Which 40 U.S. Airports Face Flight Cuts During the Shutdown

(UNITED STATES) The Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines to trim schedules at 40 airports as the government shutdown drags on, directing a phased cut in operations that began at 4% on November 7, 2025, and will rise to 10% by November 14 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. local time. The move, which the agency says is driven by severe air traffic controller shortages, is already rippling through the aviation system, with airlines canceling flights, consolidating routes, and warning customers to expect longer lines and fewer options.

Early data showed over 790 cancellations on the first day of the FAA flight cuts, and officials say as many as 1,800 daily cancellations are possible as reductions peak in the coming days.

Why the cuts were ordered

The FAA said the order is intended to keep planes safe in a system stretched thin by staffing gaps and rising fatigue in control rooms.

“Our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said, confirming the reduction “in capacity at 40 of our locations,” and adding, “This is not based on light airline travel locations. This is about where the pressure is and how to really deviate the pressure.”

An FAA statement described the limits as necessary “to maintain the highest safety standards in the national airspace, ensuring that workload does not exceed the capabilities of a reduced workforce.” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of “mass chaos” if the cuts were not implemented carefully. “This is going to lead to more cancellations,” he said, urging travelers to check with their carriers before heading to the airport.

Airports affected

The list of affected facilities includes major hubs and key regional gateways:

• Ted Stevens Anchorage (ANC)
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL)
• Boston Logan (BOS)
• Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall (BWI)
• Charlotte Douglas (CLT)
• Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky (CVG)
• Dallas Love Field (DAL)
• Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)
• Denver (DEN)
• Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW)
• Newark Liberty (EWR)
• Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood (FLL)
• Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye (HNL)
• Houston William P. Hobby (HOU)
• Washington Dulles (IAD)
• Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH)
• Indianapolis (IND)
• New York John F. Kennedy (JFK)
• Las Vegas Harry Reid (LAS)
• Los Angeles International (LAX)
• New York LaGuardia (LGA)
• Orlando (MCO)
• Chicago Midway (MDW)
• Memphis (MEM)
• Miami (MIA)
• Minneapolis–St. Paul (MSP)
• Oakland (OAK)
• Ontario (ONT)
• Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
• Portland (PDX)
• Philadelphia (PHL)
• Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)
• San Diego (SAN)
• Louisville Muhammad Ali (SDF)
• Seattle–Tacoma (SEA)
• San Francisco (SFO)
• Salt Lake City (SLC)
• Teterboro (TEB)
• Tampa (TPA)

How airlines are responding

Airlines said they are rebalancing networks to protect high-demand and long routes while trimming shorter hops.

• Carriers are cutting many regional and short-haul flights first, especially those linking smaller cities to major hubs.
• They aim to maintain core hub-to-hub services and long-haul connections to keep networks stable.
• Several airlines are shifting aircraft to thicker routes and reducing frequencies instead of canceling single daily services outright.

Analysis by VisaVerge.com shows this approach preserves more destinations but reduces the number of daily options.

Exemptions and knock-on effects

• International flights are exempt, which helps protect transatlantic and transpacific schedules from deeper cuts.
• Still, missed connections and rebookings are increasing as domestic feeders into international banks get squeezed.
• Passenger advocates say travelers with tight connections and those traveling for family — particularly with the holidays approaching — are feeling the most pain.

Unions representing air traffic controllers say crews have been working six days a week, often on mandatory unpaid overtime, leading to rising fatigue and more sick calls as the shutdown continues.

Passenger experience and airline policies

From the first morning of cuts, major airports saw long lines and confusion at help desks. Many passengers learned of cancellations only at check-in.

Airlines urged customers to sign up for flight alerts and check status frequently. They also rolled out policy changes to provide more flexibility:

• Major carriers (American, United, Delta, Southwest) announced flexible rebooking and refund options.
• Full refunds are required for canceled flights, though carriers are not required to cover hotels or incidental costs during irregular operations.

Passengers are advised to:

1. Rebook as soon as possible — remaining seats fill quickly.
2. Consider traveling earlier or later in the day, outside the 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. window when cuts peak.
3. Add extra time at the airport and prepare for longer waits, especially with checked bags or children.
4. Keep receipts for extra expenses in case carriers later offer goodwill credits.

Cargo and supply-chain impacts

The order covers major package hubs in Memphis and Louisville, critical for FedEx and UPS.

• Shippers are warned to expect delays.
• Prolonged reductions can slow overnight delivery networks that rely on tight sort windows.
• Delays in arrivals push back sorting and subsequent departures, creating a cycle that can take days to unwind.
• Retailers relying on just-in-time air freight could see inventory hiccups as cuts deepen and weather season adds pressure.

Operational rationale and network planning

Officials stressed the limits are temporary and will be reviewed if staffing improves or the shutdown ends. The reduction window runs through November 14, with the cap set to 10% during the busiest daytime hours at the named locations.

The FAA said the shutdown has constrained hiring and slowed training pipelines, leaving towers and approach facilities with fewer certified controllers than needed.

Airline network planners responded by:

• Consolidating flights with lower load factors.
• Moving aircraft to routes with strongest demand.
• Preserving aircraft rotations that position crews and planes correctly for the next day to avoid cascading disruptions.
• Prioritizing long-haul domestic flights, hub connectors, and international departures/arrivals that have fewer alternatives.

Scale of the disruption and outlook

Labor groups estimate up to 268,000 passengers per day are being affected by delays and missed flights. The system’s interconnected nature means a canceled feeder flight can ripple across the network, especially at dense, complex hubs such as ATL, DFW, ORD, LAX, JFK, LGA, and EWR.

With holiday travel approaching, pressure is expected to peak as the FAA cuts reach their highest level.

Rights and official guidance

Key passenger rights and recommendations:

• If your flight is canceled, you can claim a refund to your original form of payment.
• If you choose to continue traveling, you may rebook on the airline’s next available flight, which could be hours or days later.
• Ask agents about rerouting through different hubs if seats are available.
• Keep receipts for extra costs in case carriers later offer goodwill credits.

The FAA directed travelers to official updates on its website, and airlines pushed customers to use mobile apps for rebookings, bag tracking, and alerts. For broad policy information and operational notices, the FAA maintains public resources at the Federal Aviation Administration.

Until the shutdown ends and control rooms return to normal staffing, the system will operate with less slack, fewer flights, and more stress. For now, the message from airlines and regulators remains steady: show up early, stay informed, and expect a tougher trip than usual.