Flight Delays and Airport Impacts: October 27, 2025

Published on Oct 27, 2025, 8:40 am CDT

4 min read

Key points

Overnight Ground Delay Programs affected Ronald Reagan Washington National, Chicago O’Hare, Newark Liberty, and San Francisco
Low ceilings are impacting San Francisco and Seattle while thunderstorms are expected across Central and South Florida
Winds may slow operations at Harry Reid International in Las Vegas
Additional Ground Stops or Ground Delay Programs are possible this afternoon at San Diego, San Francisco, Boston Logan, Newark, Denver, and select Florida airports
Jamaica’s Norman Manley International and Sangster International remain closed due to Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, disrupting U.S.–Caribbean flights

What changed, who is affected, and what to do: The FAA's overnight system plan carried Ground Delay Programs at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and San Francisco International Airport (SFO), with more traffic management possible later today. Low ceilings persist in parts of the West, storms are forecast over Central Florida, and winds could slow operations in Las Vegas. Jamaica's airports remain closed as Hurricane Melissa intensifies, disrupting U.S.-Caribbean flights and cruise turnarounds.

FAA Operations Plan and Weather

The Air Traffic Control System Command Center's (ATCSCC) plan lists terminal constraints for today: low ceilings at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), and San Francisco International Airport (SFO); thunderstorms at Orlando International Airport (MCO), Tampa International Airport (TPA), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), and Miami International Airport (MIA); and winds at Harry Reid International Airport (LAS). The plan also calls out potential afternoon Ground Stops or Ground Delay Programs at San Diego, San Francisco, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Newark, Denver, and select Florida airports. En-route, thunderstorms in multiple centers and special-use airspace near Washington may require reroutes.

Overnight, formal Ground Delay Programs were active at Reagan National, O'Hare, Newark, and San Francisco, which helped meter arrivals during low-ceiling periods. As ceilings lift and storm cells shift, the FAA may transition to miles-in-trail spacing, reroutes, or additional, time-limited programs this afternoon. If you are connecting through these hubs, keep your airline app open and expect gate or time changes to propagate within 30-60 minutes of any plan update.

Latest Developments

Jamaica's Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) and Sangster International Airport (MBJ) remain closed "until further notice" as Category 5 Hurricane Melissa brings destructive winds, flooding rain, and storm surge. The National Hurricane Center's morning advisory warns that impacts on Jamaica will worsen through the day, with dangerous conditions also likely in parts of Cuba and Haiti. U.S. flights to, from, or over the northern Caribbean face cancellations, diversions, and recovery-day equipment swaps once conditions permit.

Separately, a brief Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) ground stop on Sunday highlighted the ongoing sensitivity to controller staffing. While LAX is not flagged for a program this morning, the broader system continues to see sporadic staffing "triggers," and operational resilience remains uneven during the federal shutdown. Travelers should anticipate occasional delay spikes even in clear weather.

Analysis

Today's flight delays hinge on three forces: marine-layer ceilings on the West Coast, afternoon convection across Florida, and international knock-on effects from Hurricane Melissa. At SFO, morning metering can cascade into bank-to-bank compression, so late-morning and early-afternoon departures often shift as arrival rates adjust. Florida hubs tend to ride out convective pulses with tactical reroutes and brief ground stops; the real friction shows up in recovery when crews and aircraft end up out of position.

For transcon and transatlantic flyers, watch Boston Logan this afternoon. Even a short Ground Delay Program at BOS can disrupt evening departures to Europe, which then ripples into Tuesday morning arrivals. Newark's mix of hub banks and airspace constraints means small plan changes can add 20-60 minutes to taxi-out or airborne delay, especially when thunderstorms force "escape routes" or oceanic adjustments.

Background, how it works: The ATCSCC issues Ground Delay Programs to meter arrivals into capacity-constrained airports, usually due to weather or runway configuration. Ground Stops temporarily hold departures to an airport until conditions improve. These tools, along with miles-in-trail spacing and reroutes, aim to keep airborne holding minimal and to keep arrival rates aligned with what towers and TRACONs can safely handle.

Practical moves today: Book earlier departures where possible, because afternoon convection often tightens schedules in Florida and the Northeast. If your itinerary touches Jamaica in the next 72 hours, use your airline's fee-waiver to move dates now rather than waiting for limited recovery seats. If you connect through San Francisco, Newark, or Boston, pick longer layovers, avoid last-bank arrivals, and opt into push alerts so reassignments do not strand you at the gate. Hurricane Melissa Waivers and Airport Closures in Jamaica and Shutdown Triggers FAA Staffing Delays have step-by-step actions for affected travelers.

Final Thoughts

Flight delays are likely to peak during the Florida storm window and the late-day programs at San Francisco, Newark, and Boston, with additional Caribbean disruptions while Jamaica's airports remain closed. Keep your airline app open, pad connections, and, if Jamaica is in your plans, use published waivers now. Today's system can flow, but flight delays will build quickly where weather and staffing intersect.