UAE-US travel: Emirates cancels and reschedules Dubai-New York flights amid winter storm
Heavy snowfall and Arctic blast disrupt air and road transport
DUBAI – Emirates has announced flight cancellations and schedule changes to and from New York as a powerful winter storm causes widespread disruption across the United States during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
The airline said the adjustments were made in response to severe weather conditions expected to affect the New York area, particularly John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. Passengers travelling between Dubai and the US were urged to check their flight status regularly as the situation continued to evolve.
The airline confirmed that the changes affected services on Friday, with some flights departing earlier than scheduled and others cancelled altogether. The announcement came as snow, freezing temperatures and strong winds disrupted air traffic across large parts of the country, prompting warnings from weather authorities and state officials.
Early departures
Two Emirates flights operating from New York departed significantly ahead of their original schedules to avoid worsening weather conditions. Flight EK202 from JFK to Dubai, originally due to depart at 23:00 local time, left at 18:00 and arrived in Dubai at 15:25 on Saturday. Another service, EK206 from JFK to Milan and onward to Dubai, departed at 19:30 instead of its scheduled 22:20 departure, landing in Milan at 09:05 on Saturday.
The airline said the early departures were part of operational adjustments to maintain safety and reduce the risk of extended delays as snowfall intensified across the region. JFK and Newark were among the worst affected airports, with mounting delays and cancellations reported throughout the day.
Cancellations confirmed
Emirates also confirmed cancellations on services involving Newark and Athens due to storm conditions. On Friday, flight EK209 operated as scheduled on the Dubai to Athens sector, but the Athens to Newark leg was cancelled. Similarly, flight EK210 saw its Newark to Athens sector cancelled, while the Athens to Dubai service continued as planned.
Passengers affected by the cancellations were advised to contact their travel agents for rebooking or alternative arrangements. Customers who booked directly with Emirates were asked to contact the airline for assistance. The carrier also urged travellers departing from New York to ensure their contact details were up to date through the Manage Your Booking service to receive timely notifications.
Widespread disruption
The Emirates update came amid extensive disruption across the US aviation network. According to flight-tracking website FlightAware, more than 1,600 flights had been cancelled and over 7,400 delayed by Friday night as the storm swept across major travel hubs. Earlier in the day, data showed that by 12:00 p.m. US Eastern Time, 1,097 flights had already been cancelled nationwide, with a further 3,608 delayed.
Airports in New York, Boston, Chicago and Toronto were among the most affected, with JFK, Newark and LaGuardia featuring prominently on FlightAware’s “Misery Map”, which tracks delays and cancellations. New York’s three major airports alone accounted for around 850 cancelled flights, highlighting the scale of disruption during the peak holiday travel period.
Several major US airlines were forced to ground hundreds of services. Delta Air Lines cancelled 241 flights, JetBlue Airways 229, Republic Airways 180 and Southwest Airlines 151. American Airlines and United Airlines also cancelled around 100 flights each. Airlines and airports repeatedly urged travellers on social media to check directly with carriers before heading to the airport.
The US National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings from Friday afternoon through Saturday, forecasting up to 9 inches, or 23cm, of snow in New York and southern Connecticut. New York City was bracing for as much as 10 inches, or 25cm, of snowfall overnight, marking its heaviest snow in four years. More than 40 million Americans were under winter storm warnings or weather advisories one day after Christmas.
Officials warned that hazardous travel conditions were likely to persist as an Arctic blast moved south from Canada, pushing temperatures lower across much of the country. New York Governor Kathy Hochul advised residents to avoid non-essential travel, while Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that city crews and snow ploughs were on standby once snowfall reached two inches. Similar travel warnings were issued across New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Meanwhile, parts of the US West Coast also faced weather-related disruption earlier in the week, with heavy rain causing flooding in parts of California and forcing the temporary closure of Santa Barbara Airport before it reopened on Friday. Travellers flying to or from the US were advised to continue monitoring airline updates closely as weather-related disruptions remained ongoing.