U.S. airlines began grounding hundreds of flights on Friday following an order from the Federal Aviation Administration, which directed carriers to scale back operations as the ongoing government shutdown continued into its second month.
The directive came as thousands of air traffic controllers, working without pay during the record-long government shutdown, struggled to keep operations running smoothly. Staffing shortages have begun to ripple across major U.S. airports, leading to mounting delays and frustrations among both passengers and airline officials.
The abrupt reduction in flights this week left airlines rushing to reorganize schedules and reposition crew members to maintain essential routes, all while contending with the uncertainty caused by the last-minute federal directive.
By Friday morning, more than 700 flights across the United States had been cancelled, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium, roughly 3% of the nation’s daily schedule. While such figures are comparable to disruptions typically seen during severe weather events, officials at the Department of Transportation cautioned that the situation could worsen if staffing shortages persist, potentially triggering broader operational challenges for both airlines and airports in the days ahead.
The FAA outlined a gradual escalation of flight reductions over the coming days, starting with a 4% cut on Friday and rising to 6% by Tuesday. The agency expects the reductions to reach 8% by Thursday and peak at 10% by November 14, as staffing and operational challenges continue to strain the nation’s air traffic system.
READ: US orders 10% cut in flights at 40 airports as government shutdown enters 36th day (
Cirium data shows that Friday’s wave of cancellations ranked as the 72nd most severe day for U.S. air travel since the start of 2024. The disruptions add to a turbulent year for the aviation sector, which has already faced major setbacks including Southwest Airlines’ holiday collapse amid winter storms and widespread delays at Delta Air Lines following a CrowdStrike-related systems outage last summer.
The timing of the disruptions offered little relief despite falling during a typically slower travel period before the Thanksgiving rush. Many passengers scrambled to find alternate ways to reach their destinations, driving a sharp uptick in ground travel. Hertz reported that one-way car rental bookings over the past two days surged by more than 20% compared with the same time last year, reflecting the ripple effect of the flight cancellations.
Major U.S. carriers noted that the impact of the cancellations was concentrated mainly on regional routes serving smaller cities. United Airlines said its primary hub-to-hub operations and long-haul international services would continue unaffected, emphasizing that the FAA order primarily targets shorter domestic connections rather than core or overseas flights.
American Airlines grounded 221 flights on Friday, CEO Robert Isom confirmed, expressing that the company is “frustrated” by the mandated reductions. Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box, Isom said the carrier is striving to maintain service to all destinations, though the number of flights on some routes has been scaled back.
“What we’ve done today is we tried to minimize the impact on all of our customers — there’s only 220 flights out of 6,200, flights, and we’ve done it in a way that really impacts our smaller aircraft,” Isom said. “This level of cancellation is going to grow over time, and that’s something that is going to be problematic.”
Airlines have been rebooking affected passengers and waiving change fees to ease the disruption for travelers caught in the wave of cancellations. Industry experts advise passengers to monitor flight updates closely through airline apps and official websites, and to review the terms of their travel insurance for potential coverage.
READ: Government shutdown forces airlines to juggle flights (
AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz suggested arriving at airports at least two hours early to navigate longer security lines and recommended avoiding checked luggage whenever possible. “Flexibility will be key for all travelers during this period,” she said, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of flight operations amid the ongoing disruptions.
Lauren McCormick, spokesperson for travel insurance provider Squaremouth, noted that airlines often list delays under broad categories rather than specifying the true cause such as a government shutdown, which can complicate refund claims for travelers seeking compensation.
Here’s where flights are likely to be cut, per the FAA and DOT order:
Impacted airports:
- ANC – Anchorage International
- ATL – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
- BOS – Boston Logan International
- BWI – Baltimore/Washington International
- CLT – Charlotte Douglas International
- CVG – Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International
- DAL – Dallas Love
- DCA – Ronald Reagan Washington National
- DEN – Denver International
- DFW – Dallas/Fort Worth International
- DTW – Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
- EWR – Newark Liberty International
- FLL – Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International
- HNL – Honolulu International
- HOU – Houston Hobby
- IAD – Washington Dulles International
- IAH – George Bush Houston Intercontinental
- IND – Indianapolis International
- JFK – New York John F. Kennedy International
- LAS – Las Vegas McCarran International
- LAX – Los Angeles International
- LGA – New York LaGuardia
- MCO – Orlando International
- MDW – Chicago Midway
- MEM – Memphis International
- MIA – Miami International
- MSP – Minneapolis/St. Paul International
- OAK – Oakland International
- ONT – Ontario International
- ORD – Chicago O’Hare International
- PDX – Portland International
- PHL – Philadelphia International
- PHX – Phoenix Sky Harbor International
- SAN – San Diego International
- SDF – Louisville International
- SEA – Seattle/Tacoma International
- SFO – San Francisco International
- SLC – Salt Lake City International
- TEB – Teterboro
- TPA – Tampa International