Midwest Winter Storm Disrupts 15,000 Flights Over Thanksgiving

(CHICAGO) A powerful Thanksgiving week winter storm in the U.S. Midwest turned into a serious problem for international travelers and immigrants, as more than 15,000 flights were canceled or delayed nationwide and thousands of people were stranded at Chicago O’Hare and Chicago Midway just as holiday traffic hit its peak.

From November 25 to 27, 2025, heavy snow, ice, and strong winds swept across key hub airports, forcing ground stops, long de-icing lines, and widespread schedule changes. Chicago O’Hare alone saw more than 930 cancellations and over 750 delays by Saturday afternoon, November 29, with Chicago Midway reporting 187 cancellations and 85 delays. Those numbers mattered far beyond missed family dinners, because for many foreign travelers every lost flight also meant a missed visa interview, an expiring I‑94 record, or a critical work start date.

Timeline and Key Numbers

• Storm window: November 25–27, 2025
• Nationwide flights scheduled Nov 25–26: 360,000+
• Travelers estimated that week: 81.8 million people (traveling at least 50 miles)
• Daily passenger volume expected: ~2.8 million
• Nationwide cancellations/delays tied to the storm: more than 15,000
• Chicago O’Hare (by Nov 29): 930+ cancellations, 750+ delays
• Chicago Midway: 187 cancellations, 85 delays
• Power outages across key Midwest states: ~71,000

Where the Trouble Spread

Because Chicago O’Hare is a major international gateway, delays there quickly rippled through the immigration system. Travelers reported:

• Missed biometrics appointments
• Rescheduled consular interviews
• Problems reaching U.S. ports of entry before the date printed on immigrant visas or advance parole documents

Others struggled to rebook flights in time to report to new jobs on H‑1B or L‑1 visas. Late arrival could affect onboarding and, in some cases, employer support.

Weather Conditions

The storm itself was severe:

• Snow totals: 6–10 inches in Chicago and nearby areas; some locations could approach a foot.
• Freezing rain and strong winds pushed conditions toward blizzard levels in parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
• Winter storm and blizzard warnings covered much of the region, making travel to airports unsafe for many.
• Power outages (~71,000) compounded difficulties for printing documents, charging phones, or contacting airlines and lawyers.

Who Faced the Worst Immigration Problems

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the worst immigration problems fell into three main groups:

1. Travelers with time‑sensitive consular appointments
2. Noncitizens with expiring authorized stays who left the U.S. and were trying to return before their I‑94 admission period ran out
3. New students or workers whose visas were tied to fixed program or employment start dates

While U.S. law does not punish people for airline delays outside their control, the reality at airports and consulates can be rigid—especially when appointment systems are already backed up.

Operational Factors That Increased Chaos

Airline operations amplified disruptions:

• Major carriers affected: United, American, Delta, Air Canada, British Airways, Aeromexico.
• Tight aircraft rotations and crew duty limits meant that once planes and crews were stuck in Chicago or Detroit, later flights across the country and overseas began to cancel.
• Missed connections at Chicago O’Hare stranded some passengers in transit without clear information on when they could reach their final destination or how the delay would affect their visa or status.

Impact on Consular Appointments and International Travel

• Travelers heading to U.S. consulates in Canada, Mexico, and Europe for nonimmigrant visa stamping felt the ripple effects.
• A passenger routed through the Midwest for a same‑week appointment could find the earliest new date weeks away, forcing extended stays abroad.
• That extra time outside the U.S. can be especially stressful for those with pending adjustment of status applications, advance parole travel, or strict U.S. work obligations.

Advice from Immigration Lawyers

Immigration lawyers urged affected travelers to document every disruption. Recommended documentation includes:

• Boarding passes
• Airline delay notices
• Screenshots of cancellation alerts

These items can help explain late arrivals, missed appointments, or broken travel plans. Although CBP officers at ports of entry have discretion, they often look more favorably on travelers who can clearly show storms—not personal choice—caused schedule changes.

Official guidance on travel, admission, and inspection procedures remains available on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection travel page: https://www.cbp.gov/travel

Student Concerns (F‑1 and J‑1)

The storm collided with school breaks and end‑of‑semester travel:

• Many international students booked tight itineraries through the Midwest to save money, leaving little room for weather problems.
• When connections disappeared, students worried about:
  • Getting passports properly stamped
  • Carrying updated I‑20 or DS‑2019 forms for reentry
  • Recent program or school changes that complicate reentry documentation

Timing, Travel Advice, and Economic Constraints

Air travel experts had warned that evening flights on November 25 and 26 carried the highest risk of major delays. They suggested that passengers who could choose other times—Monday, November 24, Thanksgiving Day (Nov 28), or early Friday, Nov 29—would face less pressure from weather and crowds.

However, many lower‑income travelers and newly arrived immigrants had limited flexibility because cheaper tickets often tied them to those high‑risk days.

Consular Sections Abroad: Practical Responses

Consular sections generally told applicants to:

• Monitor email closely
• Follow local instructions if they could not reach an appointment on time due to the storm

Security rules often prevented late same‑day walk‑ins. Delayed travelers had to compete for the next available slots at posts already managing high demand for work, student, and family visas.

Mixed‑Status Families and Personal Costs

Within the United States, the combination of missed flights and power cuts created serious worries for mixed‑status families trying to reunite for the holiday:

• Some U.S. citizens who had flown abroad to visit relatives faced being trapped outside the country, while spouses and children remained stuck at home.
• For families already separated by immigration backlogs, the lost chance to gather over Thanksgiving had a personal cost that the headline figure of 15,000 flights could not fully capture.

Aftermath and Recovery

By the end of the week, operations began to stabilize, but many passengers still faced:

• Leftover disruptions
• Lost bags
• Rebooked itineraries stretching into early December

For immigrants and visitors whose legal status depends on being at the right place at the right time, the storm was a sharp reminder that winter weather in the Midwest can quickly turn a routine holiday trip into an immigration problem—especially when that journey runs through Chicago O’Hare at the busiest time of year.

Key takeaway: Document every disruption and consult official guidance and legal counsel when travel delays intersect with immigration deadlines and appointments.