by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 5:10 PM ET, Mon November 3, 2025
Now stretching into its second month, the U.S. government shutdown is having far reaching implications for millions of Americans, businesses and daily life across the country.
In addition to federal workers grappling with $0 paychecks and Americans losing health care or food assistance, the travel industry is facing challenges as it approaches the busy holiday season.
For starters, thousands of federal employees, including air traffic controllers and TSA officers, are working without pay. As for travelers, they continue to face delays and cancellations.
While commercial flights have continued to operate, flight delays are growing ever more significant because of staffing shortages. NBC reported that more than 5,000 flights from and to U.S. airports were delayed this past Sunday alone. As the shutdown continues, this reality is only expected to worsen.
Amid such challenges, the U.S. Travel Association, joined by nearly 500 organizations and companies representing every sector of the travel industry, today sent a letter to congressional leadership urging immediate action to reopen the government ahead of the Thanksgiving travel rush.
“Air travel’s number one priority is safety and while safety will be maintained, travelers will pay a heavy and completely unnecessary price in terms of delays, cancelations and lost confidence in the air travel experience,” said Geoff Freeman, U.S. Travel Association President and CEO.
The coalition’s letter underscores the critical role Thanksgiving travel plays in America’s economy.
Last year alone, more than 20 million passengers took to the skies during Thanksgiving week, driving billions of dollars in spending and making it one of the busiest and most economically significant travel periods of the year.
Beyond its importance as a time for family connection, Thanksgiving travel fuels billions of dollars in spending that sustain local economies—supporting jobs, small businesses and tax revenue in every state.
“Thanksgiving should be about spending time with family, not worrying about flight disruptions or canceled plans,” Freeman added. “The damage from this shutdown is growing by the hour with 60 percent of Americans reconsidering their travel plans. Congress needs to do its job. The fastest way to restore confidence and restart travel is to reopen the government by passing a clean continuing resolution.”
The shutdown was triggered by a disagreement among lawmakers about extending subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces. About 24 million people, who otherwise would not have access to healthcare through employment or Medicaid, rely on the ACA to access health plans. They could lose access to affordable healthcare if an agreement is not reached.
The beginning of open enrollment for people who access healthcare through ACA started in November. At that point, subscribers were notified of the cost to access coverage through the marketplace without the needed subsidies that Republican lawmakers oppose. Democratic leaders are refusing to move forward without those subsidies left in place.
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