Travel is at a standstill in New York City amid a historic nor’easter that created a cascade of hundreds of flight cancellations and headaches for anyone trying to get in or out of the region this week.
Blizzard live updates: Monster storm dropping 3 inches of snow per hour
Flight cancellations pile up as NYC travel temporarily halted due to blizzard
The governors of New York and New Jersey both issued states of emergency this week as the Northeast was slammed with severe blizzard warnings across New Jersey, New York City, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Massachusetts.
Ahead of the storm on Sunday, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a local state of emergency as NYC Emergency Management announced a travel ban, which finally lifted at noon on Monday.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters – PHOTO: Snow plows clear snow from the tarmac during a winter storm at LaGuardia Airport in New York, Feb. 23, 2026.
The city remains under a state of emergency, however, even though “the worst has passed,” Mamdani said at a news conference Monday, before urging New Yorkers to “stay off the roads” for the time being.
“The city’s travel ban is lifted, but conditions on the roads remain icy,” Mamdani wrote separately on social media. “If you choose to drive, please exercise caution, travel slowly, and be mindful of others on the road.”
Spencer Platt/Getty Images – PHOTO: Few cars move along a Brooklyn highway as blizzard conditions continue, Feb. 23, 2026, in New York. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a state of emergency yesterday for New York City and issued a travel ban until 12 p.m. on Monday.
New York City saw 14 to 20 inches of snow accumulation, according to Mamdani, with parts of Staten Island receiving more than 2 feet of snow.
In an update on X citing the Federal Aviation Administration and Port Authority, NYC Emergency Management said the there were “major flight disruptions” at all three major airports, John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).
As of publication, JFK had reported 1,110 cancellations, with no remaining arrivals or departures, and AirTrain service suspended.
At LaGuardia, there have been 1,034 cancellations, with no remaining arrivals or departures.
At Newark, 1,002 cancellations were reported, with no remaining arrivals or departures.
Passenger rights for flight cancellations and how to get refunds amid severe winter storm
Brian Kelly, founder of The Points Guy and professional globe trotter, has regularly reiterated his top strategies for travelers who may be stranded due to inclement weather.
On Monday, he shared a new video on Instagram reminding travelers what rights and protections they have, as well as how to get a refund or booked on a new flight once travel bans are lifted and it’s safe to fly again.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters – PHOTO: A person sleeps on a bench during a winter storm at LaGuardia Airport in New York, Feb. 23, 2026.
In the post’s caption, he shared a few tips for anyone whose travel plans had been “upended by severe weather.”
“1) If you don’t want to travel — get a full refund and call it a day (never take a voucher — airlines are legally required to refund you if you don’t like what they rebooked you on),” he wrote. “2) File a claim with your credit card company or travel insurance for all additional costs (hotel, new flights, uber , meals etc). Many credit cards have free coverage up to $10,000 per person that covers you as long as you used that card to pay for the trip.”
“3) Keep checking for seats to open up on Google Flights and then immediately buy them (I often use miles so I can full refund it if something better opens up),” he continued. “4) Use tools like @expertflyer which allow you to set alerts so if any seats open up on earlier flights than what you’re on, you’ll be notified and then you can have the airline switch you to a better flight.”
Refund policies for flight delays or cancellations
The Department of Transportation rules state that airlines are required by law to make refunds for purchased airline tickets and fees for related services, automatic, prompt, in the form of the original payment and for the full amount.
According to the policy, travelers also have the option to accept alternative arrangements or travel credits if their original travel is impacted.
“If you chose to take a significantly delayed/changed flight or an alternative flight offered by the airline, you are not entitled to a refund under DOT rules,” the department’s website notes.
Canceled flights
A ticketed passenger is “entitled to a refund if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer chooses not to travel,” the DOT website states.
Clear disruption definitions
The DOT website currently states that consumers are also “entitled to a refund if the airline significantly delays a flight or significantly changes a flight and the consumer chooses not to travel.”
“Significant disruptions” are clearly defined across all airlines as a delay of three hours or more for domestic flights and six hours or more for international flights.
Previously, the duration that constituted a significant delay varied across most airlines. Some considered 90 minutes to be significant, while others considered it to be upward of four hours.
Baggage delay refunds
If a bag is delayed for more than 12 hours (or 15-30 hours for international flights), travelers are eligible for refunds on bag fees.