays, cancellations and complicated rebookings. (Photo by Stephen Maturin/Getty Images/Getty Images)

American Airlines is offering similar flexibility across major hubs like Dallas-Fort Worth and Charlotte, while United Airlines has issued a waiver covering much of the mid-Atlantic, Northeast, parts of the Carolinas and the Ohio Valley, including its operations in the Newark and Washington area.

JetBlue issued a waiver for the Northeast region covering New York and Boston-area airports and said it would waive the change and eliminate fees for customers traveling to and from 11 cities.

Ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines said travelers can request refunds if flights are canceled or delayed by more than three hours for domestic flights or six hours for international flights. Spirit Airlines announced it will waive modification fees and fare differences across 13 cities for travel between Friday and Sunday.

Delta Air Lines has canceled flights at select airports in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee. (Getty Images/Getty Images)

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The combination of ice, snow and strong winds could slow airport operations, force delays and cancellations, and complicate rebookings, airlines said.

Airlines urged travelers to closely monitor their flight status and use mobile apps and airline websites for the quickest rebooking options as the storm approaches.

“Even in locations far from the storm, such as West Coast hubs Denver, Chicago and Minneapolis, the effects of this widespread winter storm that has halted travel will be felt,” DeBaudouin said.

Reuters contributed to this report.