A massive blizzard that dumped nearly two feet of snow across New York City forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights at the area’s three major airports on Monday, bringing air travel to a virtual standstill.
John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport remained open Monday despite the severe weather, but airlines canceled the vast majority of scheduled flights, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. LaGuardia Airport reported 22.2 inches of snow on the ground as of 1 p.m. Monday, while JFK measured 19.8 inches.
The flight disruptions were severe across all three airports. At LaGuardia, nearly 100% of flights were canceled, affecting 514 departing flights and 515 arriving flights, according to data from FlightAware. JFK saw 89% of departing flights canceled and 87% of arriving flights grounded, totaling 554 and 545 flights respectively as of late Monday morning. Newark experienced cancellations of 85% of departing flights and 91% of arriving flights.
“Port Authority employees are hard at work today doing ongoing snow removal operations at all of our facilities,” said Port Authority spokesperson Seth Stein in a statement. “The safety of the traveling public is our top priority as we work with our partners to restore travel operations.”
The severe weather also disrupted ground transportation at the airports. The JFK AirTrain suspended service, with the Port Authority implementing shuttle buses as an alternative. Newark’s AirTrain also halted operations and switched to shuttle bus service.
The Port Authority advised travelers to check their flight status with airlines before traveling to any airport, as conditions continued to affect operations throughout Monday.
The local airport disruptions contributed to a nationwide travel crisis, with 5,598 domestic and international U.S. flights canceled on Monday, according to FlightAware data. The three New York area airports were among the hardest hit facilities in the country.
The blizzard delivered at least 15 inches of snow to New York City, accompanied by powerful winds that created dangerous travel conditions. As detailed in our previous coverage of the storm’s impact on the Bronx, the severe weather prompted Mayor Zohran Mamdani to declare a local state of emergency on Sunday night and implement a travel ban for non-essential personnel.
The travel restrictions remained in effect through Monday morning as snow removal crews worked to clear streets and restore normal operations. Mamdani lifted the travel ban just after noon on Monday as conditions began to improve.
The storm’s timing during a busy travel period created significant challenges for passengers and airlines alike. Many travelers found themselves stranded or forced to reschedule their plans as the weather system moved through the region.
Airport operations crews continued snow removal efforts throughout Monday, working to restore normal flight schedules as quickly and safely as possible. The Port Authority emphasized that safety remained the primary concern as they coordinated with airlines and other partners to resume regular operations.
The blizzard marked one of the most significant winter weather events to impact New York area airports in recent years, demonstrating the vulnerability of air travel infrastructure to severe weather conditions. As the storm system moved through the region, airport officials worked to minimize delays and cancellations while maintaining safety standards for passengers and crew.
