What Travelers Need to Know About the FAA Flight Reductions

Travelers heading out in the next few days should closely monitor their travel plans, as airlines have been instructed to reduce flights at major airports nationwide.

The Federal Aviation Administration has mandated a 10% reduction in flights at 40 of the busiest airports in the U.S. starting from Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, due to the ongoing government shutdown. This action aims to manage air traffic flow and ensure safety, given the higher-than-usual number of air traffic controllers calling out due to working without pay.

Although the impact is limited to specific airports, the effect is expected to ripple across the country due to the hub-and-spoke flying network operated by most airlines.

This could potentially lead to a reduction of up to 1,800 flights per day, as estimated by Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Some airlines are already offering waivers to provide passengers with more flexibility, regardless of whether their flights are directly impacted.

Here’s what travelers should anticipate during this period.

Here is how U.S. airlines are planning to implement the flight reduction directive:

United’s long-haul international flights and hub-to-hub routes will continue as scheduled, according to a memo from United’s CEO, Scott Kirby. Passengers flying to Europe, Asia, Africa, and parts of South America should not experience any disruptions. Flights between United’s hub airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Washington, Houston, and Newark, New Jersey, will also proceed as planned.

“Instead, we will focus our schedule adjustments on regional and domestic mainline flights that do not connect our hubs,” Kirby stated in the memo.

Affected passengers will receive notifications through the United app and website, where they can explore rebooking options. Travelers who choose not to proceed with their journey, even if their flights are unaffected, can request a refund, including those with nonrefundable tickets and basic economy fares.

The Atlanta-based carrier has committed to complying with the flight reduction directive, with the expectation that the majority of its scheduled flights will operate normally. Similar to United, Delta has assured that its long-haul international services will not be affected by the changes.

Delta passengers are allowed to change, cancel, or refund their tickets without penalty during this period, even those traveling on basic economy fares.

American Airlines has stated that it will proactively reach out to customers affected by the flight reductions. The airline has also urged policymakers to quickly resolve the shutdown.

“We anticipate that the vast majority of our customers’ travel will proceed as planned,” the airline mentioned in a statement. International long-haul traffic will remain unaffected.

Passengers who opt not to travel during this period can make changes or cancel their flights without incurring any penalties.

Southwest is currently evaluating the impact of the reductions on its flight schedule and plans to communicate with affected passengers promptly.

In the event of a canceled Southwest flight, the airline will typically rebook passengers on another available flight. Passengers can also request a refund if they choose not to proceed with their travel plans.

Between November 7 and 12, all passengers can rebook or travel standby without incurring any fare differences. If passengers decide not to travel, they can cancel their trip for a full refund to their original payment method, even for non-refundable fares.

Both airlines have confirmed that international flights are not expected to be impacted by the reductions. The focus of the cuts will be on routes with a higher frequency of flights.

“As we reviewed the FAA’s directive and our schedule, we prioritized protecting smaller and remote communities that rely on air travel,” the airlines stated.

In case of a canceled Alaska or Hawaiian flight, passengers will be rebooked on alternative flights or offered a full refund. The airlines have also introduced a flexible travel policy that allows free changes and cancellations for passengers with tickets booked directly with the airlines.

JetBlue has indicated that the majority of its flights will proceed as scheduled. If a flight is canceled, passengers will receive a notification from the airline. JetBlue will typically rebook impacted passengers on the next available flight. Passengers who choose not to travel can request a refund.

FAA Flight Reductions Travelers