Atlanta Airport Faces Cancellations And Delay Chaos As Winter Storm Hits The South

A winter storm has heavily impacted operations at the world's busiest airport.

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is no stranger to large crowds and busyness. However, as a winter storm hits the South, the airport faces significant wait times amid delays and cancellations.

The winter storm brought inches of snow to many parts of the southern United States, particularly impacting the airport’s operations. As snow hit the ground in the early afternoon of Jan. 21, over 1,000 flights faced scheduling issues. According to WSB-TV, 334 flights were canceled, and 787 were delayed.

This number kept climbing into the next day, with hundreds more impacted by the icy weather conditions. Those still expecting to catch their flights should prepare in advance for extremely long wait times.

Wait times extended to hours as the weather took its toll on Atlanta. As for today, the airport’s website lists the current wait times as over 75 minutes for its main domestic checkpoints, including for those with TSA pre-check.

The airport also shared updates to social media, stating that “significant” TSA callouts will result in longer-than-usual security wait times. They encouraged all passengers to arrive at least three hours before departure.

Fortunately, the airport confirmed that operations resumed for the day. The airfield and roadways have also cleared. Despite the good news, the airport noted that cancellations across the southeast region have continued, impacting its flights as well.

Please continue to monitor all ATL Airport social platforms and our stories for updates. ☁️✈️ pic.twitter.com/uvXYclaujL
— Atlanta Airport (@ATLairport) January 22, 2025

For travelers impacted by flight delays, the Department of Transportation has regulations to protect their interests. Many are entitled to an automatic refund without requesting it if their flight is significantly delayed or canceled.

The winter storm has left the airport in recovery mode, and the city has experienced road pile-ups and car accidents along its major highways. News stations have urged residents to stay off the roads due to the remaining ice. They have also warned of wind chills as low as 0 degrees.