Airlines waive change fees as snowstorm threatens Thanksgiving weekend travel

• Airports covered under the Delta and American fee waiver include LaGuardia, JFK, Newark and Boston.
• The snowstorm is expected to make its way eastward over the weekend.
• The potential travel disruptions coincide with one of the busiest days of the year for U.S. carriers.

A crew works to de-ice a plane at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after a blizzard struck overnight on November 27, 2019 in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Stephen Maturen | Getty Images

Travelers returning from the long Thanksgiving weekend may face disruptions as a slow-moving winter storm advances eastward, prompting airlines to waive change fees for flights in the storm's potential path.

Delta Air Lines on Friday said it would waive change fees for passengers booked to or from almost two dozen airports in the Northeast, including all three major airports serving New York City — LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark — and Boston.

Travelers booked to fly from the airports listed on Dec. 1-2 can change their tickets for as late as Dec. 5.

The airline also has waivers in place for 16 airports in the Midwest, including its Minneapolis hub. Delta is encouraging travelers to check their flight status online.

American Airlines is issuing a similar waiver for 29 airports, including those in New York, Newark, Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Providence, Rhode Island.

The potential disruptions would coincide with what trade group Airlines for America expects to be the busiest day for the airline industry, with 3.1 million passengers. Airlines are expected to carry a record 31.6 million travelers during the 12 days around Thanksgiving, a nearly 4% increase from last year.