Millions of vacationers nationwide were severely affected as millions of holiday travelers in the United States were hit by Winter Storm Devin this weekend, as the snow, freezing rain, and hazardous ice were dumped across the Northeast and Midwest, causing one of the most active travel disruptions of the season.
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Over 1,800 flights were canceled, and over 9,000 more were delayed by early Sunday, based on aviation tracking data, bringing airports, highways, and rail networks to their breaking point amid the peak of the holiday travel season.
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https://www.ednandt.com/record-breaking-holiday-travel-strains-u-s-transportation-networks/
Major Airports Hit Hardest
The Northeast was impacted with centralized aviation hubs in the region; New York- JFK, LaGuardia (LGA), and Newark Liberty (EWR) recorded over fifty percent of all flight cancellations.
The operations of the airline were seriously impacted:
On December 26, JetBlue canceled 225 flights, the largest of any carrier.
At 212 cancellations was the Delta Air Lines.
Republic Airways cancelled 157 flights.
American Airlines canceled 146 flights.
United Airlines cleaned up 97 flights.
Friday night had the most disruptions, with 1,802 cancellations and 22,349 delays that led to ripple effects that lasted into the weekend.
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Overwhelmed customers got change-fee waivers and rebooking flexibility by airlines, who sought other ways to travel.
Ice, Snow, and Hazardous Road Conditions.
Winter Storm Devin resulted in the creation of 5 to 8 inches of heavy and wet snow in most regions, and this was followed by the formation of freezing rain, which formed a great deal of black ice throughout most of the transportation systems, such as Interstate 95, 80, and 81.
The New York and New Jersey governors declared a state of emergency, advising people not to be on the roads unless necessary. The storm system continued to expand, and more than 40 million individuals were under a winter weather warning.
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In the meantime, California was experiencing its weather crisis when a strong atmospheric river posed flood dangers to the state, contributing to the transportation burden in the country.
Nationwide Travel Ripple Effect
Air transport did not do well either. Deteriorating road conditions led to the closures and restrictions of highways in several states, the disruption of rail services, and the disruption of long-distance bus routes.
According to the estimation of transportation officials, the storm had affected some 122 million people on the roads who were on holiday during the holiday period, and it was one of the most disruptive winter travel incidents of 2025.
Next Generation Traveler Forecasts
Meteorologists issue warnings that the delays that will be left will continue through New Year’s Eve since one more weather system will create rain, strong winds, and changing temperatures that will make the cleanup services and flight schedule difficult.
The government is still encouraging passengers to:
Keep track of airline developments.
Do not travel on the road unnecessarily.
Provide more time to reschedule and bookings.
Expect to have to endure delays even in conditions that are better than before.
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A Stinging Lesson on the Strength of Winter.
The winter storm Devin has highlighted the frailty of the modern traveling networks when extreme weather conditions occur and, more importantly, when it is around the peak of the holiday season.
Millions of travelers have been stuck in a holding pattern as airlines, airports, and highway crews work 24 hours to resume operations, hoping that the skies will clear, the roads will be safer, and the trip will be smoother into the New Year.