Flights to East Coast Hubs Canceled from Columbus Airport

Winter storm disrupts air travel as thousands of flights are grounded nationwide

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Travelers at John Glenn Columbus International Airport found their departure boards filled with cancellations on Sunday as a winter storm snarled air travel to major East Coast hubs like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. The airport reported that all flights from Columbus to LaGuardia, Newark, JFK, Boston Logan, and Philadelphia were canceled, with FlightAware reporting over 5,500 flight cancellations nationwide.

Why it matters

The winter storm caused significant disruptions to air travel, stranding passengers and impacting both business and leisure travel plans. As a major regional airport, the cancellations at John Glenn Columbus International Airport highlight the ripple effects that severe weather can have on transportation networks.

The details

Many travelers at the Columbus airport were not actually headed to the East Coast, but were still concerned about potential impacts on their connecting flights. One passenger, Meagan Knappick, was traveling from Columbus to Virginia Beach via Atlanta and said her trip was still on track so far. However, some attendees of a local cheerleading competition decided to rent cars and drive home rather than risk flight cancellations.

  • All flights from Columbus to East Coast hubs were canceled on Sunday, February 23, 2026.

The players

John Glenn Columbus International Airport

A major regional airport serving Columbus, Ohio and the surrounding area.

Meagan Knappick

A traveler at the Columbus airport who was headed to Virginia Beach, connecting through Atlanta.

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What they’re saying

“So far for us, smooth sailing. We are on time rolling back through Atlanta. So I think we're going to make it home.”

— Meagan Knappick (abc6onyourside.com)

What’s next

The airport and airlines will continue to monitor the weather situation and work to rebook passengers on flights as conditions improve.

The takeaway

This winter storm highlights the challenges that severe weather can pose for air travel, with the cancellations at the Columbus airport disrupting the travel plans of many passengers. As climate change leads to more extreme weather events, airports and airlines will need to find ways to better prepare and respond to these types of disruptions.