Topline
Multiple airports across the U.S. experienced significant flight delays Sunday, according to data from FlightAware, with weather conditions stifling around 4,100 departures and arrivals amid Memorial Day weekend.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport experienced significant delays Sunday.
Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI / AFP
Key Facts
Chicago O’Hare International Airport has recorded 1,099 delays so far Sunday, with 25 flights canceled, according to FlightAware, which noted departure delays averaged 48 minutes.
Boston Logan International Airport has logged 215 delays as several inbound flights were delayed at their origin for an average of 57 minutes due to low clouds, FlightAware reported.
Delays at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York totaled 210 as of Sunday afternoon due to traffic volume.
San Francisco International Airport has experienced 160 delays attributed to low clouds, according to FlightAware.
Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas recorded 112 delays as of the afternoon, with the holdups lasting between 16 and 30 minutes over wind disruptions.
Big Number
3,991. That is how many delays within, into or out of the U.S. were logged by FlightAware as of shortly before 4:30 p.m. EDT, while 101 flights had been canceled.
Key Background
Some 3.6 million people in the U.S. will travel on domestic flights during Memorial Day weekend, according to estimates from AAA. The organization said flights within the U.S. are 6% cheaper compared to last year but that most trips for this weekend were booked before rising jet fuel costs started impacting airfare. Jet fuel prices have surged alongside the cost for automobile fuel primarily due to the war against Iran, which has lasted nearly three months as the Trump administration supposedly nears a controversial peace deal. The average price for a gallon of gas in the U.S. is more than $4.50, the highest fuel prices consumers have seen in four years. Despite the surge in fuel prices, AAA projects 39.1 million people will travel by car this weekend, which would be a small increase from 2025.
Further Reading
Memorial Day: Higher fuel prices have some Americans scaling back their travel plans (Associated Press)
Ref: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2026/05/24/memorial-day-weekend-flight-delays-airports-in-san-francisco-chicago-and-more-impacted/
