Thanksgiving travel in the United States is always a high-wire act, but this year, the stakes have been raised to dizzying heights. As millions of Americans took to the skies in late November 2025, a potent combination of fierce winter weather and lingering staffing shortages sent shockwaves through the nation’s busiest airports, leaving travelers stranded, frustrated, and scrambling for alternatives.
On November 27, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued ground stop orders at New York’s LaGuardia, New Jersey’s Newark, and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport—three of the country’s most crucial air travel hubs. According to Bloomberg News, the ground stop at JFK lasted from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. local time. Meanwhile, at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport, departures faced an average delay of 60 minutes, and Chicago O’Hare International—already notorious for its holiday chaos—saw a ground stop earlier in the morning due to snowfall. By day’s end, a whopping 61% of O’Hare’s scheduled flights had been delayed, according to FlightAware data.
But the trouble didn’t end there. As the Thanksgiving holiday period—projected by the FAA to be the busiest in 15 years—unfolded, the domino effect of delays and cancellations rippled across the nation. Airlines for America, a major industry lobbying group, predicted that U.S. airlines would ferry some 2.8 million passengers per day between November 21 and December 1, 2025. The FAA, for its part, said it was prepared to “get more than 360,000 flights” to their destinations during this period. Yet, as the week wore on, it became clear that even the best-laid plans could be upended by Mother Nature and the aftershocks of recent political gridlock.
By November 28, the situation had grown even more dire. Thousands of travelers found themselves facing significant disruptions as major airlines—including United, Delta, American, PSA, SkyWest, and others—racked up a staggering 1,039 delays and 51 cancellations nationwide, according to CNN and FlightAware. The epicenter of the chaos? Once again, Chicago O’Hare, Newark Liberty, and JFK—airports that serve as lifelines for both domestic and international travel.
Miami International Airport was not spared, tallying 4 cancellations and 85 delays, while Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International, a vital southern hub, reported 2 cancellations and 47 delays. Even airports far from the storm’s direct path, such as Honolulu, felt the ripple effects.
What was behind this travel mayhem? The answer, in part, was a powerful winter storm barreling through the Midwest and Great Lakes region. AccuWeather warned that “heavy snow is projected from southeastern South Dakota through Iowa, southern Minnesota, northwestern Illinois, and southern and central Wisconsin into the central and northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan.” The National Weather Service added that parts of Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan could expect 6 to 10 inches of snow, beginning Friday afternoon and continuing into Saturday evening. For travelers hoping to make it home for turkey and pie, these forecasts were anything but comforting.
On the morning of November 28 alone, more than 800 flights had already been delayed, with the northern states bearing the brunt of the storm’s impact. As one might expect, passengers were urged to stay glued to their phones and airline apps for the latest updates—and to brace for further disruptions as the weekend wore on.
Yet, weather wasn’t the only culprit. The travel industry was still reeling from the aftereffects of a recent federal government shutdown, which had led to staff shortages at airports across the country. Earlier in November, these shortages had triggered thousands of cancellations, compounding the stress for airlines and passengers alike. Greg Raiff, CEO of the Elevate Aviation Group, had previously warned that airlines lost “hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue each day during the shutdown.” While airports had made strides in recovering from the shutdown, the arrival of the winter storm put renewed pressure on already-stretched workforces.
It wasn’t just the major carriers feeling the pain. Regional airlines—like Envoy Air and PSA Airlines (affiliated with American Airlines), Endeavor Air (a Delta Air Lines regional carrier), and SkyWest, which operates flights on behalf of United, Delta, American, and Alaska—were also hit hard. Even JetBlue, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines reported varying degrees of disruption, depending on their routes and hubs.
As the disruptions mounted, travelers found themselves in a familiar bind: monitor flight statuses obsessively, consider alternate routes, and pray for a bit of luck. With 82 million Americans estimated to be traveling for Thanksgiving, the scale of the challenge was enormous. The impact was especially acute at airports with high air traffic and a large number of connecting flights—making hubs like O’Hare, Newark, and JFK ground zero for travel woes.
Retail sentiment on Stocktwits reflected the market’s anxiety. Delta Air Lines found itself in ‘bearish’ territory, while traders were ‘neutral’ about United Airlines and Southwest Airlines. American Airlines, meanwhile, enjoyed a ‘bullish’ outlook—perhaps a small silver lining amid the broader turbulence.
Despite these daunting challenges, both the FAA and airlines urged patience and flexibility. Passengers were advised to stay in close contact with their carriers and to consider alternate routes or even alternate modes of transportation where possible. “Always stay in close contact with your airline and consider alternate routes to avoid further delays,” advised CNN. For many, that meant long hours in airport lounges, hurried rebookings, and the hope that their holiday plans would somehow remain intact.
Looking ahead, the forecast for the weekend remained uncertain. The heavy snow expected from November 29-30 threatened to compound the delays and cancellations, particularly in the Midwest and Great Lakes states. For those still hoping to make it home—or anywhere at all—the message was clear: stay informed, stay flexible, and pack a little extra patience.
As the busiest Thanksgiving travel period in over a decade unfolded, the perfect storm of severe weather and staffing shortages served as a stark reminder of just how fragile the nation’s air travel system can be. For millions of Americans, this holiday season will be remembered not just for family gatherings and feasts, but for the resilience—and resourcefulness—required to get there.
