Saturday, November 23, 2024 As millions of people set out to reconnect with loved ones this Thanksgiving, severe winter storms are wreaking havoc on travel plans across North America and Europe. Heavy snowfall, icy roads, and strong winds are stranding travelers at airports, stalling vehicles on highways, and disrupting trains and buses, creating one of the most challenging holiday travel seasons in recent memory. In the United States, the Northeast is buried under feet of snow, while major airports like San Francisco International (SFO) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD) are reporting hundreds of delays and dozens of cancellations, according to FlightAware data from November 22.
Across the Atlantic, Storm Bert has hammered the UK with snow and rain, causing widespread delays at Heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW). Meanwhile, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Sweden are grappling with their own storm systems, disrupting public transportation and grounding flights. As millions of people set out for their Thanksgiving journeys, severe winter storms are wreaking havoc on travel plans across North America and Europe.
AAA projects that nearly 80 million people are traveling 50 miles or more this holiday season, the highest since 2019. Of these, 71.7 million are hitting the roads, spurred by gas prices dipping below $3 per gallon in many areas.
Meanwhile, 5.84 million are flying, setting new records for domestic air travel. However, these plans are being disrupted as heavy snowfall, icy condition.
