More than 7,000 flights were impacted by severe thunderstorms across the eastern United States on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The weather caused over 2,000 cancellations and upwards of 5,000 delays at airports serving the New York City area, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.
Major Airports Face FAA Ground Stops and Delays
The Federal Aviation Administration issued ground stops at multiple airports due to the thunderstorms. Affected airports included Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) in Maryland, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) in Massachusetts, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Teterboro Airport (TEB) in New Jersey, LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Westchester County Airport (HPN) in New York, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
in Pennsylvania, and both Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Virginia. Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in Canada also experienced a FAA ground stop.
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) was not subject to a ground stop but saw average ground delays of approximately four hours Tuesday afternoon. The New York City metropolitan area accounted for nearly 600 departing flight cancellations and over 500 delays.
Storm-Related Weather Warnings and Tornado Reports
Flood warnings and tornado watches were issued across parts of the Northeast as the storms swept through. Two tornadoes were confirmed: one in northeast Pennsylvania and another in
northern New Jersey.
Airline Rebooking and Refund Policies
JetBlue announced its teams were assisting travelers affected by the recurring severe weather across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Customers can rebook flights through Sunday, July 26, 2026, or request refunds to their original form of payment.
United Airlines waived change fees for eligible customers rescheduling flights departing through July 23, 2026. Passengers must rebook into the same cabin class on United flights between originally booked cities within the specified travel dates to qualify.
American Airlines notified affected travelers via email and its mobile app, requiring rebooking by Wednesday, July 22, 2026. New travel must be completed by
Friday, July 24, 2026.
Traveler Impact and Ongoing Disruptions
The combination of cancellations, ground stops, and delays left thousands of passengers dealing with disrupted travel plans Tuesday. FAA ground stops limited aircraft movement at numerous major airports, compounding delays.
FlightAware reported that disruptions are expected to continue rising as storms progress across the eastern U.S., maintaining operational challenges for major airports and airlines in the region.
