A powerful blizzard in northeast USA has shut down travel with almost 20 per cent of all scheduled domestic US flights cancelled, triggering transport chaos with emergencies declared in multiple states, including a full travel ban in New York City.
The severe US Winter Storm Fernando has slammed northeast states, causing 5,500 flight cancellations and many more delayed on Sunday, 22 February 2026 plus thousands more cancellations for Monday.
Almost one-quarter of inbound international flights were also cancelled.
New York’s John F Kennedy and LaGuardia airports are the worst affected for disruptions, while travel bans are in effect for many states on the Northeast corridor, impacting almost 1,000km up the East coast.
Delta Air Lines has suspended operations at Boston Logan, New York-JFK, New York-LGA and Newark until Tuesday, 24 February, offering flexible rebooking options for affected customers and waiving change and cancellation fees.
American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Spirit and Air Canada have also waived fees and fare differences for passengers if they can travel later this week, however, some flexible rebooking policies are in place until 4 March 2026.
US Winter Storm Hernando forecast
US Winter Storm Hernando is forecast to be the most powerful nor’easter in almost a decade, bringing snow, fierce winds and coastal flooding and following the recent Winter Storm Fern in the region.
The historic storm has already caused widespread power outages and dangerous travel conditions with the US National Weather Service (NWS) predicting snowfall up to two feet (60cm) in some areas.
Power outages have affected multiple states, including New York State, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
New York State, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Rhode Island have all declared a State of Emergency and implemented travel restrictions as the storm was set to affect the US northeast and Canada’s Nova Scotia coast from Sunday night into Monday in North America.
NYC implemented a full travel ban from Sunday night until noon on Monday (local time) as the city expects up to 61cm of snow and temps as low as –6C. New York State expects wind gusts of up to 112km/h
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani said all streets, highways and bridges would be shut to traffic – except for emergencies. All Broadway shows were also cancelled on Sunday night.
The Australian Government advises travellers to monitor weather conditions and follow the advice and instructions of local authorities, including evacuation orders.
For Australian travel advisors, the US winter storm underscores the importance of proactive client communication, particularly for itineraries transiting through major hubs such as JFK, Boston and Newark.
With flexible waivers in place across multiple carriers, agents have an opportunity to assist clients with rebooking strategies, protect onward connections and review travel insurance coverage where necessary.
For corporate and group bookings, early intervention will be key to minimising downstream disruption as recovery efforts begin later this week.
