When Will the FAA Lift the 10% Capacity Rules at Airports?

(UNITED STATES) The Federal Aviation Administration’s 10% cap on flights at 40 major U.S. airports is set to begin easing roughly a week after the federal government reopens, officials said, tying any rollback to better safety data and stronger staffing among air traffic controllers. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on November 12, 2025, that if Congress clears a deal to end the government shutdown that day, the FAA will aim to “start easing the restrictions” by around November 19, provided safety metrics improve and controllers return to work in adequate numbers. The plan places the timeline for lifting the FAA flight capacity limits squarely on the pace of the reopening process and the agency’s safety reviews.

How the cuts were implemented and where they apply

The reductions began phasing in on November 7 with a 4% reduction and rose to 10% by November 14, 2025, a schedule the agency set as controller staffing thinned during the shutdown.

• The FAA has restricted departures and arrivals scheduled between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. local time at 40 airports.
• Affected airports include JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, LAX, O’Hare, Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston Logan, Dallas, Denver, Philadelphia, Miami, Seattle, and Phoenix.

Officials say the limits will remain until air traffic controllers return to work in sufficient numbers and the agency’s safety data shows clear improvement across the system.

Timeline for easing the cap

The FAA’s rollback plan is tied to two main conditions:

1. Safety metrics show improvement.
2. Controller staffing returns to adequate levels.

Transportation Secretary Duffy’s timeline: if Congress reopens the government on November 12, the FAA aims to begin easing restrictions about a week later (around November 19), assuming the two conditions above are met.

The timeline for lifting the FAA flight capacity limits depends on both the pace of the government reopening and the agency’s ongoing safety reviews.

Phased approach and operational rationale

The FAA rolled the cuts out gradually—moving from 4% on November 7 to 10% by November 14—to spread the impact rather than making a single, steep cut. The agency plans to reverse that path in a measured way “within about a week after the government reopens,” starting in markets where staffing returns quickly and where safety data shows fewer operational risks.

• Focus areas: afternoon and early evening windows are likely focal points because those periods carry the most pressure under normal conditions.
• The FAA has not provided hour-by-hour plans publicly.

This measured approach is meant to avoid a stop-start recovery or a rapid increase that could stress towers and centers still rebuilding after the shutdown.

Coordination with airlines, airports, and Congress

Airlines and airports have been adjusting schedules and operations under the cap:

• Carriers have flown reduced schedules during the 6 a.m.–10 p.m. window.
• Some flights moved outside that period when possible; others were trimmed.
• Heavier use of swaps between carriers and reshuffling of gates and crews has helped keep high-demand routes moving.

Once the shutdown ends, airlines expect to seek early clarity on which markets will see the first increases so they can publish stable schedules aligned with controller staffing and safety guardrails.

The FAA said it will present more of its safety and risk assessment data to airlines and members of Congress before easing the cuts, to show how it is tracking risk and staffing recovery. Officials emphasized the agency will only increase flight counts where the data supports it and where staffing can sustain the extra volume.

The extra data sharing aims to show where operational risk is easing and to back up the order in which airports regain flights.

Staffing thresholds and safety data

The FAA has not released a specific headcount threshold for lifting the cap. Instead, the agency has stated the cuts will remain until:

• Air traffic controllers return to work in sufficient numbers, and
• Safety data shows improvement.

Industry watchers said a clear signal on staffing and safety will push parties toward stabilizing schedules in the best-staffed markets first, and then expanding as conditions permit.

Local conditions and network recovery

The FAA has emphasized that timing for any increases will be driven by local conditions, not only national trends. Air traffic control is a network of facilities that can recover at different speeds, so the pace of easing will vary by airport.

• The agency plans to prioritize markets with quicker staffing recoveries and better safety indicators.
• Lawmakers requested regular updates during the shutdown; the FAA said it will provide more data to both airlines and Congress before moving off the 10% ceiling.

Passenger impact and airport preparations

For travelers, the phased rollback should bring gradual relief if reopening happens on the schedule described by Secretary Duffy.

• Passengers at JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, LAX, O’Hare, Hartsfield‑Jackson (Atlanta), San Francisco, Boston Logan, and other listed airports could see more options reappear as each market comes off the cap.
• Easing will likely be assessed daily as facilities normalize after the shutdown.

Airports have coordinated with carriers and the FAA to prepare for higher volumes. Preparations include:

• Planning gate assignments and ramp resources.
• Adjusting turn times that had been changed under the 10% limit.
• Smoothing peaks within the 6 a.m.–10 p.m. window to avoid surges that exceed controller capacity.

Broader policy context and final takeaway

The FAA’s flight capacity decision—both the reductions and the phased reopening—reflects the shutdown’s effect on staffing and the agency’s ability to conduct safety reviews. By targeting about a week after reopening for the first easing, the FAA gives airlines and airports a marker while reserving the right to hold or slow progress if safety data does not meet the bar.

Officials repeated that the cap will stay in place where needed until staffing is “in sufficient numbers” and risk indicators move in the right direction.

For official updates and notices as the reopening unfolds, travelers and industry groups can follow the Federal Aviation Administration: https://www.faa.gov.

As the United States 🇺🇸 ends the shutdown and brings air traffic controllers fully back on duty, the FAA’s measured plan aims to reopen capacity on a timeline that reflects real‑time safety checks rather than the calendar alone.