Flight reductions expected across the U.S. See if your destination is impacted
As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history heads into its fifth week, the Federal Aviation Administration is reducing flight capacity by 10% at 40 of the nation’s largest airports.
Set to take effect on Friday, Nov. 7, the schedule reductions are expected to lead to thousands of canceled flights every day, less than three weeks before Thanksgiving.
Air traffic controllers, technicians and Transportation Security Administration employees have been working without pay since the shutdown started Oct. 1, and safety disclosure reports are starting to show fatigue among controllers, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said at a Wednesday press conference. If the FAA determines there’s a safety risk to flying, more cuts could be on the way, he said.
“As we slice the data more granularly, we are seeing pressures build in a way that we don’t feel will — if we allow it to go unchecked — will allow us to continue to tell the public that we operate the safest airline system in the world,” Bedford said. “We’re not going to react to that, we’re going to be proactive.”
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport and Hilton Head Island Airport are not on the list of 40 impacted airports, according to lists provided to various national news outlets. But planes fly between the two local airports and some of the affected ones every day.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport are among those impacted.
American Airlines flies between Charlotte and Hilton Head Island every day, and planes regularly fly between Savannah and 22 of the 40 impacted airports.
Lori Lynah, senior director of marketing and air service development at Savannah-Hilton Head airport, said airlines are working with the FAA to implement the flight reductions.
“While our airport is not on the list of targeted airports, we can expect that all airports will be impacted to some degree,” Lynah said. “Travelers should contact their airlines with any questions they may have related to their flight plans.”
As of Wednesday, things were running smoothly at Hilton Head Island Airport, said Jon Rembold, Beaufort County airports director. Hilton Head’s air traffic tower is operated by a private business, so those workers are still getting paid, and local businesses have been providing lunch to TSA employees since the shutdown began.
“I always advise people, always pay attention to their notifications and to where they’re going, because they might have issues,” Rembold said.
Representatives for airlines declined to provide specifics on flights to or from Savannah and Hilton Head airports, but many said they’re allowing travelers to change or cancel at no cost during this time.
Scott Kirby, CEO of United Airlines, said United’s long-haul international flying and its hub-to-hub flights will not be impacted by the schedule reduction — instead, United plans to reduce regional flying and domestic mainline flights that do not travel between its hubs.
Bre’onna Richardson, a spokesperson for Delta Air Lines, said that Delta expects to operate the vast majority of its schedule. That includes long-haul international service, the airline said in a statement, and Delta is also allowing its customers traveling to, from or through impacted markets during the impacted period to change, cancel or get a refund without a penalty, even for a basic fare.
Southwest Airlines customers can also change or cancel at no cost if they’re flying between now and Nov. 12, spokesman Lynn Lunsford said.
“We continue to urge Congress to immediately resolve its impasse and restore the National Airspace System to its full capacity,” Lunsford said.
Low-cost carrier Allegiant Air said its network was not impacted as of Thursday afternoon. The airline is awaiting more instructions from the FAA, spokeswoman Sonya Padgett said.
“We appreciate our customers’ understanding and patience as we continue to prioritize safety and reliability in our operations,” she said.
The current government shutdown is the longest in U.S. history, reaching 36 days on Nov. 6. The shutdown has caused widespread chaos across the country, with many federal employees working without pay.
The U.S. Travel Association and dozens of partner organizations sent a letter to Congressional leaders this week, urging them to reopen the government and warning of widespread travel chaos as Thanksgiving approaches. Thanksgiving is the busiest time of year for travel.
Which airports are impacted by the flight reductions?
The airports impacted, according to ABC News, are:
- Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
- Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
- Boston Logan International Airport
- Charlotte Douglas International Airport
- Chicago Midway International Airport
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
- Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
- Dallas Love Field Airport
- Denver International Airport
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
- Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
- George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (Honolulu)
- Houston Hobby Airport
- Indianapolis International Airport
- Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport
- Los Angeles International Airport
- Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport
- Memphis International Airport
- Miami International Airport
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
- LaGuardia Airport (New York)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)
- Newark Liberty International Airport
- Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport
- Ontario International Airport
- Orlando International Airport
- Philadelphia International Airport
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- Portland International Airport
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- San Diego International Airport
- Salt Lake City International Airport
- San Francisco International Airport
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
- Tampa International Airport
- Teterboro Airport (New Jersey)
- Washington Dulles International Airport
This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 5:08 PM.