Dulles and Reagan National Among Airports Cutting Flights in Shutdown

(UNITED STATES) Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport will cut flights by 10% starting Friday, November 7, 2025, as the FAA orders reductions at 40 major U.S. airports amid a federal government shutdown that hit 37 days this week. The agency says the reductions are necessary to keep the system safe while air traffic controllers work unpaid and under strain.

The move could affect as many as 1,800 flights a day and up to 268,000 travelers, according to aviation data firm Cirium. The directive reaches into some of the busiest corridors in the United States and comes as holiday travel ramps up across the Washington region.

FAA rationale and leadership comments

The FAA described the step as a targeted cut focused on high-volume markets where staffing pressures are most acute. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said this is unprecedented in his 35-year experience in the aviation market and warned the agency “can’t ignore it,” citing reports of fatigue and mounting overtime across facilities.

• Many controllers have worked mandatory six-day weeks since October 1.
• Some have little time to pick up side work to cover bills, and calling out worsens staffing shortages.

Airline responses and network prioritization

At Dulles International Airport, United Airlines — the largest carrier on the field — plans to shield its long-haul network from the cuts.

• United CEO Scott Kirby said reductions will focus on regional flying and domestic mainline flights that do not travel between our hubs.
• He stressed that United’s long-haul international flying and hub-to-hub flying will not be impacted by the FAA schedule reduction direction.
• The goal: maintain network integrity, offer customers options to resume trips, and sustain crew pairing systems.

Other carriers are trimming schedules as well:

• Delta and American are offering refunds to affected passengers.
• Frontier has advised customers to consider buying backup tickets on other airlines to avoid getting stuck.

Reagan National Airport — demand, logistics, and traveler advice

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) said it expects heavy demand despite the cuts and warned of crowded roads on peak days.

• MWAA: “We anticipate airlines will contact customers directly regarding flight cancellations or rescheduling options.”
• Updates will be posted to https://www.flyreagan.com and https://www.flydulles.com.
• The authority urged travelers to:
  • Build in extra time
  • Keep contact details current with their airline for timely texts and emails

MWAA also noted airport activity will surge leading into Veterans Day (November 11) and around Thanksgiving, with the following days flagged for worst road congestion:

• The Friday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before Thanksgiving
• The Sunday and Monday after Thanksgiving

Human cost and official warnings

Senior officials have issued sharper warnings about the strain on controllers and the system:

• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of potential “chaos in the skies” if the shutdown causes controllers to miss a second full paycheck.
  • “Some controllers can get by missing one paycheck, but not two or more,” he said.
• Geoff Freeman, President & CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said the shutdown is “forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience.”

Analysis from VisaVerge.com notes typical ripple effects from sustained controller shortages:

• Longer taxi times
• Ground delays during peak hours
• Strained rebooking options when seats fill quickly

Why the Washington region is especially affected

Although the FAA order covers 40 airports, the Washington region’s dual-hub status makes these cuts particularly visible.

• Dulles: a global gateway with long-haul flights to Europe, Asia, and Africa. Carriers are trying to preserve these connections.
• Reagan National: constrained by slot and perimeter rules, focusing on domestic service where modest reductions tightly affect frequent flyers and government travelers.

With both hubs scaling back, travelers may have fewer alternatives when plans change at the last minute.

Passenger actions and airline policies

Airlines say they will contact customers about cancelled or retimed flights — effective when contact details and alerts are current.

• Carriers including United, Delta, and American are offering refunds for FAA-ordered cancellations.
• Frontier recommends buying a backup ticket because rebooking windows are narrower and available seats are limited.
• Travelers with fixed connections (international trips or tight work schedules) may need to weigh securing a second reservation before prices rise.

Operational measures and duration of cuts

Inside control rooms, managers are juggling shifts and breaks to keep towers and centers staffed. FAA and Department of Transportation leaders have been meeting with airline executives to coordinate rollout and reduce bottlenecks.

• The FAA said the cuts will last indefinitely and will be reconsidered only when safety and staffing data improve.
• Priority actions for now:
  • Trim peak banks
  • Avoid compressing schedules
  • Leave cushion for weather and routine disruptions to prevent cascading failures

Airport operations, TSA changes, and screening advice

On the ground, MWAA and the TSA are adjusting to the new environment.

• TSA’s Lost and Found office at Reagan National is closed; travelers must file claims on https://www.tsa.gov, potentially slowing property returns.
• Security screening lines may vary by time of day. Officials advise:
  • Arrive at least 2 hours before domestic flights
  • Arrive at least 3 hours before international flights
• Note: These are baseline recommendations and may be conservative as holiday travel and shifted flight banks increase pressure.

Official guidance and monitoring

For day-by-day changes, the FAA maintains official guidance on system operations and safety priorities; updates are posted at the Federal Aviation Administration.

• The FAA has not provided a hard end date for the reductions.
• The agency will monitor staffing levels, delay reports, and incident data before easing restrictions.
• Rationale: controllers’ workloads and fatigue cannot be reset quickly even if funding returns, so airlines must plan conservatively.

Economic and traveler impacts

Early signs of stress in the Washington area include:

• Business travelers reporting rebooked meetings
• Families preparing for earlier departures, extra layovers, or overnight stays
• Passengers buying refundable tickets or splitting groups across flights to increase chances that part of a party travels

Some travelers at Dulles feel relief seeing long-haul trips preserved, but worry that a domestic hop to a hub could fail and break international connections.

What to expect as cuts take effect

As Friday’s cuts begin, airlines are expected to stagger adjustments across the day, prioritizing congested banks first while preserving critical connections.

For a region that depends on both federal workers and global ties, the hope is that a careful trim today prevents a larger rupture tomorrow. But with every extra day of the shutdown, the margin for error narrows, and the path back to normal gets longer.