As of Jan. 2, flight disruptions in Canada have increased due to a prolonged wave of severe winter weather. Storms have caused widespread airport disruption with flight cancellations and delays, impacting thousands of travellers.
Flight cancellations in Canada
The disruptions began in late December with over 1,200 flights cancelled between Dec. 27 and Dec. 29, across the country. It is among the most disruptive of the season, with winter storms causing significant operational pressure at major hubs.
Major carriers, including Air Canada, WestJet and Porter Airlines, have issued travel alerts and cancelled hundreds of flights across their domestic networks as crew and operations teams have had to adapt to rapidly changing weather conditions.
These airlines have explicitly communicated they are operating under ‘safety-first’ procedures, including activating “winter-hold” protocols with flight operations at hubs such as Toronto Pearson reduced, from around 44 scheduled arrivals and departures per hour to 16, to prioritise snow clearance, de-icing and aircraft repositioning, contributing to backlogs at several key airports.
Widespread Airport Disruption
Some of Canada’s busiest airports continue to face operational challenges:
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) experienced freezing rain and blizzard conditions that resulted in dozens of delays and cancellations. While conditions in Ottawa have improved, with sunshine and no significant precipitation today, the airport remains under strain as airlines work through backlogs of crews and aircraft positioning from earlier weather, leaving some travellers stranded for days and facing rebooking options only becoming available as late as Jan. 5.
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) experienced short but heavy snow combined with wind gusts of up to 90 km/h. forcing over 500 cancellations and creating significant congestion. Today, the airport continues to face delays and cancellations amid freezing rain, strong winds and other severe winter conditions, with official figures showing 11% of flights delayed and 1% cancelled. Airlines remain under the operational recovery alerts issued on Dec. 30, 2025 for travel through Jan. 4.
Calgary International Airport (YYC) experienced dense fog disrupting flight operations from Thursday, Jan. 1. As a result, dozens of flights were delayed or cancelled as visibility dropped to near zero and airlines shifted to low-visibility operating procedures. Environment and Climate Change Canada stated that while conditions eased Thursday afternoon, fog patches lingered into Friday morning. As of Jan. 1, over 40 arriving flights and 20 departures were delayed at YYC. Operations are gradually stabilising as airlines work through backlogs.
Winter storms expected to cause further flight disruptions across Canada
On Jan. 2, the weather pattern affecting Canada shifted from the single, large storm system reported on Dec. 30, 2025 into separate regional winter weather patterns, according to Environment Canada weather alerts. Flight disruptions in Canada are now being driven by changing local conditions rather than a nationwide system.
In Western Canada, dense fog that settled over Calgary airport on New Year’s Day has lingered into Friday morning, with visibility only improving slowly. The north of the country’s extreme cold weather has intensified, with wind chills near -55 degrees Celcius around Dawson and Beaver Creek.
Across Ontario and Quebec, while the main blizzard has passed, snow squall warnings remain active for parts of southern Ontario, including Barrie, Collingwood and Hillsdale, where 10 to 20 centimetres of snow and near-zero visibility have been forecast. In Ottawa, wind chills around -31 degrees Celsius persist, contributing to ongoing Toronto Pearson and Ottawa airport flight disruptions, and continued flight delays in Canada as winter conditions linger.
In Atlantic Canada, weather conditions are consistent with the past few days. A special weather warning is in effect for New Brunswick through Friday morning, forecasting 15 to 30 centimetres of snowfall, while parts of the Maritimes continue to see a mix of snow, ice pellets and rain, adding to flight cancellation issues in the region.
Meteorologists are also monitoring a developing Polar Vortex disruption, with models confirming on Jan. 2, that a Sudden Stratospheric Warming event is underway. Forecasts point to a renewed Arctic blast between Jan. 12 and Jan. 20, raising the risk of further winter storms causing flight delays in Canada, with cold conditions expected to persist into February.
Airline Rebooking Measures
Airlines have activated operational recovery plans to manage displaced passengers. Air Canada is offering flexible rebooking for flights scheduled between Dec. 31, 2025, and Jan. 4, with changes permitted through Jan. 11 without additional fees. WestJet and Porter Airlines are advising passengers to monitor flight status online, with weather-related cancellations eligible for rebooking or travel credits depending on fare conditions.
Were you affected by the cancellations in Canada? Let us know in the comments!
