The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued warnings on September 26, 2026, about possible ground stops and ground delay programs through approximately 7 p.m. Eastern Time at several major Northeast airports. These include John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and Reagan National Airport. Washington Dulles International Airport may also face a ground stop starting after 2:30 p.m. ET, according to the FAA’s operations plan issued at 1:25 p.m. ET.
Weather and Traffic Constraints Affect Northeast Airports
Operational constraints at Boston Logan involve rain and wind conditions, while wind constraints also affect the air traffic systems
serving New York and Philadelphia. The FAA defines a ground stop as a traffic management measure requiring certain aircraft to remain on the ground at their departure airports to avoid congestion near destination airports.—for example, holding a flight in Chicago bound for JFK. In contrast, a ground delay program assigns arrival slots and holds some aircraft at their origin airports to manage arrival demand without stopping departures altogether. The FAA noted that these measures can be instituted with little warning when capacity is reduced due to weather or traffic.
Airlines Provide Northeast Weather Waivers
Delta Air Lines has issued a Northeast weather waiver valid for
travel on September 26 and 27, 2026, covering JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Philadelphia, Providence, Portland, and Westchester County airports. Passengers eligible under the waiver may rebook their travel with new tickets commencing no later than September 30. Additionally, Delta’s Boston-specific waiver covers travel from September 26 through September 29, with rebooked travel required by October 2.
American Airlines announced a severe-weather alert covering Boston Logan, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Philadelphia, Washington Dulles, and Reagan National airports for travel originally scheduled between September 25 and 27. Passengers meeting American’s ticket and rebooking policies qualify for a one-time change.
JetBlue Airways’ waiver extends through
September 27 at Boston, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, and other Northeastern airports, allowing eligible travelers to rebook travel through September 30. Travelers must verify waiver conditions as original purchase date, ticket type, and rebooking timelines vary.
Travel Disruptions and Refund Eligibility
Potential ground stops and ground delay programs present risks of delayed departures and arrivals across the affected airports on September 26, 2026. Flights marked “on time” earlier in the afternoon may face last-minute delays. Disruptions can cascade beyond the airports directly facing weather and capacity issues.
Passengers should monitor airline flight status, including aircraft arrival information if available, to assess on-time performance prospects. While airlines
offer voluntary weather waivers for flexible rebooking, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requires ticket refunds only if flights are canceled or if schedule changes or delays are significant. For domestic flights, the DOT considers an arrival delay of three or more hours a substantial schedule change justifying a refund.
FAA Operations Plan and Potential Schedule Changes
The FAA’s most recent operations plan, published at 1:25 p.m. ET on September 26, 2026, reported no active terminal traffic-management programs but left open the possibility of ground stops or delay programs being implemented as conditions evolve. JFK airport may be assessed after 6 p.m. ET for additional traffic-management due
to passenger volume. The FAA cautioned that traffic-management measures can change rapidly depending on weather and airport capacity.
