The Weather May Have More Of An Effect On The Holidays Than The Economy

So much for a holiday break. Coast to coast Americans are stuck in scenes of clogged airports and covered roads.

Some say the snow is too deep, and they're shoveling snow with the front of thier cars.

Pummeled by snow seattle is virtually shut down.

Greyhound's stopped running buses - its station a shelter.

Some people spent hours waiting there.

In Portland, Oregon, snowfall is breaking a 40-year record.

AmTrak routes are shut down.

In the midwest the engine could, but barely for Chicago passengers bound for Grand Rapids.

Bad weather turned a 5 hour train ride to 15 hours!

The snow was knee-high when they finally arrived.

Slow-going for many, no-going for some. In the northeast cars were buried; drivers digging out.

Bad weather could beat out the economy as the big damper on holiday travel.

"Anything that has the word travel has problems right now," says Tom Parsons with Bestfares.

Airlines still hope bargain fares lure in last-minute fliers like Jason Loveless, who surfs travel sites online.

He says he uses them all the time, and found the best deal he could.

Experts say deals are stacking up.

"The airfares have dropped almost everywhere - we have seen 30, 40, 50, 80 dollars - cheaper tickets," says Tom Parsons.

With weather like this, no wonder.

Depending on the trip, discounts may be as deep as the snow.