After five weeks of political stalemate, Congress is poised to vote on a deal that would finally reopen the federal government. But even if lawmakers reach an agreement in the coming days, the damage to the U.S. air travel system has already been done—and the turbulence travelers are feeling won’t disappear overnight.
On Friday, November 7, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) put into place what it described as actions needed “to maintain safety in the national air space” during the ongoing federal government shutdown; it ordered airlines to cut flights at 40 of the country’s busiest airports (see the list of airports below). The agency cited severe staffing shortages among air traffic controllers, who have been under immense strain during the shutdown and have increasingly begun to call out sick or walk off the job because they have largely been going without pay since the start of the shutdown, on October 1.
The move, an extraordinary step for an agency, has rippled across the country, grounding thousands of flights and delaying thousands more.
“There will be residual effects for days”
Initially, the FAA mandated a 4 percent reduction in flight schedules over the weekend (a figure that increased to 6 percent on November 11 and is slated to go up to 8 percent on November 13 and 10 percent on November 14, should the shutdown drag on).
“We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely,” Federal Aviation Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement announcing the reductions last week.
While a 4 percent reduction of flights was initially mandated, the cascading effects of delays, equipment repositioning, and crew timeouts meant the impact was far more widespread. Once a few flights were delayed or canceled, aircraft and pilots couldn’t reach their next assignments, snowballing into thousands of disruptions across the network over the weekend. Some airports saw a 10 to 15 percent drop in operations.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, on Sunday, November 9, of the 25,826 flights from the United States scheduled, 10.2 percent of flights had been canceled. Monday, November 10, saw a slightly lower cancellation rate; of the 25,735 flights scheduled, 8.7 percent, or 2,240 flights, had been canceled, with 63 percent of flights departing on time.
Major hubs including New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia, Atlanta, Chicago O’Hare, and Dallas–Fort Worth have been hit the hardest. Even airports outside the FAA’s targeted reduction list are seeing ripple effects as delays cascade through the interconnected national network.
For travelers, the fallout has been immediate. Longer lines at security checkpoints, fewer available flights, and mounting cancellations have made even short hops unpredictable, at times stranding travelers trying to get to their final destination, with fewer and fewer options available.
But once the shutdown ends, industry experts warn it could take several days—or longer—for the system to return to normal. Air traffic controller and flight attendant schedules must be rebuilt, aircraft repositioned, and thousands of displaced passengers accommodated.
“Airlines’ reduced flight schedules cannot immediately bounce back to full capacity right after the government reopens,” Airlines for America, a trade group that represents the country’s largest passenger and cargo airlines, said in a press release on November 10. “It will take time, and there will be residual effects for days.”
In a press conference from Chicago O’Hare International Airport on November 11, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that flight restrictions would be reduced or removed “when the data says we should.” The time line for return to normalcy, he said, depends on when the government reopens and air traffic controller staffing levels normalize. Duffy added that air traffic controllers should receive 70 percent of their pay within 24 to 48 hours of the government reopening. The House of Representatives could begin voting as early as 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 12, to approve legislation to reopen the government, which would then be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature.
Last week, the U.S. Travel Association, which represents the country’s travel industry, together with 500 travel and tourism companies and organizations, sent a letter to congressional leaders warning of the potentially catastrophic consequences if the shutdown drags on into the Thanksgiving travel period.
“Thanksgiving should be about spending time with family, not worrying about flight disruptions or canceled plans,” stated Geoff Freeman, U.S. Travel Association president and CEO. “The damage from this shutdown is growing by the hour, with 60 percent of Americans reconsidering their travel plans . . . . The fastest way to restore confidence and restart travel is to reopen the government by passing a clean continuing resolution.”
Indeed, Julian Kheel, CEO and travel expert at Points Path, told Afar in mid-October that “if the shutdown drags into the holiday rush, it could easily result in chaos [and] cause nationwide ripple effects that ruin travel plans for millions.”
With Thanksgiving still a few weeks away, here’s the latest.
How airlines are responding
In response to the mandatory flight reductions, all of the major U.S. airlines have issued statements to passengers regarding their plan of action.
American Airlines
For its part, American Airlines has issued a change-fee waiver for flights to, from, or through 21 airports for travel scheduled to take place through November 15.
“Per FAA requirement, we have reduced flight schedules by six percent at 40 airports for Tuesday, November 11, and Wednesday, November 12, amounting to about 200 flights canceled each day,” American Airlines said in a statement. “This comes after the FAA required us to reduce schedules by 4 percent November 7 through November 10.”
In an earlier statement, the airline noted, “Disrupting customers’ plans is the last thing we want to do, and we have issued a travel waiver. To provide additional flexibility during the impacted travel period, customers whose flights are canceled for any reason or who choose not to travel will be able to change their flight or request a refund without any penalty.”
American Airlines stated that it will reach out to affected customers, but also noted that it encourages everyone to check their flight status on the American Airlines mobile app or aa.com.
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, too, has issued a travel rebooking option for flights to, from, or through 39 of the affected airports, for travel through November 21.
