What to expect when U.S. airlines cut 10% of flights due to government shutdown

An United Airlines flight arrives at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. ( Photo by AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh

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The Federal Aviation Administration has announced it’s trimming 10 per cent of scheduled flight capacity across 40 domestic airports to ease the burden on the system caused by the U.S. government shutdown, a move that has the potential to disrupt airlines and hundreds of thousands of travellers daily.

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An average of 2.5 million people in the U.S. go through airport security checkpoints every day, a number that will likely tick up heading into the holiday season. And this shutdown, already the longest in U.S. history, is showing no signs of an end coming soon.

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Here’s what to expect:

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Which airports will be affected?

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The FAA has yet to release a list of the 40 airports impacted, but media reports say the list includes main hubs in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and Washington, to name a few. Other than that, details are scarce.

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Government officials have informed carriers that flight reductions will start this week. The reductions are expected to be phased in, starting with four per cent cuts to flight volumes on Friday and building to 10 per cent sometime next week. However, the discussions are fluid and plans could still change.

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Government officials said Wednesday that they want to ease the pressure for air traffic controllers, the vital workers who keep air travel safe and on schedule.

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The capacity reduction also relieves the pressure on TSA agents at checkpoints and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers. Since the shutdown began, more than 3.4 million passengers have experienced delays and cancellations due to staffing shortages, according to Chris Sununu, president and chief executive of industry trade group Airlines for America and former GOP governor of New Hampshire. Reducing foot traffic should help to ease the strain.

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Which routes will be impacted?

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The measure is expected to impact only domestic flights, though the details could change.

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United Airlines Holdings Inc.’s international flights and hub-to-hub flying won’t be affected, chief executive Scott Kirby said in a statement. Domestic hubs include Chicago’s O’Hare International, George Bush International in Houston, Denver International, Los Angeles International, San Francisco International, Washington Dulles, and Newark Liberty in the New York area.

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“We will focus our schedule reductions on regional flying and domestic mainline flights that do not travel between our hubs,” according to the statement.

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Airlines typically beef up seat capacity in November ahead of Thanksgiving, one of the busiest holidays for the industry. With the added capacity, United thinks it will be able to find seats for customers even if their flights are canceled.

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American Airlines Group Inc. has also said that the “vast majority” of its customers won’t be affected and international travel “will remain as scheduled.”

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And Delta Air Lines Inc. said it expects to run the majority of its flights as scheduled, including long-haul international service. It’s providing “additional flexibility to customers traveling to, from or through the impacted markets,” the company said in a statement.