Flight restrictions slashed at 40 major US airports as government reopens, staffing improves
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announces restriction reduction takes effect Saturday following air traffic controller staffing improvements
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U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford announced Friday the required flight reductions at 40 U.S. airports will be lowered from 6% to 3% as the government reopens after a record-breaking shutdown.
The change will go into effect Saturday at 6 a.m., following a recommendation from the FAA safety and operations team.
FAA officials said the decision reflects improvements in air traffic controller staffing levels and a continued decline in staffing trigger events across the National Airspace System (NAS).
The 3% reduction will remain in place while the FAA monitors system performance throughout the weekend and evaluates whether normal operations can resume.
Flight cuts are being reduced after the reopening of the federal government. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call Inc via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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There has been a rapid decline in staffing triggers since Saturday's record high of 81; by Friday, there were just three active triggers.
General aviation operation restrictions remain in place at 12 airports, with some visual flight rule approaches (VFR) and parachute restrictions at facilities with staffing triggers.
People walk to a security checkpoint at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Nov. 7, 2025 in Arlington, Va. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Commercial space launches and reentries also remain limited to between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
The 40 affected high-impact airport list remains the same.
Major U.S. airports on the list include: Los Angeles International (LAX), San Francisco International (SFO), Seattle–Tacoma International (SEA) and Portland International (PDX) in the West; Denver International (DEN), Salt Lake City International (SLC), and Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX) in the Mountain region; Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW), George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William P. Hobby (HOU) in Texas; and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL), Orlando International (MCO), Miami International (MIA) and Tampa International (TPA) in the South.
The flight cut reduction will take effect at 40 U.S. airports Saturday, according to the FAA. (Morgan Hancock/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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The list also includes major East Coast hubs such as New York’s John F. Kennedy International (JFK) and LaGuardia (LGA), Newark Liberty International (EWR), Philadelphia International (PHL), Baltimore/Washington International (BWI), Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) and Washington Dulles International (IAD), along with Midwestern airports like Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Chicago Midway (MDW), Minneapolis–St. Paul (MSP), Detroit Metropolitan (DTW) and Indianapolis International (IND).