Winter Storm Wreaks Havoc on Airline Operations and Holiday Travel: Over Thousand Flights Canceled, Major Airports in Chaos as US Faces Unprecedented Snow Disruptions

Published on December 7, 2025

A powerful snowstorm centred on Chicago, Illinois and sweeping across the U.S. Midwest and Great Lakes region has triggered massive travel disruption — leaving thousands stranded, roads hazardous, and major airports like O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport struggling to cope. The snowstorm struck at the worst possible time — over the post‑Thanksgiving weekend — generating chaos on the ground and in the air.

What Went Wrong: Meteorological Fury Meets Holiday Rush

The wintry system hit the region just as millions of Americans attempted to return home after Thanksgiving, compounding travel strain already expected on the busiest holiday weekend of the year. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the storm brought rapidly accumulating snow, ice and freezing conditions across a wide swath of the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes and Central U.S.

In Chicago, O’Hare recorded roughly 8.4 inches of snow in a single calendar day — a new record for November at the airport. Areas around Lake Michigan saw as much as 10–12 inches by Saturday night, with even heavier accumulations in pockets across Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois.

As snow piled up, roadways rapidly became treacherous. The region endured multiple vehicle pile‑ups, notably a 45‑car crash on Interstate 70 in Indiana. Authorities issued snow‑emergency warnings; many highways turned impassable as cars slid off ice‑slicked pavement and visibility deteriorated.

Air Travel Collapses: Hundreds of Flights Grounded

The timing could not have been worse for air travellers. As the snow slammed into major hubs, flights were either canceled or severely delayed — especially at Chicago’s airports. According to flight‑tracking data referenced by media outlets, more than 1,400 flights across the U.S. were scrubbed on Saturday alone, with the worst concentration at O’Hare and Midway.

At O’Hare, at various points over the weekend, over 930 cancellations and more than 750 delays were recorded. Midway also suffered heavy disruption, with nearly 190 cancellations and dozens of delays.

Nationwide, delays on Sunday — the peak travel‑return day — exceeded 12,000 flights, while about 1,424 flights were cancelled. Airports from Detroit to Des Moines, and beyond, reported widespread operational problems as crews scrambled to de‑ice planes and clear runways.

On the Ground: Stranded Travellers, Frozen Terminals, Frustration

Inside O’Hare and Midway terminals, the atmosphere turned chaotic. Crowded gates, overflowed seating areas, travellers sprawled on floors — many passengers were stuck for hours, waiting for word on their flights. Some attempted last‑minute rescheduling; others resigned to spending the night at airports.

An elderly traveller returning from family visits summed up the despair: after repeated delays and missed connections, he simply hoped to make it home that night.Many others were not so lucky — facing indefinite waiting periods, disrupted plans, and growing uncertainty.

Road access to airports was no better — sleet, slush and ice slowed ground transportation. Public transport strain, taxi‑backlogs, ride‑share shortages and snow‑blocked parking lots meant many could not even reach terminals.

Beyond Chicago: Storm’s Wide Reach Across States

The winter blast did not confine itself to Illinois. States across the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes — including Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan — saw significant snow accumulation. Some areas recorded over a foot of snow.

Airports beyond Chicago suffered too. Detroit Metro saw hundreds of delayed flights and dozens of cancellations. Des Moines Airport experienced a particularly alarming incident: a landing aircraft slid off a runway due to ice. Though there were no injuries, the runway closure added to the operational chaos.

Meanwhile, city authorities across the region scrambled to issue winter‑weather advisories. Snow‑removal crews, de‑icing operations, utility crews restoring power after outages — the full machinery of emergency response was mobilised.

Official Alerts and Warnings

The NWS issued widespread Winter Storm Warnings and Advisory bulletins across multiple states — from South Dakota through Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio to Michigan.

Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), under pressure from heavy snowfall and icing risk, imposed ground‑stops and restricted operations at major airports, including those in Chicago, until runways could be cleared and safe operations resumed.

In some smaller hubs like Des Moines, runway-icing triggered abrupt landing incidents, prompting safety investigations even as snow continued to fall.

Why It Matters: Holiday Plans Derailed, Infrastructure Under Stress

The timing of this snowstorm couldn’t have been worse. The travel‑return rush after Thanksgiving typically sees one of the highest volumes of passengers in the U.S. air‑travel calendar. But this year, the storm transformed expected traffic into a logistical nightmare. Flights canceled, people stranded, holiday plans derailed.

The scale of disruption also highlighted vulnerabilities in U.S. aviation and ground‑transport infrastructure to sudden, heavy snow events — especially when multiple systems across states are hit simultaneously.

The sheer volume — thousands of flights delayed or canceled, tens of thousands of passengers stranded — will likely have ripple effects for days, even weeks. Holiday events, family reunions, business commitments: many have already been thrown into disarray.

What Comes Next: More Snow, More Trouble on the Horizon

Meteorologists warn the worst may not yet be over. The same storm system pushing through the Midwest is expected to deepen and push eastward — potentially bringing snow, ice, and hazardous conditions to parts of the Mid‑Atlantic and Northeast U.S., including areas along Interstate 95.

If forecasts hold, residents in states such as Pennsylvania, New York and New England may face similar travel disruptions soon — both on the roads and at airports.

Airports, already stretched thin, must brace for a fresh wave of de‑icing, runway clearing, flight scheduling challenges, and passenger surges. Ground crews and transit services across multiple states are being alerted to mobilize.

Cold Weather, Hot Tempers — Travel Plans in Shambles

For many Americans, the promise of a smooth return home after Thanksgiving ended in frustration, hours lost, and uncertainty. What began as routine family travel transformed into a grueling ordeal — stuck in terminals, fighting backlog, and rebooking flights.

The snowstorm that began over the Midwest now threatens to spread east — dragging the chaos further across the country. As winter tightens its grip, travellers face days of disruption, as air and ground operations struggle to keep up.

If there is a silver lining, it is the resilience of travellers and emergency services — but the scale of this weather‑travel meltdown will serve as a warning: systems once reliable may buckle under nature’s fury. And for many, this holiday season may be forever etched in memory — not for reunions or celebrations — but for cancellations, cold floors and frozen hopes.