Airlines Begin Offering Waivers Ahead of Thanksgiving Weekend Storm

U.S. airlines on Friday began waiving change fees for flights at airports likely to be affected by Winter Storm Ezekiel as it makes its way across the Midwest and plains toward New England.

The storm, moving slowly from west to east, is expected to slam several areas of the country with snow, sleet and ice on Sunday and Monday, just as people are beginning to return from Thanksgiving weekend.

Delta Air Lines on Friday announced it would waive change fees for travelers booked to or from 16 airports in the Midwest, including its hub in Minneapolis, and more than 20 airports in the Northeast, including all three in New York City — LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark — and Boston.

American Airlines has an even more expansive list in the Northeast, waiving change fees at 29 airports that include New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Buffalo and Providence, among others.

Southwest’s list of airports is smaller – a dozen cities in the Northeast – but more flexible. Whereas Delta, for instance, is giving passengers until Dec. 5 to complete travel, Southwest is offering the option to rebook in the original class of service or as a standby within 14 days of the original date of travel between the original city-pairs, without paying any additional fees.

JetBlue is offering waivers for 13 airports in the Northeast; United has a list of similar cities in the north and another 13 airports in North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.