As a massive winter storm paralyzes the United States with polar temperatures and heavy snowfall, the impact is being felt thousands of kilometers away in the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic, currently the leading destination for US tourists, is facing a significant disruption to its peak winter travel season.
The “polar chaos” currently gripping the US has led to the cancellation of an estimated 16,000 flights. Because the Dominican Republic receives most of its tourists from the US market, particularly from the Northeast corridor, these cancellations represent thousands of travelers unable to reach their resorts and hotels. For a country where tourism is a primary economic driver, the sudden halt in arrivals during the busy month of January creates a ripple effect, impacting everything from local transportation to hospitality revenue.
JetBlue, the leading US carrier to the Dominican Republic, has been disproportionately affected by the storm. With its primary hubs located at New York-Newark and Boston, two areas hardest hit by the winter weather, the airline has been forced to scrap a large portion of its daily schedule to Santo Domingo, Santiago, and Punta Cana.
As the airline with the highest frequency of flights between the two nations, JetBlue’s operational “gridlock” in the Northeast directly translates to empty arrival gates in the Dominican Republic. This creates a logistical challenge for the carrier as it attempts to reposition aircraft and crews once the weather clears to accommodate the massive backlog of stranded passengers.
What happens when weather cancels your flight?
Travelers are encouraged to check their airline’s mobile app for the most current status before heading to the airport and to review their specific “Contract of Carriage” for additional protections.
When a flight is canceled due to weather, passenger rights differ significantly from “controllable” delays (like mechanical issues). According to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) guidelines and airline policies:
• Refunds: If an airline cancels a flight for any reason, including weather, and the passenger chooses not to travel on a rebooked flight, they are entitled to a full refund to the original form of payment, not just travel vouchers.
• Rebooking: Most airlines, including JetBlue, will rebook passengers on the next available flight at no additional cost, though “the next available flight” can often be several days away during a major storm.
• Vouchers and amenities: Because weather is considered an “uncontrollable” event, airlines are generally not required to provide passengers with meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, or compensation for other incidental expenses.
• Significant delays: If a flight is significantly delayed (usually 3 hours or more), passengers may also be entitled to a refund if they choose not to fly.
USA Today reports that airlines are working on getting flights back on track after cancelling over 15,700 US flights over the weekend, per FlightAware. The number is reported the most since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read more:
USA Today
CNN
El Dia
Diario Libre
27 January 2026