Sept. 24, 2026 • 16 min read Jump to section Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Copy URL Email The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Flight cancellations are on the rise in 2026. Since Jan. 1, U.S. carriers have canceled roughly 2% of all flights, according to FlightAware, putting this year on pace for the highest cancellation rate since 2022. And delays remain common: About one in four departures nationwide was delayed between Memorial Day and Labor Day, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
While most flights leave on time, there's no doubt that delays and cancellations remain a reality of air travel — whether due to bad weather, mechanical issues, scheduling problems or other unforeseen circumstances, including recent events in Mexico and the Middle East .
Most recently, passengers on the East Coast had to deal with snarled flights at the Northeast's busiest hubs due to an air traffic control outage Monday. And already, the next threat looms: an unusually early Nor'easter that could bring severe weather and further flight disruptions at airports across the mid-Atlantic and New England.
In case you experience flight delays or cancellations, here are tips on how to decrease your chances of getting stuck and increase your odds of arriving at your destination as quickly as possible. Plus, check out our advice on how to get reimbursed for unexpected expenses due to your flight delay or cancellation.
In this era of full flights and easily available information, don't wait for the airline to tell you there is a problem. You can keep an eye on general flight trends across the country by using FlightAware , which gives you a good overview of how a day in the sky looks.
FlightAware's "MiseryMap" focuses on delays. In the 24 hours before travel, you can manually check the status of your flight on your airline's website. If possible, be sure to check the plane's origin. Even if the conditions are clear where you are, there's a good chance your plane won't get to you on time if it's sitting in a snowstorm somewhere else.
It's also a good idea to sign up for flight notifications from your airline. Here are details on how to opt in to that process with American Airlines and United Airlines .
You can get flight status updates sent directly from FlightAware. TPG staffers are also fond of the Flighty app , which offers a reliable "Where's My Plane?" feature to track your plane starting 25 hours before your flight.
Be sure to download your airline's app on your phone, too. Many airlines will show you where your incoming plane is currently. In fact, your airline's app often has more up-to-date flight departure information than what's on the departure and arrival boards at the airport.
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