A crosswind above about 40mph and tailwind above 10mph can start to cause problems and stop commercial jets taking off and landing. It can sometimes be too windy to take-off or land.

For commercial passenger jets, "bad" wind is measured by its direction rather than just its speed. Planes actually prefer to take off and land into a "headwind," which provides more lift and reduces the runway distance needed. However, crosswinds (wind blowing sideways across the runway) are the primary safety concern. In 2026, most modern airliners like the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 have a "maximum demonstrated crosswind" limit of about 30 to 35 knots (approx. 35 to 40 mph) on a dry runway. If the side-wind exceeds this, pilots will typically divert to a different airport. Tailwinds are also dangerous because they increase ground speed and require much longer runways to stop; most airlines limit landings to a tailwind of no more than 10 to 15 knots. Additionally, there is a "door limit" of roughly 45 knots (52 mph), at which point it is considered unsafe to even open the aircraft doors or operate catering trucks. Beyond 60 mph, most airports will halt all operations entirely due to the risk to ground personnel and taxiing aircraft.