Catastrophic weather instigates mass flight terminations at bustling Atlanta airport, coinciding with the peak of holiday journeys.
The Lowdown on the Chaos at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport
Prepare for a bumpy ride! Hordes of flights have been grounded at the world's busiest airport - Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport - due to a ferocious storm that swept through the night. This unwelcome weather event comes just as the travel rush for the Fourth of July gets underway.
Over 450 flights into and out of Atlanta were nixed as of early Saturday afternoon, according to FlightAware. Hundreds more are in for a delay. Delta, which makes the Atlanta airport its hub, is suffering the most, with 14% of its total flights canceled, FlightAware reports.
"Severe weather overnight is causing delays and cancellations," the airport announced Saturday on their social media platforms.
The weather brouhaha resulted in powerful winds that prompted most air traffic controllers to bail from the control tower Friday evening, as per CNN affiliate WANF, citing the Federal Aviation Administration. A skeleton crew stuck around to wrangle incoming planes. To add insult to injury, a batch of severe thunderstorms whipped up quarter-inch hail over the city overnight, causing over 100 Delta planes to require a thorough safety inspection before taking flight, a Delta employee informed CNN late Friday evening. The maintenance team, however, was working diligently to chip away at the backlog.
A ground stop was in effect Friday night due to the inclement weather, which temporarily barred inbound aircraft from taking off.
With millions of people gearing up to hit the road for the Fourth of July, the holiday disruptions might bite hard. The AAA predicts that a whopping 72.2 million people will journey at least 50 miles or more from home during the holiday period, which begins on June 28 and wraps up on July 6. A hefty 5.84 million travelers are expected to hop on flights to their destinations.
The Atlanta airport is bracing for 394,576 passengers during the holiday period, as reported by WANF. The airport served over 100 million passengers in 2024, making it busier than London’s Heathrow or the Dubai International Airport.
Stay tuned as we continue to gather more information from the airport, Delta Airlines, and the FAA.
Note: This story is still unfolding, and updates will be provided.
Enrichment Insights: Severe thunderstorms on June 27, 2025, caused hundreds of flight cancellations and delays at the airport. Nearly 400 flights were canceled into and out of Atlanta on June 28, with Delta Airlines alone canceling 380 flights. The airport was briefly under a ground stop, and flash flooding led to the closure of some highways near the airport. Travelers can monitor the FAA's airspace status and Hartsfield-Jackson's airport webpage for updates on when conditions might improve.
- Given the current weather chaos at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, preparing for a smooth lifestyle during travel might prove challenging for numerous individuals due to the extensive delays and cancellations.
- The general-news headlines this weekend are dominated by the impact of severe weather on sports events, as the storm hampering Atlanta's airport has caused hundreds of flight disruptions, affecting not only travelers but also teams and fans planning to attend competitions.
- As forecasters predict extended periods of unsettled weather across various parts of the country, it's crucial for us to stay updated on the latest weather conditions, including adverse weather warnings, to ensure a safer and smoother progression of our lifestyles, travel plans, and even sports schedules.
