FAA Ground Stop Follow-Up: Cancellations Top 1,300 and the Airline Waiver Deadlines to Check Now

The FAA's November 13, 2026 nationwide ground stop has left more than 1,300 flights cancelled, with knock-on delays expected through the weekend. Several airline waiver windows are still open, but American's booking deadline passed on November 14, and Alaska and Hawaiian's free-change window closes November 16. If you booked through a travel agency, ask your agent to confirm which waiver applies to your ticket before you rebook.

What is new since yesterday's ground stop coverage

Quick facts: the stop was issued Friday, November 13, 2026; it began lifting around 8:15 p.m. EST; the new details below come from reporting after the initial stop.

Yesterday's coverage focused on the stop itself and the first airline waivers. Reporting published late on November 13 adds the cancellation count, the weekend outlook, a reported link to a recent air traffic system change, and the exact deadlines in several waivers. Most of the new detail comes from a single trade outlet, The Travel's roundup of airline waivers, so treat those specifics as reported until you confirm them with the airline.

The cancellation count and the weekend knock-on effect

Quick facts: more than 1,300 cancellations by 9:04 p.m. EST on November 13, per FlightAware as cited by The Travel; further delays expected Friday and into the weekend.

Cancellations kept climbing after the stop was lifted, because aircraft and crews were out of position. The same reporting said the stop was first expected to run into Saturday in some regions, and the FAA advisory warned that departing traffic should remain stopped until further notice. Weekend sports travel was also affected, as Al Jazeera reported on November 14.

A final total was not available in the sources I reviewed. CNN's live coverage on November 14 described key questions still unanswered as service slowly recovered, and The Traveler reported that airlines were struggling to rebound. Live blogs from NBC News and ABC News tracked the recovery, and The Hill reported that thousands of U.S. flights remained delayed or cancelled after the stop.

What officials have said about the cause

Quick facts: the FAA described a communications problem; Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA is investigating; no final cause has been confirmed.

The FAA's statement on the nationwide ground stop described a communications issue and said technicians were investigating. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin called it "a communications outage," and Duffy referred to a communication issue affecting the air route traffic control centers. Both statements were preliminary. Local outlets such as The BayNet reported the stop's effect on regional airports, including Baltimore-Washington. Agencies have not released a root cause, and the FAA's own wording was that details could change.

The reported link to an air traffic system rollout

Quick facts: the reporting says the outage is believed to be linked to a new air traffic control AI system deployed at 22 centers on Tuesday, November 10; this link is unconfirmed.

The Travel reported that the outage is believed to be tied to a new AI-based system rolled out at 22 air route traffic control centers on November 10. The same piece quoted Air Space Intelligence saying its SMART system was not the cause of the ground stop. Until the FAA publishes findings, treat the rollout as a line of inquiry, not a confirmed cause. For context, the FAA's history includes a 2023 system outage that also halted departures nationwide.

Airline waivers and which deadlines have passed

Quick facts: several carriers issued waivers covering travel on November 13 and 14; some booking deadlines have passed, and others run to November 20 or 21.

Waivers are tied to the ticket issue date, the travel dates and the origin and destination, so the same flight can be eligible for one passenger and not another. Fox 9's roundup of airline waivers, and ABC7's live updates on which airlines were offering waivers and WCVB's coverage summarized the early offers.

United and Delta: deadlines still open

Quick facts: United waives change fees and fare differences if the new flight departs November 12 to 20 in the same cabin between the same cities; Delta requires new departures on or before November 21.

United's waiver for travel on November 13 and 14 also offers a full refund if the trip is cancelled. Delta's waiver lets you rebook without fees for flights on November 13 and 14, as long as the change is made on or before November 21 and the new departure is also on or before that date. Both waivers are still open today.

American: the booking deadline has passed

Quick facts: American waived change fees for tickets bought by November 12 for travel on November 13 and 14, but changes had to be booked by November 14.

The waiver covered all fare classes, including Basic Economy, at 21 airports. Rebooked travel had to fall between November 13 and 17 with the same origin and destination, and a fare difference may still apply. If your agency did not book the change before November 14, ask whether a fare difference or a new ticket is now required.

Southwest, Frontier, Alaska and Hawaiian

Quick facts: Southwest allowed rebooking or standby within five days at no extra charge; Frontier waived change fees but not origin or destination changes; Alaska and Hawaiian's free changes run through November 16.

Southwest cancelled its remaining Friday flights and let customers keep, rebook or fly standby within five days of the original date. Frontier's waiver applied to tickets bought by November 13 for travel through November 15, and it does not allow route changes. Alaska and Hawaiian's waiver covers tickets bought by November 13 for November 13 travel, with free same-cabin changes through November 16. The Alaska waiver applies only to Alaska-issued tickets.

What this means for travelers who book through an agency

Quick facts: agency-booked tickets may show a different issue date or booking channel, which can decide waiver eligibility.

Ask your agent for the ticket issue date and the fare rules printed on your itinerary, then compare them with the waiver terms. An agent can request the change on your behalf, but the airline makes the final call on waiver eligibility. If you need to move to a different carrier, ask whether the agency's service fee applies to the change, because the airline waiver usually does not cover agency fees.

What to do this week

Quick facts: confirm your flight status daily; book any eligible change before the waiver deadline; keep written confirmation of every change.

Check your status in the airline app or on the airline's own site rather than relying on the airport board. If your flight is cancelled and you have a waiver, act before the deadline, not after it. Save the confirmation email and the waiver reference, because agencies and airlines both use these records if a dispute follows. Canadian travelers on U.S. connections should read their carrier's waiver page directly, since I did not find a Canada-specific waiver in these reports.

People also ask

Did the FAA ground stop cause cancellations after it was lifted? Yes. The stop was lifted after several hours, but reporting said cancellations and delays continued into the weekend because aircraft and crews were out of position. The count passed 1,300 by 9:04 p.m. EST on November 13, according to FlightAware as cited by The Travel. A final total had not been published in the sources reviewed.

Can I still get a fee waiver for a flight cancelled on November 13? Possibly. Delta's waiver runs for changes made on or before November 21, and United's covers new departures through November 20. American's booking deadline was November 14, so that waiver is closed. Check the ticket issue date and travel dates against each airline's terms before you change anything.

Is the ground stop linked to the new air traffic system? That is unconfirmed. The Travel reported that the outage is believed to be linked to an AI-based system rolled out at 22 air route traffic control centers on November 10, and it quoted Air Space Intelligence saying its SMART system was not the cause. The FAA and DOT have not published a final cause, so treat the link as a question still under review.

Will my travel agent handle the rebooking for me? Usually, yes. Your agent can request a change, check fare rules and confirm the new itinerary. The airline decides whether a waiver applies. Ask your agent to confirm the ticket issue date and whether any agency service fee applies to the change, since the airline waiver may not cover it.

Do Canadian travelers get the same waivers? Not necessarily. The waivers described in these reports belong to specific U.S. carriers and cover specific ticket dates and routes. I did not find a waiver aimed at Canadian travelers. If your trip includes a U.S. connection, check the carrier's waiver page and ask your agency to confirm eligibility.

How long could delays from the ground stop last? The reporting did not give an end date. Knock-on cancellations and delays were expected on Friday and over the weekend, and the FAA said departing traffic should remain stopped until further notice. Watch the airline's status page and the FAA's advisory rather than relying on a single estimate.

Facts checked against current sources as of November 15, 2026; confirm before booking, traveling or deciding, because waiver terms and the FAA's findings can change.