As Winter Storm Fern moves across the United States, major airlines have issued extensive travel waivers for hundreds of airports. These policies generally allow you to change your flight with no change fees and no fare difference, provided you meet the specific windows for travel and rebooking.
Here is a summary of the current 2026 rebooking policies for the major U.S. carriers as of January 23:
American Airlines
- Impacted Dates: January 23 – 25, 2026.
- Eligible Airports: 34 cities across the Southern U.S. and East Coast, including Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Charlotte (CLT), Atlanta (ATL), and Washington D.C. (DCA).
- Rebooking Window: You can rebook for travel between January 21 and January 28, 2026.
- Policy: Fees and fare differences are waived if you stay in the same cabin and keep the same origin/destination (within a 300-mile radius change is allowed).
- Waiver Code: 20JAN26C.
Delta Air Lines
- Impacted Dates: January 23 – 26, 2026.
- Eligible Regions: Southeast, Central U.S., and Northeast (covers over 41 airports including ATL, DFW, and JFK/LGA/EWR).
- Rebooking Window:
- No Fare Difference: If you rebook for travel on or before January 28 (for Southeast/Central) or January 29 (for Northeast).
- After the Window: If you rebook for travel after the dates above, the change fee is waived, but a fare difference may apply.
- Refunds: Full refunds are available if a flight is canceled or delayed by 3+ hours (domestic) or 6+ hours (international).
United Airlines
- Impacted Dates:
- Southern U.S. (including DFW, IAH): January 23 – 25, 2026.
- Eastern U.S. (including EWR, IAD, BOS): January 24 – 26, 2026.
- Rebooking Window:
- Southern: Rebook through January 29.
- Eastern: Rebook through January 28.
- Policy: No change fees or fare differences if you stay in the same cabin between the original cities.
Southwest Airlines
- Impacted Dates: January 23 – 26, 2026.
- Eligible Airports: 26 cities including Dallas (DAL), Nashville (BNA), and Atlanta (ATL).
- Rebooking Window: You can rebook within 14 days of your original travel date without paying a fare difference. This is one of the most flexible windows in the industry.
JetBlue
- Impacted Dates:
- Southeast/Mid-Atlantic: January 23 – 25, 2026.
- Northeast: January 24 – 26, 2026.
- Rebooking Window:
- Southeast: Rebook through January 28.
- Northeast: Rebook through January 31.
- Policy: Fees and fare differences are waived if you rebook prior to your original departure time.
Actionable Tips for Your Storm Travel
- The “300-Mile Rule”: American Airlines is specifically allowing you to change your origin or destination within a 300-mile radius (e.g., swapping a flight from JFK to EWR) to find better availability.
- App First: Airlines are urging passengers to use their mobile apps for rebooking to avoid long wait times on phone lines.
- Refund Rights: Remember that per DOT rules, if the airline cancels your flight and you choose not to travel, you are entitled to a full cash refund, regardless of whether you have a non-refundable ticket.
