a city next to the water
Photograph ©2025 by Matthew Cohen.
Brian Cohen·
Weather
··7 min read

Airlines Extend Travel Waivers For Wildfires in Southern California: January 2025 Travel Alert

Find out how you can help.

Airlines extend travel waivers for wildfires in Southern California in January 2025, as 177 wildfires — many of which continue to burn out of control — have resulted in at least 24 fatalities; almost 41,000 acres having already been scorched; greater than 12,300 structures destroyed; and thousands of people either homeless or displaced as a result of mandatory evacuation orders. The speed of the Santa Ana winds had once again increased in the area, which only exacerbated this situation.

Airlines Extend Travel Waivers For Wildfires in Southern California: January 2025 Travel Alert

The good news is that the larger fires are closer to being under control, with the containment percentages, according to this official Internet web site of the State of California as follows:

  • Palisades Fire — 31 percent
  • Eaton Fire — 65 percent
  • Auto Fire — 85 percent
a fire in the city
Photograph ©2025 by Matthew Cohen.

“There was a little bit of ash on the streets and some larger flakes flying through the air starting Wednesday” on January 8, 2025, Matthew Cohen reported to The Gate With Brian Cohen from Los Angeles. “The Santa Ana winds came on Tuesday, which according to reports were 70+ mph. It was very smoggy and was irritating to the throat and sinuses. I could see the denser areas of smoke in the distance where the fires were located — especially west of and behind the Hollywood sign. Couldn’t see the fire itself. Sky looked overcast on Wednesday from all the smoke and gradually got clearer leading into” Friday, January 10, 2025.

a street sign on a street
The north corner of Olympic Boulevard and Georgia Street in Los Angeles is clouded by the thick smoke of the Palisades Fire. Photograph ©2025 by Matthew Cohen.

Matthew Cohen continued that “They also sent an evacuation alert to millions of people around Los Angeles by mistake — when they should have sent it to only the communities close to the fires.”

How You Can Help: Donate Miles or Points or Cash

You can help by donating your miles or points or cash to the effort of assisting those people who have been adversely affected by the wildfires in Southern California — such as through:

  • United Airlines — Although the airline has already donated $100,000.00 to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and California Fire Foundation — two local nonprofit organizations in California — United Airlines will match additional donations up to $150,000.00 and five million MileagePlus miles.
  • American Airlines — Earn ten bonus AAdvantage miles for every dollar you donate to the Red Cross with a minimum donation of $25.00 to the American Red Cross through Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
  • Choice Hotels — Donations from members of the Choice Privileges membership program to the Red Cross will now be eligible for a match from Choice Hotels of up to $25,000.00.
  • Alaska Airlines — Through today, Friday, January 17, 2025, you can donate your Mileage Plan miles to the Alaska Airlines Disaster Pool, which will go to the American Red Cross for disaster response such as the Los Angeles County wildfires. If you have Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles, you can transfer them to Alaska Airlines prior to donating them.

Other airlines have already donated funds — such as Delta Air Lines. Additionally, lodging companies have donated tens of thousands of rooms — such as Hilton and American Express as partners with 211LA. Individual hotel properties of Hyatt Hotels Corporation; Marriott International, Incorporated; and IHG Hotels & Resorts throughout the greater metropolitan area of Los Angeles are offering discounts on rooms. Airbnb.org has committed to providing free emergency housing for 25,000 additional people that have been impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles.

Also, you can visit Los Angeles Fire Mutual Aid Resources to browse through the plethora of — but, unfortunately, not exhaustive — ways to donate and volunteer in the counties of Los Angeles and Ventura. Information on the resources available is also provided for people that have been impacted by the wildfires — including places offering meals, access to chargers, Wi-Fi, and other services.

Always double check to ensure that you are donating your miles, points, or cash to reputable charitable organizations.

a tall building with a dark sky
The view to the north and west from the JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE hotel property is impeded by dense smoke from the Palisades Fire. Photograph ©2025 by Matthew Cohen.

Flight Waivers, Delays and Cancellations

If you are traveling to, from, or within Southern California over the next several days or so, expect delays and cancellations of flights. Keep up to date on the latest information pertaining to the wildfires which may adversely affect your travel plans. Better yet, postponing or canceling your trip might be a better option — no matter which mode of travel you plan on taking.

If you have a flight scheduled, your flight may be delayed or canceled — and you may be eligible for a waiver of a fee to change your itinerary.

See also

Here are eleven airlines which have issued travel alerts as a result of the wildfires:

Final Boarding Call

a city next to the water
Smoke rises from the Palisades Fire as it continues to burn northwest of Santa Monica, which is shown in the foreground. Photograph ©2025 by Matthew Cohen.

Some of the reactions to the wildfires via social media are included in this article from Friday, January 10, 2025 at The Gate With Brian Cohen.

My thoughts and prayers go out those people who are suffering as a result of a combination of a catastrophe of biblical proportions mixed with the usual blatant incompetence of those who are supposed to be leaders.

Be sure to contact your airline or transportation provider for the latest information pertaining to your travels — if they are adversely affected — and please: travel safely.

All photographs ©2025 by Matthew Cohen.

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