U.S. flights: 80 cancellations, 441 delays May 19

U.S. flight disruptions on Tuesday, May 19, came just before the Memorial Day travel rush, with Travel And Tour World reporting about 80 cancellations and 441 delays across major airports including New York-area hubs. The FAA’s daily air traffic report for May 19 separately warned that thunderstorms could slow traffic in Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago Midway, Chicago O’Hare and Tampa, while low clouds could delay flights in Denver and Seattle. Newark Liberty International Airport was under a ground delay as of 6:51 p.m. EDT on May 19, with average delays of 1 hour and 4 minutes, according to the FAA. AAA projects 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day period from May 21 through May 25, including 3.66 million flying domestically. ### Which airports were caught up in the May 19 disruptions? Travel And Tour World said the May 19 disruptions affected major hubs including Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York JFK, Chicago O’Hare, Denver and San Francisco. The outlet said the delays and cancellations stranded travelers across multiple U.S. cities as the network absorbed weather and operating pressures. (faa.gov) FlightAware’s MiseryMap, a live disruption tracker, showed delays and cancellations concentrated around large hubs including Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Denver and San Francisco on the May 19 view. The tracker displayed 766 delays and 110 cancellations in one time window on the map interface, indicating that conditions were changing through the day. (flightaware.com) ### What did federal air traffic officials say was driving delays? The FAA said on May 19 that thunderstorms could slow traffic in Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago and Tampa. The agency also said low clouds could delay flights in Denver and Seattle in its daily air traffic report. Newark Liberty International Airport was listed by the FAA as under a weather-related ground delay on May 19. (flightaware.com) The airport-status page said the average delay was 1 hour and 4 minutes as of 6:51 p.m. EDT, with thunderstorms cited as the cause. ### Why are Newark travelers being singled out ahead of the holiday? Newark has been operating under FAA-imposed limits for months. (faa.gov) The FAA said in a Sept. 25, 2025 statement that it was extending a prior order limiting arrivals and departures at Newark through Oct. 24, 2026, and raising the hourly flight limit to 72 operations. (faa.gov) The FAA said in a June 6, 2025 statement that reduced rates at Newark were meant to alleviate excessive delays tied to staffing and equipment challenges, and that runway construction had also added to delays. The agency said it was working with airlines and the airport on those measures. ### How big is the Memorial Day flying wave this week? (faa.gov) AAA said on May 11 that 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between Thursday, May 21, and Monday, May 25. The group said 3.66 million of those travelers are expected to fly domestically, up slightly from last year. (faa.gov) AAA said roundtrip domestic flights booked for the holiday were 6% cheaper than a year earlier, at an average of $800, based on booking data. Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in the release that “travel demand remains strong.” ### What should travelers watch over the next few days? (newsroom.aaa.com) Thursday, May 21, begins AAA’s Memorial Day travel window, and Friday is expected to be one of the busiest rental-car pickup days, according to AAA. Air travelers can monitor FAA airport-status pages and carrier alerts as weather systems move through major hubs. (newsroom.aaa.com) The FAA’s Newark order remains in place through Oct. 24, 2026, and the agency’s airport-status page continues to post real-time ground delay information for Newark Liberty International Airport. Travelers using New York-area airports over the holiday stretch will be watching those updates closely. (faa.gov) (newsroom.aaa.com)