Emirates cancels multiple Dubai-US flights as snowstorm paralyzes American air travel
Dallas among worst-hit hubs as nationwide disruption intensifies
DUBAI – Emirates has cancelled multiple flights between Dubai and the United States as a powerful winter storm brings heavy snow, freezing rain and dangerous travel conditions across large parts of America.
The Dubai-based carrier confirmed the suspensions were due to the anticipated impact of Storm Fern, which continues to disrupt air travel nationwide. The weather system has led to mass cancellations across US airports, making Saturday the worst day for flight disruptions in a year.
The airline said customers connecting through Dubai on affected services will not be accepted for onward travel from their point of origin. Passengers have been advised to check their booking details and rebooking options as the situation evolves.
Cancelled routes
Among the suspended services are several key transatlantic routes. Flights EK203 and EK201 from Dubai to New York, along with return services EK204 and EK202, were cancelled on January 25, with EK203 and EK204 also cancelled on January 26. Milan-New York services EK205 and EK206 were scrapped, as were Athens–Newark flights EK209 and EK210.
Dallas services EK221 and EK222 on January 24 were also cancelled, alongside Washington flights EK231 and EK232 on January 25. The disruptions affect both direct Dubai departures and Emirates’ fifth freedom routes operating between European cities and the US.
Passenger advice
Impacted travellers are being told to contact their travel agents for rebooking. Customers who booked directly with Emirates have been asked to reach out to the airline for assistance.
The carrier has also urged passengers to ensure their contact details are updated through the Manage Your Booking section on its website to receive alerts. Emirates apologised for the inconvenience and said it is closely monitoring the weather situation.
US travel chaos
The Emirates cancellations come amid widespread disruption across the US aviation network. More than 1,000 flights were delayed or cancelled on Friday, with over half of those disruptions recorded in Dallas alone. Around 2,300 flights were cancelled for Saturday, according to FlightAware data.
Sunday is on course to become the worst day for US flight cancellations in the past year. By 9pm ET on Friday, more than 4,200 Sunday flights had already been cancelled, exceeding the previous record of more than 1,900 cancellations recorded on November 9.
Airlines have warned that further delays and cancellations are likely as freezing rain, snow and extreme cold continue.