Can I change my flight for free due to bad weather? Here's what airlines say

From this Friday through Sunday, a winter storm is expected to affect millions of people in the United States, impacting air travel.

“When adverse weather conditions or other uncontrollable events affect your flight and travel dates, you may be able to change your trip without an additional charge,” American Airlines states on its website.

As thousands of people may have questions about the status of their flights, the airline says it is working 24 hours a day to assist customers.

They assure that affected passengers will be contacted via email or through app notifications.

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However, they note that change fees will be waived if you:

• Are traveling on an American Airlines flight
• Have a reservation in any fare class, including Basic Economy
• Purchased your ticket before Jan. 19, 2026
• Are scheduled to travel between Jan. 23-25, 2026
• Can travel between Jan. 21-28, 2026
• Do not change your origin or destination city
• Rebook in the same cabin or pay the fare difference

Please note that:

• Changes must be booked by Jan. 25, 2026
• Travel must be completed within one year of the original ticket date; a fare difference may apply

To change your trip, if you meet the requirements, you can do so online by following these steps:

1. Find your trip on the website or app.
2. If your trip qualifies, you will see the “change trip” option in the toolbar.
3. If you are unable to change your trip through the website, you can call American Airlines reservations at 800-433-7300.

Delta offers flight changes with no additional fees

Delta Airlines reported that due to the approaching adverse winter conditions, it will help customers manage their travel by allowing those with existing reservations to change their flights without additional fees.

“The safety of Delta customers and our staff remains our top priority, so we closely monitor forecasts to determine necessary adjustments to flight schedules,” the company said.

To change your flight, visit Delta.com or the mobile app, and “as always, if a flight is canceled or a delay causes a missed connection, Delta will rebook passengers on the next available flight,” the airline stated.

“If travel is rescheduled for Jan. 28, 2026, or earlier, in the same class of service as the original reservation, no fare difference will apply. A fare difference may apply if the waiver is restricted to a specific class and the original booking class is not maintained on the rescheduled itinerary,” they said.

If the trip is rescheduled after Jan. 28, 2026, a fare difference may apply.

Passengers are advised to check their flight status frequently for the most up-to-date information.

Customers can also receive updates directly on their mobile devices or by email, where Delta will notify them as far in advance as possible about changes to flight schedules.