American Airlines says winter storm caused most flight cancelations in company's history

American Airlines was forced to cancel an estimated 9,000 flights so far in this winter storm, making it the largest weather disruption in the company's history, the airline said in a press release Tuesday.

The company, headquartered in Fort Worth, also said it estimates to lose $150-200 million in revenue due to the cancelations. Airlines are required by federal law to refund customers for canceled flights.

"Five of our nine hubs have been significantly impacted by this large and disruptive storm," Heather Garboden, chief customer officer at American, said in a statement. "Our largest hub at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which touches a significant number of the flights we operate each day, was hit particularly hard with record-setting conditions."

DFW has been bogged down with cancelations since the winter storm swept in over the weekend, leaving some stranded at the airport. Most of the cancelations have come from American Airlines or American-owned airlines.

American and its airlines canceled a combined 2,266 flights over the weekend at DFW alone, according to data from the flight-tracking website FlightAware.

But cancelations didn't stop there. More than 1,000 flights were canceled at DFW Monday, and about 450 flights were canceled Tuesday as of the afternoon.

The company said in the press release it’s changing how it schedules flights at DFW with the goal of having fewer delays.

Despite the cancelations, American estimated 7% to 10% more revenue in the first quarter of 2026 than 2025.

For those who must travel, DFW Airport recommends arriving early, driving slow on the roads to the airport and checking with the airline for a specific flight's status.

Dylan Duke is KERA's Breaking News Reporter. Got a tip? Email Dylan Duke at dduke@kera.org.

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