The FAA and DOT announced a temporary reduction in flights at 40 major U.S. airports starting in November 2025, initially at 4% and ramping up to 10%, due to air traffic controller staffing strains amid a government shutdown. These measures aimed to enhance safety by easing system stress, with airlines required to offer full refunds for affected flights. As of mid-November 2025, some restrictions were eased, but impacts lingered into early 2026.

Affected Airports

The 40 high-impact airports subject to these reductions include key hubs across the U.S.

Airport Code| Airport Name
---|---
ANC| Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport 1
ATL| Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport 1
BOS| Boston Logan International Airport 1
BWI| Baltimore/Washington International Airport 1
CLT| Charlotte Douglas International Airport 1
CVG| Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport 1
DAL| Dallas Love Field 1
DCA| Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 1
DEN| Denver International Airport 1
DFW| Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport 1
DTW| Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 1
EWR| Newark Liberty International Airport 1
FLL| Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport 1
HNL| Honolulu International Airport 1
HOU| William P. Hobby Airport 1
IAD| Washington Dulles International Airport 1
IAH| George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport 1
IND| Indianapolis International Airport 1
JFK| New York John F. Kennedy International Airport 1
LAS| Harry Reid International Airport (Las Vegas) 1
LAX| Los Angeles International Airport 1
LGA| New York LaGuardia Airport 1
MCO| Orlando International Airport 1
MDW| Chicago Midway International Airport 1
MEM| Memphis International Airport 1
MIA| Miami International Airport 1
MSP| Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport 1
OAK| Oakland International Airport 1
ONT| Ontario International Airport 1
ORD| Chicago O’Hare International Airport 1
PDX| Portland International Airport 1
PHL| Philadelphia International Airport 1
PHX| Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 1
SAN| San Diego International Airport 1
SDF| Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport 1
SEA| Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 1
SFO| San Francisco International Airport 1
SLC| Salt Lake City International Airport 1
TEB| Teterboro Airport 1
TPA| Tampa International Airport 1

Timeline and Implementation

Reductions began November 7, 2025, at 4%, escalating to 6% by November 11, 8% by November 13, and up to 10% thereafter, based on ongoing safety data reviews. Airlines could choose which flights to cut, excluding mandatory international reductions, leading to over 11,800 cancellations initially. By November 13, the FAA eased some cuts while maintaining others amid the shutdown.

Broader Context

This stemmed from a federal government shutdown straining FAA resources, prompting voluntary safety reports from pilots and controllers highlighting risks. Public reactions varied: travelers faced delays, while some debated political causes like funding disputes. County-owned airports like MIA and PHL were notably affected.

TL;DR: 40 major U.S. airports faced phased flight cuts up to 10% from November 2025 due to FAA safety concerns during a shutdown; full list above with key hubs like ATL, LAX, and ORD impacted.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.