The U.S. government officially shut down at midnight on October 1 after lawmakers failed to pass a spending bill. The shutdown is the first in six years, following the longest one in history that started in December 2018 and lasted a record 35 days. While Washington gridlock may seem far removed from your fall travel plans, its effects are immediate and far-reaching, with potential consequences extending to airports, national parks, and museums nationwide.
“A shutdown is a wholly preventable blow to America’s travel economy—costing $1 billion every week—and affecting millions of travelers and businesses,” the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), which represents the country’s travel industry, wrote in a letter to congressional leaders in a plea to end the shutdown.
The organization cited a recent Ispos survey indicating that 60 percent of Americans said they would cancel or avoid air travel in the event of a shutdown. USTA warned that there could be longer TSA lines at the country’s airports and possible flight delays and cancellations if staffing shortages become an issue.
If you have an upcoming trip—whether it’s domestic travel, an overseas flight, or a long-planned visit to a national park—here’s what you need to know.
Air travel: expect delays
Airports won’t grind to a halt—but they may not run smoothly either.
“TSA agents and air traffic controllers will still work because they’re considered essential workers,” said Sarah Silbert, managing editor at Points Path. The catch, however, is that because they’re working without pay until the shutdown ends, it could lead to rising absenteeism. During the 2018–2019 shutdown, TSA checkpoints saw as many as 10 percent of screeners call out sick, forcing temporary closures at major airports like LaGuardia and Miami. Similarly, the absence of air traffic controllers led to delays at Newark, Philadelphia, and Atlanta (those disruptions were credited with contributing to the end of the shutdown).
“There may be longer lines, delays, and flight cancellations, which is less likely but possible if the shutdown drags on,” Silbert said.
Air traffic controllers have already been feeling the pressure to work amid ongoing staffing shortages and have recently raised safety concerns following recent airline scares, including the fatal collision near Washington, D.C., earlier this year. In a statement, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said, “A government shutdown adds unnecessary distraction to their work, adding strain on a workforce that is already stretched thin working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, operating the most complex airspace in the world.”
For travelers, the best approach right now is to assume the airport experience will take longer than usual. Arriving earlier than you might in normal times, keeping essentials like medication, chargers, and snacks in your carry-on, and booking nonstop flights when possible can help make the process more seamless and less stressful.
It’s also a good idea to consider travel insurance. Jeff Rolander, vice president of claims at Faye Travel Insurance, told Afar that “travel insurance typically can cover unforeseen events that cause delays, cancellations, or missed connections. If a government shutdown results in airline or airport disruptions that impact your trip, it can trigger trip delay, trip cancellation, or trip interruption coverage benefits. If an airport ceases service for more than six hours, you may be reimbursed for non-refundable expenses like flights, hotels, prepaid tours, and change fees.”
Amtrak is still rolling
Unlike airports and airlines, Amtrak isn’t directly affected by a government shutdown. The rail service is a federally chartered corporation that earns most of its operating revenue from ticket sales, meaning trains will continue to run on their regular schedules. If you have a ticket on the line, you should expect your train to depart as planned.
“Passengers planning to travel on Amtrak trains in the Northeast Corridor and across the country in the coming days and weeks can be assured that Amtrak will remain open for business,” W. Kyle Anderson, an Amtrak spokesman, said in a statement.
That said, Amtrak does rely on annual federal funding to cover capital projects, long-distance routes, and infrastructure improvements. During a shutdown, that money is frozen. While passengers may not notice changes immediately, prolonged shutdowns can delay upgrades, halt construction work on tracks and stations, and put expansion projects on pause. Travelers may also see slower maintenance on long-distance routes that depend more heavily on subsidies.
During previous shutdowns, Utah was among the states that stepped in to help keep national parks including Zion open.
Courtesy of Rich Martello/Unsplash
National parks: open gates, reduced services
America’s national parks are often the most visible setback of a shutdown. Autumn is one of the busiest seasons for sites with epic fall foliage displays, like Shenandoah, Rocky Mountain, and Acadia, but this year, many will be in partial limbo.
The National Park Service has been instructed to keep parks open. However, visitor centers, ranger programs, and maintenance services will be suspended in many places, while most of the agency’s approximately 16,000 employees are expected to be furloughed. That means far fewer rangers will be around to clean bathrooms, collect trash, and enforce basic safety rules.
Because the protected lands have historically been damaged when there is limited staffing during shutdowns, on September 26, more than 35 former park superintendents wrote a letter to the Trump administration pleading that the national parks be closed in the event of a shutdown.
“A government shutdown would leave our parks understaffed and vulnerable, putting our most cherished places and millions of visitors at risk. If a national park has a gate or door, it must be locked until a funding deal is reached and our parks can be staffed and protected,” the National Parks Conservation Association said in a press release.
State governments sometimes step in. During past shutdowns, Utah funded staff to keep the Arches and Zion national parks open, and Arizona did the same for the Grand Canyon (something Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has already said won’t happen during this shutdown). Expect a similar patchwork response this time. It’s a good idea to visit recreation.gov for information about what remains open and what services will still be available at specific parks.
Washington, D.C., and the Smithsonian museums remain open
“We acknowledge the false perception that when the federal government shuts down, D.C. does, too,” Elliott L. Ferguson, president and CEO of Destination DC, the official destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital, stated in a press release. “We want visitors to know most of D.C.’s attractions and experiences actually remain open.”
Currently, the Smithsonian’s 21 free museums and galleries (19 of which are in D.C., while the other 2 are in New York City)—from the Air and Space Museum to the National Museum of African American History and Culture—as well as the National Zoo, will remain open through at least October 6. The National Gallery of Art will remain open through at least October 4.
Depending on how long the shutdown drags on, it could mean travelers headed to D.C. may need to plan alternative activities as it’s unclear what will happen beyond October 6. Numerous additional D.C. museums and attractions remain open, including the Phillips Collection, Washington National Cathedral, Folger Shakespeare Library, National Museum of Women in the Arts, International Spy Museum, National Building Museum, Tudor Place Historic House and Garden, and National Children’s Museum. Neighborhood walking tours, memorial visits, and outdoor attractions like the Tidal Basin offer other ways to experience the city.