The airline reported on Tuesday that all of its planned FAA-directed flight cancellations through Wednesday, November 12, have been completed, though it noted that additional delays and cancellations may be necessary as the air traffic control constraints continue and it manages typical seasonal weather impacts.
“We are providing additional flexibility to our customers traveling to, from, or through the impacted markets to change, cancel, or refund their flights, including Delta Main Basic fares, without penalty during this travel period,” the airline stated, noting that it still expects to operate the vast majority of scheduled flights, including all long-haul international service.
Southwest Airlines
If you’re flying Southwest Airlines today or tomorrow, you should already know whether your flight has been canceled, as the carrier has implemented its mandatory flight cuts through Wednesday, November 12.
For those with canceled flights, Southwest stated that “in most cases, we will automatically rebook you on another flight. If you choose not to travel on your new itinerary, please cancel your reservation at least 10 minutes before the new flight’s scheduled departure time in accordance with our no-show policy.”
Southwest has also waived its change fee for travel through November 12.
United Airlines
On a landing page dedicated to flight changes resulting from the shutdown, United Airlines informed travelers that it has put in place its mandatory flight cancellations through Wednesday, November 12.
“United’s long-haul international flying will not be affected, nor will flights that connect our hub airports: Chicago O’Hare, Denver, Houston Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Newark Liberty International, San Francisco, and Washington Dulles,” the airline stated.
You can find the full list of United flights that have been canceled thus far online. Through November 16, United is allowing travelers to reschedule for free or cancel for any reason.
“If you’re traveling during this period and do not wish to fly, you’re eligible for a refund—even if your flight isn’t impacted. That includes nonrefundable tickets and Basic Economy tickets,” United stated.
Airports affected by the shutdown
As mentioned above, the effects have been wide reaching, but these are the 40 airports where the FAA required its mandatory flight reductions to be implemented.
- Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
- Boston Logan International Airport (NOS)
- Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI)
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)
- Dallas Love Field (DAL)
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
- Denver International Airport (DEN)
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL)
- Daniel K. Inouye International Airport/Honolulu International Airport (HNL)
- William P. Hobby Airport in Houston (HOU)
- Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
- George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
- Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York (JFK)
- Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (LAS)
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
- Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
- Memphis International Airport (MEM)
- Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP)
- Oakland International Airport (OAK)
- Ontario International Airport (ONT)
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Portland International Airport (PDX)
- Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
- San Diego International Airport (SAN)
- Louisville International Airport (SDF)
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
- Teterboro Airport in New Jersey (TEB)
- Tampa International Airport (TPA)
What to expect at the airport
Thus far, some airports have been reporting longer lines and temporary closures of some checkpoints to consolidate Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing. On November 3, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport posted on X reminding travelers to arrive early. “TSA wait times may exceed three hours—arrive early,” the airport noted.
According to the MyTSA app, wait times at some of the country’s largest hubs ranged from up to 15 minutes to between 15 and 30 minutes on November 11.
Why are flights being canceled due to the shutdown?
The plan to scale back on flights comes after Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Tuesday, November 4, warned that travelers should expect widespread flight delays and U.S. airspace closures if the government shutdown isn’t resolved, adding that travelers could see “mass chaos” in the days and weeks ahead, just as we start to enter the busy holiday travel period leading into Thanksgiving.
“You will see mass flight delays, you’ll see mass cancellations,” Duffy said at a press conference in Washington, D.C., on November 4. “And you may see us close certain parts of the airspace because we just cannot manage it, because we don’t have the air traffic controllers.”
The federal government shutdown officially became the longest in history on November 5, at 36 days (the previous longest shutdown was in 2018–19 and lasted 35 days), and U.S. airports have started to feel the strain. From longer security lines to closed terminals and mounting delays, the ripple effects of unpaid federal workers are increasingly visible to travelers across the country.
At the heart of the issue are the roughly 50,000 TSA officers and 14,000 air traffic controllers—all federal employees—who have largely been working without pay since the shutdown began (they received a partial paycheck on October 14). As of November 11, they’ve missed two full paychecks. While many have continued to show up for their shifts, more and more are calling out sick or seeking temporary work elsewhere, Duffy said, leaving some checkpoints and control towers short-staffed.
“Currently, half of our Core 30 facilities are experiencing staffing shortages, and nearly 80 percent of air traffic controllers are absent at New York-area facilities,” the FAA posted on social media on October 31. Air traffic controllers are hired and paid by the FAA (a division of the Department of Transportation), while TSA workers are part of the Department of Homeland Security.
The shutdown has also paused hiring and training new controllers at a time when the country is short more than 2,800 controllers, has put infrastructure and safety technology projects on hold, and has required controllers to work long shifts without assistance from other critical aerospace organizations. (Air traffic control normally gets backup from outside technical groups, safety researchers at NASA, and international aviation agencies that help coordinate procedures—but many of those partnerships are effectively on pause without FAA staff at the table.)
Because TSA officers, FAA’s air traffic controllers, and Customs and Border Protection agents are deemed “essential,” they are still required to report to work—even though their paychecks are on pause until the government shutdown is over.
This story was originally published in October 2025 and has been updated several times, most recently on November 11, 2025, to include current information.
