Wednesday, July 9, 2025

US trip snarls to unprecedented levels as above 1290 flights were cancelled in a single day, unleashing a wave of nationwide travel disruptions amid relentless storm turmoil. From coast to coast, major airports struggled to cope with grounded aircraft, delayed departures, and overflowing terminals. The storm’s impact was especially brutal across some of the country’s busiest transit hubs—including Washington, Dallas, Boston, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Denver—where passengers faced hours-long delays, last-minute cancellations, and near-total breakdowns in airline schedules. With every corner of the air travel network feeling the pressure, the sudden surge in cancellations left thousands stranded and unsure of their next move. As the US aviation system buckled under the combined force of weather and operational overload, here’s what you need to know.
New York Airports Face Major Breakdown
The worst hit was LaGuardia Airport, with 136 flight cancellations and 350 delays. Republic Airways canceled 58 flights and delayed 99, and was a single biggest cause of disruption on the day. Endeavor Air was next with 33 cancellations and 72 delays. Other airlines like American Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest, Delta, and SkyWest had dozens of delayed or canceled flights as well.
At JFK Airport, a major New York hub, 88 flights were canceled and 258 delayed. Endeavor Air canceled 30 and 37 delayed, while Republic canceled 22. JetBlue delayed 81 and canceled 23, also feeding into congestion. International airlines such as Qatar Airways, Swiss, Emirates, ITA Airways, and Egypt Air also had delays, stretching the effects beyond domestic flights.
Severely Impacted in Washington DC
Washington DC’s Reagan National Airport had 117 flight cancellations and 242 delays. PSA Airlines canceled 39 flights and delayed 63, while Republic Airways canceled 28 and delayed 23 respectively. American Airlines canceled 24 and delayed 39 as its network was turbulent on a number of its hubs. Other airlines affected were Southwest, Envoy Air, Jazz, JetBlue, GoJet, and United.
Dallas-Fort Worth Records Highest Delay Count
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) had the most delays of the day, with 545 delayed flights and 27 cancelled flights. American Airlines, which has a major hub at DFW, had 16 cancelled and 303 delayed flights, experiencing some of the toughest handling pressures in the nation. Envoy Air had 4 and 100 delayed flights. United, SkyWest, PSA Airlines, and Delta had dozens of disruptions. International airlines like Fiji Airways, Turkish Airlines, Iberia, and Air France also had delays or cancellations at DFW.
Philadelphia Airport Hit by American and Regional Partners
Philadelphia International Airport canceled 84 flights and delayed 174. American Airlines canceled 45 and delayed 70. Piedmont canceled 18 and delayed 29, and Republic canceled 10. Regional feeder carriers such as PSA Airlines, GoJet, JetBlue, Jazz, Southwest, Frontier, and Delta had high delay percentages as well. Both heavy weather effects and ripple effects from lack of crews impacted the airport.
Severe Delays and Cancellations at Chicago O’Hare
Chicago O’Hare International Airport recorded 487 delays and 26 cancellations. American Airlines canceled 14 and delayed 76. United delayed 118 and canceled 4, while SkyWest delayed 125 and canceled 2. Regional entities like Envoy Air, GoJet, PSA Airlines, and Key Lime Air all experienced a spike in delays. International airlines like KLM, Air France, Qatar Airways, and Air India experienced moderate disruption.
Boston Logan Faces Ripple Effects
Boston Logan International Airport experienced 46 cancellations and 215 delays. Republic Airways cancelled 23 and delayed 38. American Airlines cancelled 10 and delayed 18. JetBlue, Southwest, and Delta Air Lines added to the backlog. Smaller and international carriers such as Porter Airlines, Lufthansa, Air Canada, Swiss, and KLM also reported high delay rates.
Flights to Denver Reduce to a Crawl
Denver International Airport reported 13 cancellations and 466 delays, with the bulk of delays coming from United Airlines (147 delays), Southwest (181), and SkyWest (83). Other airlines affected at Denver included Delta, Frontier, Key Lime Air, and international operators such as Volaris, Lufthansa, and WestJet.
Northeast and Midwest Airports Overwhelmed
Pittsburgh International Airport saw 15 cancellations and 86 delays, while Nashville International Airport posted 21 cancellations and 142 delays. Regional airlines such as Republic, Endeavor, PSA Airlines, and JetBlue were disproportionately impacted. Buffalo Niagara International Airport, despite its smaller size, still cancelled 14 flights and delayed 28—a major share of its total operations for the day.
