FAA to Reduce Flights by 10 Percent at 40 Airports Nationwide During Government Shutdown

by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:25 AM ET, Thu November 6, 2025

UPDATED: November 6, 2025 at 10:15 a.m. EST

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced yesterday evening, November 5, that it would reduce air traffic by ten percent across 40 “high-volume” markets beginning this Friday, November 7 to maintain air travel safety as air traffic control is increasingly overburdened during what is now the longest federal government shutdown in United States history.

The step, which the Associated Press called “extraordinary,” could cancel thousands of flights across the country this week. As many as 1,800 flights could be canceled.

According to ABC News, which was given the list first, airports including those in Washington, D.C., Boston, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Anchorage, New York, including JFK and Newark, San Diego, Seattle and more are going to be participating in the flight reduction plan, which will begin at 4 percent cancellations on Friday and increase to 10 percent, beginning from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. local time.

The full list of airports facing flight reductions is at the bottom of the article.

Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of the measure on Tuesday, saying a prolonged government shutdown could cause “mass chaos” at airports across the nation.

U.S. Travel Association President and CEO, Geoff Freeman, directly blamed Congress for the future travel disruptions.

“Today’s announcement from Secretary Duffy and Administrator Bedford reinforces that safety is the number one priority in our nation’s air travel system,” said Freeman. “The decision to reduce scheduled flight capacity, while necessary to keep our skies safe, will inevitably affect the travel experience, leading to fewer flights, longer delays and more disruptions for travelers.

“All government shutdowns are irresponsible and this decision underscores the urgent need to reopen the government,” said Freeman. “The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system, forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience. The fault for this situation rests squarely at the feet of Congress.”

There have been delays at airports across the nation since the government shut down on October 1, with air traffic controllers receiving their last paychecks on October 14.

They haven’t been paid since, and the already overburdened controllers have been taking sick leave or time off to work second jobs, or to take much-needed breaks in a career that typically requires overtime, and now even more so.

Less air traffic controllers means less eyes in the skies, and the more stress air traffic control is in, the more potential for safety incidents.

Now, American flyers will experience a new upheaval.

“I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford at a news conference.

“We’re not going to wait for a safety problem to truly manifest itself when the early indicators are telling us we can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating,” Bedford said. “The system is extremely safe today and will be extremely safe tomorrow. If the pressures continue to build even after we take these measures, we’ll come back and take additional measures.”

What to Do If Your Flight is Canceled

If you’re one of those whose flight is canceled due to the flight reduction, there are a few steps you can take.

If you’re at the airport, seek out communication with your airline to rebook your flight, either with the same airline or a different one, though airlines are not required to put you on another airline if your flight is canceled.

Even if you purchased a nonrefundable ticket, you will be entitled to a refund provided your flight is canceled and you will not be rebooking another flight.

Travelers are advised to check out the Department of Transportation’s Aviation Cancellation and Delay Dashboard to see what airlines are required to provide in the case of long delays or cancellations.

United Airlines' CEO Scott Kirby announced the airline is offering unprecedented full refunds for any booked travelers who don't wish to fly during the government shutdown, regardless if their flight is impacted or not: "And importantly, any customer traveling during this period is eligible for a refund if they do not wish to fly – even if their flight isn't impacted. That includes non-refundable tickets and those customers with basic economy tickets."

The airline noted that international flights and hub-to-hub flights will not be on the chopping block, but mainline domestic and regional flights are eligible to be cancelled.

American Airlines released a statement on the flight reductions, saying, “While we are awaiting additional information from the FAA to determine which flights will be impacted, we expect the vast majority of our customers’ travel will be unaffected. Still, customers are traveling for many reasons — all of them important — and disrupting plans is the last thing we want. For that, we apologize.

“There is no need for customers to take any action. Any customer whose flight is impacted will be proactively notified by American Airlines. We will do our best to notify customers as early as possible. As always, we encourage all customers to check their flight status via the American Airlines mobile app or aa.com, which will provide real-time updates.

“We remain grateful to the air traffic controllers, TSA officers, CBP officers and other federal employees who are working right now without pay — all to get our customers where they need to be safely — as well as our American Airlines team members who always work to take the best care of our customers.”