Storms disrupt 263 flights at Chicago O'Hare on 26 March

Disruption overview

Severe thunderstorms at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on 26 March 2026 triggered an FAA ground-delay program that caused 21 cancellations and more than 242 delays and affected thousands of passengers. United Airlines and its regional partners were hit hardest, but delays spread across multiple carriers and onward routes in the US and on international services. Operations improved after 8:00 pm, although some knock-on delays were expected into 27 March. Because the disruption was caused by severe weather, cash compensation is usually unlikely, but airlines should still help with rebooking, refunds, and care during long delays.

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Disruption details

Severe thunderstorms at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on 26 March 2026 triggered an FAA ground-delay program and disrupted thousands of passengers' travel plans. By the time operations began to recover, the airport had seen 21 cancellations and more than 242 delays.

For passengers, this meant long waits, missed connections, and a frustrating afternoon and evening at one of the busiest air hubs in the world. The FAA reduced the number of arriving flights shortly after 2:00 pm when low ceilings, heavy rain, and wind gusts above 30 mph made approaches unsafe. Restrictions stayed in place for most of the afternoon and evening, and traffic didn't begin to normalize until after 8:00 pm.

The worst of the disruption looked like this:

• 21 flights were canceled outright.

• More than 242 departures and arrivals were delayed.

• Peak disruption lasted for around 6 hours before conditions improved.

Because O'Hare is the main hub for United Airlines, United and its United Express partners SkyWest Airlines, Republic Airways, and PSA Airlines absorbed the biggest share of the disruption. United also issued a fee-free travel waiver covering Chicago itineraries on 26 March, giving customers the option to move their trips to later dates.

Other airlines were also hit as gates filled up and aircraft spacing tightened. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines reported dozens of delayed flights, while Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, and Spirit Airlines also saw schedule slips, even if in lower numbers.

The impact didn't stop in Chicago. Once aircraft and crews missed their later rotations, delays spread across regional feeder services from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, St. Louis Lambert International Airport, and Indianapolis International Airport. Later departures to Denver, Atlanta, New York-area airports including John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport, plus Boston, Montréal, Toronto, Dublin, Houston, and Miami, also ran late. Some services left as much as 2 hours behind schedule.

Recovery was slower because weather wasn't the only issue. Crew duty-time limits and existing air traffic control staffing shortages at the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center added pressure as airlines tried to rebuild their schedules. By the early hours of 27 March, operations had largely stabilized, but carriers warned that some residual delays could continue through the morning while out-of-position aircraft and crews were moved back into place.

Because this disruption was caused by severe weather, cash compensation is usually unlikely under EC 261. But that doesn't mean you're on your own. If your flight was canceled, your airline should offer rebooking or a refund if you decide not to travel.

During long delays, you can also ask the airline about care and assistance, such as food, refreshments, accommodation if you need to stay overnight, and help with communication, depending on your journey. If you'd like to understand what may apply to your flight, AirHelp's free flight checker is a simple place to start.

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