Airlines with Greatest Operational Impact
Across the board, Republic Airways led all airlines in total cancellations. At multiple hubs, including LaGuardia, Reagan National, Newark, Boston, and Philadelphia, it cancelled dozens of flights and delayed even more. American Airlines, along with its regional partners Piedmont, PSA, and Envoy, posted heavy disruption across the East Coast and Texas. JetBlue, Endeavor, and SkyWest also featured prominently in delay charts from Boston, New York, and Chicago.
Residual Effects and Passenger Fallout
Though thundery weather had precipitated the initial wave of disruptions, most of the day’s delays and cancellations were a consequence of knock-on effects: out-of-position aircraft, grounded flight crews, and congested tarmacs. Several passengers were stranded overnight at terminals or delayed for a handful of days before rebookings came through. Delays will likely extend into subsequent days as well, as many flights remain queued up.
LaGuardia (LGA), New York
- Republic Airways: 58 cancellations, 99 delays
- Endeavor Air: 33 cancellations, 72 delays
- American Airlines: 14 cancellations, 22 delays
- Southwest Airlines: 9 cancellations, 28 delays
- Jazz: 7 cancellations, 5 delays
- SkyWest: 5 cancellations, 3 delays
- Delta Air Lines: 4 cancellations, 46 delays
- Spirit Airlines: 4 cancellations, 7 delays
- JetBlue: 2 cancellations, 12 delays
- United Airlines: 0 cancellations, 32 delays
- Air Canada: 0 cancellations, 13 delays
- Frontier: 0 cancellations, 6 delays
- Porter Airlines: 0 cancellations, 3 delays
- Mesa: 0 cancellations, 2 delays
John F. Kennedy (JFK), New York
- Endeavor Air: 30 cancellations, 37 delays
- JetBlue: 23 cancellations, 81 delays
- Republic Airways: 22 cancellations, 18 delays
- Delta Air Lines: 7 cancellations, 39 delays
- American Airlines: 1 cancellation, 35 delays
- Alaska Airlines: 0 cancellations, 6 delays
- Swiss, Emirates, ITA Airways, Qatar Airways, Egypt Air, Sata Internacional: All experienced delays (2–3 each), some up to 100% of scheduled flights
Reagan National (DCA), Washington DC
- PSA Airlines: 39 cancellations, 63 delays
- Republic Airways: 28 cancellations, 23 delays
- American Airlines: 24 cancellations, 39 delays
- Envoy Air: 8 cancellations, 5 delays
- Southwest Airlines: 8 cancellations, 41 delays
- Endeavor Air: 4 cancellations, 2 delays
- Jazz: 2 cancellations, 3 delays
- JetBlue: 2 cancellations, 10 delays
- GoJet: 2 cancellations, 8 delays
- United Airlines: 0 cancellations, 21 delays
- Delta Air Lines: 0 cancellations, 20 delays
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Texas
- American Airlines: 16 cancellations, 303 delays
- Envoy Air: 4 cancellations, 100 delays
- United Airlines: 3 cancellations, 16 delays
- SkyWest: 2 cancellations, 47 delays
- Delta Air Lines: 1 cancellation, 11 delays
- PSA Airlines: 0 cancellations, 35 delays
- Frontier: 0 cancellations, 8 delays
- Spirit Airlines: 0 cancellations, 4 delays
- Sun Country Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Fiji Airways, Iberia, WestJet, Air France: All reported 1–2 delays, several at 50%–100% rate
Boston Logan (BOS), Massachusetts
- Republic Airways: 23 cancellations, 38 delays
- American Airlines: 10 cancellations, 18 delays
- JetBlue: 4 cancellations, 50 delays
- Delta Air Lines: 3 cancellations, 19 delays
- Southwest Airlines: 2 cancellations, 10 delays
- Porter Airlines: 2 cancellations, 0 delays
- KLM, Swiss, Air Canada, Lufthansa: All reported delays ranging from 33% to 100% of scheduled flights
Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Illinois
- American Airlines: 14 cancellations, 76 delays
- United Airlines: 4 cancellations, 118 delays
- SkyWest: 2 cancellations, 125 delays
- Republic Airways: 1 cancellation, 13 delays
- Envoy Air: 0 cancellations, 43 delays
- GoJet: 0 cancellations, 24 delays
- PSA Airlines: 0 cancellations, 10 delays
