Airlines Offer Travel Waivers As Bomb Cyclone Approaches Metro Detroit

METRO DETROIT — The nation’s top airlines are issuing travel waivers ahead of a potential bomb cyclone weather system with the potential to bring blizzard conditions to metro Detroit.

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.

The National Warned Service warned Michiganders that the storm will cause major disruption to travel across southeast Michigan. Over 3.5 million Michiganders will travel 50 miles or more from home between Dec. 23, 2022, and Jan. 2, 2023, with 3.2 million people planning to travel by car, according to AAA. You can check for airport delays/cancelations here.

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 for 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.

• Related: Massive Holiday Storm Could Bring Bomb Cyclone, Blizzards To U.S.

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.