Airlines Offer Travel Waivers As Bomb Cyclone Approaches Chicago Area

CHICAGO — The nation’s top airlines are issuing travel waivers ahead of a potential bomb cyclone weather system with the potential of blizzard-like conditions and sub-zero temperatures that are expected to hit the greater Chicago area later this week.

In most cases, a waiver means tickets can be changed for another date without an extra fee. Airlines are continuing to update information on their websites as forecasts become more precise. Be sure to check the specific language on the airlines’ website about travel waivers and what travel dates are available for rebooking.

About 7.2 million people are expected to fly to their holiday destinations over the next several days.

At O’Hare International and Midway airports, 2.9 million people are expected to pass through over the Christmas holiday, city officials said on Tuesday. City aviation officials said that compared to the same holiday travel period between Dec. 21 and Jan. 2, O’Hare is expected to see a passenger increase of 4.7 percent. Current projections from the airlines show that Thursday will be the busiest day of travel.

Airlines project that Midway will experience an increase in passengers of approximately 26 percent compared to the same period in 2021, with the busiest day expected to be Dec. 27.

Forecasters are expecting a significant winter weather storm to hit on Thursday. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch until Saturday morning as heavy snow and white-out conditions are expected to hit the area. Forecasters have not yet laid out just how much snow the region will get, but are calling for heavy periods of snow and blowing snow.

City aviation officials said that more than 700 employees are ready to support round-the-clock operations and will use more than 350 pieces of equipment and more than 400,000 gallons of pavement de-icer to keep runways and taxiways clear and safe at both airports.

As of midday Tuesday, here’s the latest information on airline waivers:

United Airlines, headquartered in Chicago, is offering winter waivers in the Midwest, Texas, the East Coast, and the Central and Northwest U.S.

The United Midwest waivers affect about 30 airports and are good on tickets purchased by Saturday. Dec. 17, for travel from Dec. 21-25.

About 50 airports are affected on the East Coast, and the waivers apply for tickets purchased by Sunday, Dec. 18, for travel between Dec. 22-25.

American Airlines, which is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is offering waivers for about 30 airports in the Midwest and another 30 in the Northeast.

More information is found on the airline’s website.

Southwest Airlines, headquartered in Dallas, has issued winter weather waivers in the Rocky Mountains, Midwest, East, and Northeast regions.

JetBlue, the Queens, New York-based discount carrier, has offered waivers to people changing flights in or out of airports in Chicago, Kansas City, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Spirit Airlines, another discount carrier based in Miramar, Florida, said it would issue winter weather waivers on travel to and from about 18 airports in the Midwest and Northeast.

Delta, based in Atlanta, is offering waivers for travel in and out of about a dozen airports in the Northwest and Mountain Region.

Alaska Airlines, based in the Seattle metro area, had issued waivers on flights to and from Seattle.