Yet Another Winter Storm Likely to Cancel Flights Later This Week

Right on the heels of a winter storm that dropped only a few inches of snow — but cancelled 600+ flights in the Chicago area — a new storm is starting its push toward the Midwest. Forecasts call for up to nine inches of snow in metro Chicago with up to 24 inches in parts of Montana. The winter storm is set to affect fights Thursday and Friday, likely leading to hundreds of flight cancellations and even more delays.

Note that this is a separate system that’s has already cancelled 1,114 flights and delayed almost 4,000 more on Wednesday. For more information and the free change waivers on that storm, click here.

This new system will be pushed eastward across the northern US by the jet stream. Montana will be the first to feel the impact of the system, which will reach the Midwest by Thursday and finally the Northeast on Friday.

So far, the three legacy US airlines have released weather waivers for this storm to help flexible travelers rebook to avoid affected airports during this winter storm. If you get caught up by the storm, remember that airlines aren’t going to be responsible for paying for your meals or hotels in the case of weather-related delays/cancellations.

Some top cards have flight delay/cancellation insurance that will reimburse you for weather issues, including the Citi Prestige ($500 per passenger for 3+ hour delay), the Chase Sapphire Reserve ($500 per ticket for 6+ hour or overnight delay) and Chase Sapphire Preferred ($500 per ticket for 12+ hour or overnight delay).

American Airlines

• Travel date: February 8-9
• Airports affected: Chicago, Illinois (ORD)
• Must have purchased your ticket by February 7
• Rebook travel anytime between February 7-11
• You can’t change your origin or destination city. Must rebook in same cabin or pay the difference.
• Avoid the phone queue. Changes available on both AA’s website and in the AA app.

Delta

• Travel dates: February 9
• Airports covered: Akron, OH (CAK); Appleton, WI (ATW); Chicago- Midway, IL (MDW); Chicago- O Hare, IL (ORD); Cleveland, OH (CLE); Detroit, MI (DTW); Flint, MI (FNT); Fort Wayne, IN (FWA); Grand Rapids, MI (GRR); Green Bay, WI (GRB); Kalamazoo, MI (AZO); La Cross, MI (LSE); Lansing, MI (LAN); Madison, WI (MSN); Milwaukee, WI (MKE); Rochester, MN (RST); Saginaw, MI (MBS); South Bend, IN (SBN)
• Ticket must be reissued on or before: February 12
• Rebooked travel must begin no later than: February 12
• When rescheduled travel occurs beyond February 12, the change fee will be waived. However, a difference in fare may apply. Final travel must be completed by end of ticket validity, one year from date of original issue.
• If travel is not able to be rescheduled within these guidelines, customers may cancel their reservation and apply any unused value of the ticket toward the purchase of a new ticket for a period of one year from the original ticket issuance. Applicable change fee and fare difference will apply for new travel dates.

United

• Travel date: February 8-10
• Airports covered: Chicago-O’Hare, IL (ORD)
• The change fee and any difference in fare will be waived for new United flights departing on or before February 13, as long as travel is rescheduled in the originally ticketed cabin (any fare class) and between the same cities as originally ticketed.​​

No waivers (yet) from: Alaska, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, Virgin America

Source: thepointsguy.com