I-Journey

LaGuardia Airport posted more departure cancellations than any other airport in the world on July 27, and the disruption is expected to continue into today as another band of thunderstorms and heavy rain moves through the New York City area. FlightAware counted 34 cancellations out of LaGuardia and 13 out of JFK on Monday alone, with regional carrier Endeavor Air absorbing the bulk of the losses.

Delta has warned customers at its four New York-area hubs — Newark, White Plains, JFK, and LaGuardia — that travel could be affected through July 28, and is waiving fare-difference fees for anyone rebooked in the same cabin by July 31. JetBlue went further, waiving change and cancellation fees entirely for flights to or from Newark, JFK, LaGuardia, Islip, and Westchester County between July 27 and July 29, with rebooking allowed through August 1.

The storms are part of a broader pattern this week: forecasters are also watching for thunderstorm delays in Charlotte, Denver, Philadelphia, and several Florida and Washington, D.C.-area airports, while low clouds could slow arrivals in Seattle and San Francisco. It follows a rough stretch for East Coast air travel this summer, with a separate weather event between July 18 and July 22 triggering a wave of Delta cancellations and automatic refunds.

The practical move for anyone flying through the New York area this week: check your airline’s alerts page before heading to the airport. Both Delta and JetBlue have opened fee-free rebooking windows, so there’s little reason to sit through a cancellation without taking advantage of them.

Sources: TheTravel, JetBlue Travel Alerts