(UNITED STATES) The Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines to cut flights at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports as the government shutdown stretched into November, directing carriers to scale back operations by 4% starting Friday, November 7, 2025, and rising to 10% by November 14. The FAA said the flight reductions will apply daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and affect all commercial airlines, a move that could ripple through holiday travel plans and freight networks already under strain from the budget impasse.
Why the cuts were ordered
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the decision stems from staffing shortages among air traffic controllers who have been working without pay since the shutdown began on October 1.
“Safety remains our top priority,” FAA Administrator Michael Bedford said, adding, “We can’t ignore the strain our controllers are under… Safety remains our top priority, and these adjustments are a last resort to protect both passengers and personnel.”
The agency’s directive focuses on cutting regional flights and smaller jets first, which often serve as feeders into major hubs. That signals sharp effects for travelers in midsize and smaller cities.
Immediate airline responses and passenger guidance
Airlines began notifying customers on Thursday, November 6, that flights scheduled for Friday and beyond could be canceled.
- United, Delta, and American said they will provide cash refunds for canceled flights, including nonrefundable tickets, in line with federal rules.
- United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said, “United and its United Express partners will still offer about 4,000 flights per day… we should be able to find seats for many customers even if their flight is canceled.”
Even with rebooking options, the reductions are likely to leave some travelers with fewer choices and longer connection times as schedules tighten.
Passenger advice — short checklist
- Check your flight status early and often.
- Expect schedule shifts and fewer connection options.
- Consider evening or late-night flights, which may be less affected.
- If your flight is canceled, you are entitled to a refund; carriers are not required to pay for meals or hotels when cancellations are outside their control (a government shutdown is considered outside their control).
- If booked via a third-party site, you may need to process refunds through that platform.
Scale and scope of the reductions
The cuts are significant.
- Up to 1,800 flights and 268,000 passenger seats could be lost each day while reductions remain in place, according to FAA and carrier figures.
- The plan applies across a broad swath of the country, hitting heavy-traffic hubs, coastal gateways, and critical inland connectors.
Airports on the FAA’s list include:
Anchorage; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta; Boston Logan; Baltimore/Washington; Charlotte Douglas; Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky; Dallas Love; Ronald Reagan Washington National; Denver; Dallas/Fort Worth; Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County; Newark Liberty; Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood; Honolulu; Houston Hobby; Washington Dulles; George Bush Houston Intercontinental; Indianapolis; New York John F. Kennedy; Las Vegas Harry Reid; Los Angeles International; New York LaGuardia; Orlando; Chicago Midway; Memphis; Miami; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Oakland; Ontario; Chicago O’Hare; Portland; Philadelphia; Phoenix Sky Harbor; San Diego; Louisville; Seattle/Tacoma; San Francisco; Salt Lake City; Teterboro; and Tampa.
Impact on freight and cargo
Cargo carriers are bracing for their own crunch.
- The FAA included major freight hubs in the plan, with Memphis and Louisville—home to FedEx and UPS—on the reduction list.
- Any slowdown there can bottleneck package flows nationwide, especially with peak shipping season approaching.
Industry analysts warn a 10% cap at key nodes can create backlogs that take days to unwind, particularly when weather or other disruptions compound the shutdown’s constraints.
How airlines plan to respond operationally
Airports were told to prepare for rolling adjustments as the first week unfolds. Because cuts ramp from 4% to 10% over seven days, schedules will tighten throughout the period.
Airlines are expected to:
- Protect their most profitable routes and times.
- Cut thinner, regional services first—aligning with FAA guidance to reduce smaller jets first.
- Attempt to consolidate flights, replacing smaller regional jets with larger aircraft where possible to move more customers on fewer departures.
Limitations:
– Gate and crew scheduling constraints mean not all cancellations have easy substitutes.
– The afternoon and early-evening banks of flights at hub airports—when connections bunch—may see the heaviest reductions.
Effects on travelers and travel planning
Business travelers and families planning to fly around Veterans Day week face difficult choices.
- Some may delay trips or switch to driving for shorter routes.
- Others will accept longer layovers and rebooked itineraries that extend travel times.
- For international passengers connecting through New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami, cuts could force missed connections and overnight stays, adding costs carriers are not obliged to cover.
Travel agents recommend:
– Flexible tickets
– Travel insurance with clear cancellation coverage
(note: policy fine print matters during a government shutdown)
Financial and customer-relations implications
- Refunds are mandatory for cancellations.
- Vouchers and fee waivers remain at carrier discretion.
- Industry groups urged Congress to resolve the budget standoff, warning prolonged flight reductions will dent revenues and erode public trust ahead of the winter holidays.
- Airports said they will keep security and essential services running but may scale back concessions during off-peak hours if passenger volumes fall.
Staffing pipeline and longer-term risks
The cuts come after weeks of strain on aviation workers coping with the shutdown.
- Unpaid air traffic controllers have continued working, but training and certification pipelines have slowed and staffing buffers have worn thin.
- FAA leadership framed the measures as temporary, intended to keep the system stable until funding is restored.
- Whether limits stay at 10% depends on the shutdown’s length and how quickly staffing relief returns.
The FAA posted general guidance for the public on its website, accessible at the official FAA portal.
Key takeaways and outlook
The message is steady but sobering: fewer flights, tighter schedules, and unavoidable delays until Washington breaks the deadlock.
- The FAA’s list and policy will remain in effect—and may be updated—so long as lawmakers remain at an impasse and the agency lacks full resources to run at normal capacity.
- Travelers should plan proactively, stay informed, and be prepared for refunds, rebookings, and possible disruptions to both passenger and cargo networks.
This Article in a Nutshell
The FAA directed airlines to trim flights at 40 major U.S. airports due to unpaid air traffic controller staffing shortages amid the government shutdown. Reductions begin Nov. 7 at 4% and increase to 10% by Nov. 14, running daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The policy targets regional and smaller-jet services first, prompting airlines to notify customers, offer refunds, and consolidate schedules. Cargo hubs including Memphis and Louisville face bottlenecks. Travelers should expect cancellations, longer connections, and potential holiday disruptions until funding resumes.
