FAA To Cut 10% of Flights Across 40 U.S. Airports Amid Government Shutdown

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that thousands of flights are at risk of being canceled if the government shutdown continues through Friday.

The government has been shut down for over a month now, and federal agencies are starting to feel the impact. The Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, stated that the reduction of flights at the country’s busiest airports is aimed at alleviating pressure as air traffic control towers face staffing issues and a lack of pay.

What does this mean for travelers? Let’s take a look at the details.

FAA Reducing Air Traffic by 10%

The U.S federal government shut down on October 1, 2025. This is the longest shutdown in U.S. history, and many federal agencies have furloughed staff until a new funding bill is passed.

Air traffic controllers and TSA agents are considered essential staff, so they are required to work during the government shutdown — even without getting paid. As you might imagine, they are not operating at 100%.

There have been surges of controllers and agents calling out sick at some of the nation’s largest airports due to stress and fatigue, which have led to delays and the rerouting of thousands of flights to maintain airspace safety. But that hasn’t been enough.

There is going to be a 10% reduction in capacity at 40 of our locations … This is about where is the pressure and how do we alleviate the pressure?

Sean Duffy, secretary of transportation

The FAA handles almost 45,000 flights per day, so a 10% cut would result in more than 4,000 canceled flights every day until the shutdown ends.

Reuters reports that capacity reductions will start at 4% on Friday, 5% on Saturday, 6% on Sunday, and will finally reach 10% next week.

The list of airports to receive cuts includes:

You can monitor current airport closures here.

What This Means for Travelers

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, travelers should brace themselves for even longer delays than usual. Until we have more information, it is a good idea to do the following:

• Keep an eye on your email and airline apps for messages and travel waivers from your carrier
• Give yourself extra time at the airport and be flexible with your plans if possible
• Utilize CLEAR and TSA PreCheck if available, especially Touchless ID, to expedite the security process
• Use your points and miles to book a backup flight in case something goes wrong with your reservation
• Consider alternative transportation like buses, trains, or driving

If your flight is cancelled, be sure to know your rights and the Department of Transportation (DOT) rules regarding refunds.

Final Thoughts

Air traffic controllers have not been paid since the government shutdown started on October 1. This has led to staff shortages at an agency that was already 2,000 controllers short.

In order to alleviate some of the pressure, the FAA will order a 10% reduction in flights at 40 of the busiest airports in the country if the government shutdown doesn’t end by Friday.