Flight cancellations and delays continue after U.S. storms dump snow in the Midwest and head east

Severe storms cause over 1,100 flight cancellations and 7,300 delays across the U.S., exacerbating travel chaos amid a government shutdown.

Travel disruptions continued Tuesday (March 17, 2026) in the U.S. as airlines worked to recover from a powerful storm system that had already snarled flight schedules a day earlier, while the partial government shutdown continued to fuel long lines at security checkpoints.

Carriers cancelled more than 1,100 U.S. flights on Tuesday (March 17) and delayed about 7,300 others, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport had over 230 flights cancelled and roughly 770 delayed.

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The disruptions follow a chaotic Monday (March 16) for air travel, triggered by powerful storms that dumped snow by the foot in the Midwest and swept through the eastern half of the country, leading to thousands of cancellations at major hubs, including in New York, Chicago and Atlanta. Gusts approached 50 mph (80 kph) in parts of New York, the National Weather Service said.

Kelly Price, who was trying to get home to Colorado after a family vacation in Orlando, Florida, said her Sunday (March 15) night flight wasn't canceled until early Monday.

“By that time, the only place for us to sleep was the airport floor. So we're all tired and frustrated,” she said, adding that the soonest flight she and her family could book doesn't leave until Tuesday (March 17) afternoon.