July 14, 2026

Reagan National is under a ground delay program until 2 AM with maximum delays over 11 hours, Orlando just canceled its thunderstorm ground stop, and Atlanta finally has weather delays

ADVZY 103 (signed 5:33 PM ET) shows DCA's GDP active until 1:59 AM ET with average assigned delays of 95 minutes and a maximum of 685 minutes, all from the VIP security event. MCO's ground stop was canceled at 6:09 PM ET after hitting 1,021 flights. ATL has arrival delays until 9 PM ET, and PHL delays start at 8 PM ET.

The FAA's operations plan (ADVZY 103, signed 21:33Z / 5:33 PM ET) confirmed what the afternoon advisories had been building toward. The VIP ground stop at Reagan National that this morning's issue reported ending at 1 PM ET did not simply end. Fox 5 DC reported the ground stop ran from 11:30 AM to about 2 PM, and ARLnow said the FAA website showed it could last until at least 3 PM. It then transitioned into a ground delay program (ADVZY 095, signed 4:51 PM ET) with a cumulative program period starting at 1839Z (2:39 PM ET) and running until 0559Z (1:59 AM ET).

The GDP numbers are severe. A compression update (ADVZY 104, signed 5:42 PM ET) shows average assigned delays of 95 minutes and a maximum of 685 minutes, which is 11 hours and 25 minutes. The cause is listed as OTHER / SECURITY, the same VIP designation that drove the ground stop. ARLnow connected the VIP movement to President Trump meeting the Iraqi prime minister at the White House. Fox 5 DC counted 303 delayed and 118 canceled flights at DCA, with incoming flights facing nearly two-hour delays that are expected to continue through the night.

FlightAware's live DCA page currently shows arrival delays averaging 31 minutes and decreasing, but departure delays averaging 47 minutes and increasing, consistent with a GDP that meters departures at origin airports rather than at the destination. Multiple inbound flights were diverted, including American 2915 from Miami (diverted to Dulles), American 1556 from Boston (diverted to Philadelphia), and United 2047 from Houston (diverted to Dulles), per ARLnow and flight tracking data.

No airline has issued a DCA-specific travel waiver. VIP ground stops are air traffic control and security events, which airlines typically classify as outside their control. Passengers should check their airline's app for same-day rebooking options, as the GDP will continue assigning controlled departure times to flights headed to DCA until nearly 2 AM.

Orlando's ground stop hit 1,021 flights before it was canceled

Orlando International (MCO) went into a CDM ground stop (ADVZY 094, signed 4:31 PM ET) at 2018Z (4:18 PM ET) as thunderstorms moved over the field. The FAA extended it (ADVZY 102, signed 5:25 PM ET) to 2215Z (6:15 PM ET), with the note: "TSTM SLOWLY MOVING OVER FIELD. NOT EXPECTED TO CLEAR TO THE EAST UNTIL AFTER 22Z." By the extension, the ground stop had grown from 443 affected flights to 1,021, with average delays of 54 minutes and a maximum of 118 minutes.

The ground stop was canceled at 2209Z (6:09 PM ET) per ADVZY 105, but arrival delays of up to 30 minutes continue until 0000Z (8 PM ET) per ADVZY 099, and diversion recovery is active until 0100Z (9 PM ET) per ADVZY 101. FlightStats lists MCO's current delay status as EXCESSIVE. The FAA's ops plan (ADVZY 103) keeps TPA and MCO ground stops POSSIBLE until 0000Z (8 PM ET), so another ground stop at either Florida hub is not ruled out for tonight.

Atlanta finally has weather delays, with a World Cup semifinal tomorrow

Atlanta's afternoon windows fizzled all day. The noon and 1 PM ET possibilities never fired, consistent with the pattern all week where the Southeast forecasts kept underperforming. But ADVZY 093 (signed 4:28 PM ET) put ATL under arrival delays and airborne holding of up to 30 minutes due to thunderstorms, running from 2030Z (4:30 PM ET) to 0100Z (9 PM ET). The FAA's ops plan (ADVZY 103) keeps an ATL ground stop or delay program POSSIBLE until 0000Z (8 PM ET), and ATL CDRs (route management) are active until 0200Z (10 PM ET).

FlightStats currently shows ATL's delay status as LOW. The context is tomorrow: England plays Argentina in the FIFA World Cup semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium at 3 PM ET, and Atlanta is the primary arrival hub for traveling fans. A quiet evening tonight would be the best-case scenario for positioning flights into the city.

Tracking

PHL arrival delays start at 8 PM ET. ADVZY 098 (signed 5:06 PM ET) puts Philadelphia under arrival delays up to 30 minutes from 0000Z to 0130Z (8 PM to 9:30 PM ET), cause listed as SPECIAL EVENT.

Two ATC staffing triggers are active. ADVZY 103 shows ZDC Area 1 (Washington DC airspace) staffed down until 0200Z (10 PM ET) and ZAU West Area (Chicago) until 0500Z (1 AM ET). The ZDC trigger compounds the DCA GDP for anyone flying through the DC area tonight.

National tally. Flight tracking data cited by The Traveler and Travel And Tour World, both referencing FlightAware around 2:33 PM ET, counted 3,042 delayed and 143 canceled flights across the US. DFW led the nation in delays (285) and DCA led in cancellations. American Airlines was the most disrupted carrier (37 cx, 552 delays).

Waivers. United's South Texas thunderstorm waiver (AUS, IAH, SAT, travel July 14, rebook through July 17) remains the only new airline waiver issued today. No carrier has posted a DCA, MCO, or ATL-specific advisory. The FAA's next planning webinar is at 2315Z (7:15 PM ET).