- Frontier: 0 cancellations, 5 delays
- Air France, Qatar Airways, KLM, Air India: All experienced multiple delays on international routes
Philadelphia (PHL), Pennsylvania
- American Airlines: 45 cancellations, 70 delays
- Piedmont Airlines: 18 cancellations, 29 delays
- Republic Airways: 10 cancellations, 6 delays
- PSA Airlines: 9 cancellations, 16 delays
- Delta Air Lines: 0 cancellations, 11 delays
- Frontier, JetBlue, Jazz: 0 cancellations, 3–8 delays
- United Airlines: 0 cancellations, 5 delays
- Southwest: 0 cancellations, 12 delays
- Mesa Airlines: 0 cancellations, 4 delays
Denver International (DEN), Colorado
- United Airlines: 5 cancellations, 147 delays
- SkyWest: 4 cancellations, 83 delays
- Southwest Airlines: 3 cancellations, 181 delays
- Delta Air Lines: 1 cancellation, 9 delays
- Frontier: 0 cancellations, 11 delays
- American Airlines: 0 cancellations, 17 delays
- JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, Key Lime Air, WestJet, Lufthansa, Volaris: All reported 1–8 delays, several above 30% of their scheduled flights
Major Global Airports With Highest Cancellations and Delays (Based on FlightAware)
Airport | Cancelled | Delayed |
---|---|---|
Guangzhou Baiyun Int’l (CAN) | 7 | 325 |
Shenzhen Bao’an Int’l (SZX) | 9 | 306 |
Chicago O’Hare Intl (ORD) | 11 | 293 |
Dallas-Fort Worth Intl (DFW) | 15 | 292 |
Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH) | 10 | 290 |
Shanghai Pudong Int’l (PVG) | 8 | 282 |
Beijing Capital Int’l (PEK) | 16 | 194 |
Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Int’l (CGK) | 6 | 242 |
Xi’an Xianyang Int’l (XIY) | 6 | 237 |
Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Paris | 6 | 220 |
Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) | 6 | 187 |
Toronto Pearson Int’l (YYZ) | 9 | 93 |
John F Kennedy Intl (JFK), New York | 40 | 130 |
Newark Liberty Intl (EWR), New Jersey | 25 | 127 |
Los Angeles Intl (LAX) | 4 | 78 |
Denver Intl (DEN) | 6 | 277 |
LaGuardia (LGA), New York | 66 | 182 |
Reagan National (DCA), Washington DC | 59 | 129 |
Boston Logan Intl (BOS) | 23 | 111 |
Philadelphia Intl (PHL) | 41 | 91 |
Detroit Metro (DTW) | 7 | 93 |
Miami Intl (MIA) | 5 | 86 |
Dubai Int’l (DXB) | 5 | 112 |
Sheremetyevo Int’l (SVO), Moscow | 5 | 224 |
Charlotte Douglas Intl (CLT) | 11 | 131 |
Montreal Trudeau (YUL) | 11 | 37 |
Things You Should Know Before You Travel
Passengers with booked travel should check their flight’s status frequently. Considering out-of-position planes and scrubbed crew rotations, flights may stay canceled regardless of good weather. It’s a good idea to:
- Sign up for real-time alerts from your airline
- Arrive at the airport earlier than usual
- Consider alternate airports or routing options
- Verify airline rebooking and refund policies
- Utilize customer service tools, mobile applications, and social media to respond quickly
US trip traffic jams spiked as more than 1290 flights were grounded in one day as a result of fierce storm upheaval that paralyzed systems in key cities like Washington, Dallas, Boston, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Denver. Spontaneous weather disruption crippled airport infrastructure and flight networks, prompting mass nationwide travel disruptions.
Broader National Disruption with Continuing Risk This national aircraft travel disruption—characterized by more than 1290 cancellations and thousands of delays—highlights just how susceptible the US transport system is to weather developments on high-use days. Summer storms have been ongoing across widespread areas, and recovery may take days to become stable. Let me know if you’d like this article localized further by region or airline, or turned into a short-form version for news alerts or summaries.
Tags: Airline News, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, travel industry, Travel News, US, Washington