Dallas airports faced another day of mass cancellations on Monday as frigid temperatures gripped North Texas, leaving thousands of travelers stranded.
Nearly 700 flights into or out of DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field combined were canceled by 9:30 a.m. on Monday, according to FlightAware. About 300 more flights were delayed.
The disruptions come as airports nationwide grapple with widespread winter weather, forcing airlines to slash schedules and strand passengers during peak travel season.
American Airlines, which operates its primary hub at DFW, bore the brunt of Sunday’s chaos, with more than 1,520 flights canceled.
Southwest Airlines, headquartered at Love Field, canceled over 1,317 flights that day.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at DFW Airport until 9 a.m. Monday due to snow and ice accumulation. Officials warned of a moderate chance that the restriction could be extended.
Ground operations remained hazardous as “feels-like” temperatures plummeted to minus 5 degrees. Runways faced a high probability of refreezing and black ice formation after sunset, creating treacherous conditions for aircraft movement.
Airlines, including American, Southwest, Delta, and United, issued travel waivers allowing passengers to rebook without fees.
Federal law entitles travelers to full refunds for canceled flights if they choose not to rebook, though airlines aren’t required to provide hotel vouchers for weather-related disruptions.
The bone-chilling cold will persist through Monday with wind chills as low as 4 degrees. Temperatures won’t climb above freezing until Tuesday afternoon.
Major North Texas school districts and city facilities remained closed as the region recovered from Sunday’s snow and sleet. Dangerous “freezing fog” and black ice pose primary concerns for late Tuesday into Wednesday as melting snow refreezes.
The winter storm’s impact extends far beyond Dallas. Nationwide, more than 4,100 flights were canceled Monday morning as the weather system paralyzed air travel across multiple states.
