Thousands Of Travelers Grounded Across Puerto Rico, Mexico, And The Dominican Republic Today As United, JetBlue, American, Delta And Others Cancel 279 Flights And Delay 228 Amid US Winter Storm Disruptions, Hitting San Juan, Punta Cana, Mexico
Published on
January 26, 2026
Today, 507 flight cancellations and flight delays were recorded across Mexico, the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico, reflecting widespread disruption tied largely to US-linked air traffic. Of these, 246 cancellations involved US-linked flights, underlining the scale of impact on US travel networks.
The surge in cancellations coincided with a large-scale winter weather system across the United States, where snow, sleet, and freezing rain affected travel conditions across a broad corridor from the southern Rocky Mountains to the Northeast, disrupting air operations for a population exceeding half of the U.S. Heavy snowfall, forecast to reach up to two feet across major northeastern hubs, significantly constrained airline schedules, leading to knock-on cancellations across international leisure destinations.
The most affected airlines by cancellations were JetBlue (61), American Airlines (54), United Airlines (35), Delta Air Lines (33), Spirit Airlines (16), Frontier Airlines (12), WestJet (12), and Volaris (8).
The most impacted airports included Cancún International Airport (89 cancellations, 76 delays), Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, San Juan (86 cancellations, 48 delays), Punta Cana International Airport (40 cancellations, 51 delays), Lic. Benito Juárez International Airport, Mexico City (34 cancellations, 53 delays), and Cibao International Airport, Santiago (30 cancellations, 0 delays).
- Updated travel disruption update today: 279 cancellations and 228 delays were reported across five international airports.
- Severe winter weather across the United States was a primary driver of U.S.-linked cancellations.
- 246 cancellations were connected to flights operating within, to, or from the U.S.
- Cancún and San Juan recorded the highest combined cancellation totals.
- JetBlue, American Airlines, and United Airlines were the most affected carriers by volume.
- Some airports experienced cancellations without delays, indicating full flight suspensions.
Affected Airports
Cancún International Airport (CUN)
Cancún recorded 89 cancellations and 76 delays, the highest overall disruption among the airports tracked. The majority of affected flights were linked to U.S. routes, with cascading impacts from weather-related disruptions at U.S. departure and arrival hubs.
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, San Juan (SJU)
San Juan experienced 86 cancellations and 48 delays, with U.S.-connected flights accounting for most of the cancellations. JetBlue, American Airlines, United, and Delta were particularly impacted as U.S. mainland disruptions rippled into Caribbean operations.
Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ)
Punta Cana reported 40 cancellations and 51 delays, reflecting sustained disruption to leisure travel. Weather-related capacity reductions in the United States affected both inbound and outbound services operated by U.S. and Canadian airlines.
Lic. Benito Juárez International Airport, Mexico City (MEX)
Mexico City saw 34 cancellations and 53 delays, with delays exceeding cancellations. U.S.-bound services were heavily affected as aircraft and crews were displaced due to severe weather across U.S. airspace.
Cibao International Airport, Santiago (STI)
Cibao recorded 30 cancellations and no delays, suggesting full flight removals rather than staggered scheduling. All cancellations were tied to U.S.-linked operations, particularly flights dependent on weather-affected U.S. hubs.
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Airlines Most Affected by Flight Cancellations
JetBlue
JetBlue recorded the highest number of cancellations overall, driven largely by severe disruption across U.S. East Coast operations, which impacted services to San Juan, Punta Cana, Cancún, and Cibao.
American Airlines
American Airlines experienced widespread cancellations across Mexico, the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico, reflecting network-wide exposure to winter weather conditions in the United States.
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United Airlines
United faced cancellations across multiple leisure and hub-connected routes, with disruptions observed at San Juan, Punta Cana, Mexico City, and Cibao.
Delta Air Lines
Delta cancellations were spread across all five airports, with additional delays compounding the impact as aircraft rotations were interrupted by weather across U.S. regions.
Spirit Airlines
Spirit experienced concentrated cancellations at San Juan and Cancún, where U.S.-originating services were curtailed due to operational constraints.
Frontier Airlines
Frontier recorded cancellations across several airports, including complete cancellations at Cibao, reflecting dependence on U.S. hub connectivity.
WestJet
WestJet disruptions were primarily observed in Cancún and Punta Cana, where delays and cancellations followed upstream weather impacts in North America.
What Can Passengers Hit By Flight Cancellations Do?
- Monitor airline apps and official communication channels frequently.
- Review rebooking options offered automatically after cancellations.
- Check eligibility for refunds or future travel credits.
- Consider alternative departure dates or nearby airports where feasible.
- Retain receipts for accommodation or meal expenses if required.
- Allow extra buffer time for return and onward travel plans.
Overview of Flight Cancellations
Flight cancellations during the period were concentrated across Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, largely as a downstream effect of severe winter weather across the United States. Airlines with significant U.S. exposure — including JetBlue, American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines — appeared repeatedly across affected airports.
Key disruption points included Cancún International Airport, Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Punta Cana International Airport, Lic. Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City, and Cibao International Airport in Santiago.
The United States, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic emerged as the most affected countries, with winter weather-driven operational constraints in the U.S. continuing to generate cascading impacts across popular international travel markets.
Image Source: AI
Source: Different airports and FlightAware
