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Amid the unprecedented federal government shutdown nears day 38, US flight paths will become less congested. This doesn't apply for US airports.

Safety Measures Enacted

Donald Trump’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said air travel is being curtailed to uphold air traffic control security during the federal government funding lapse, now the longest recorded and with no apparent progress of a resolution between GOP lawmakers and Democratic representatives to end the federal budget standoff.

Airline regulators selected “busiest routes” where the FAA says air traffic must be reduced by 4% by 6am ET on Friday, a step requiring airlines to scrub numerous flights and trigger a cascade of scheduling issues and hold-ups at key American travel hubs.

Official Statement

Trump’s transportation chief, Sean Duffy, commented on X Thursday that the move was “not about politics” but rather “concerned with reviewing the data and alleviating growing safety concerns in the system as controllers continue working without pay”.

“Flying is safe today, tomorrow, and the day after because of the proactive actions we are taking,” Duffy added.

Travel Disruptions

Experts predict hundreds or even thousands of flights might be called off. The flight decreases may constitute up to 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 seats combined, based on an calculation by the aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Affected Airports

The affected airports covering more than two dozen states include the highest-volume locations across the US – including ATL, North Carolina's city, DEN, Dallas/Fort Worth, Orlando, LAX, Miami and SFO. Within major metropolitan areas – like New York, Houston and Chicago – multiple airports will be affected.

All three airports operating in the DC metro – Washington Dulles international, BWI Airport and DCA – will be affected, inevitably causing delays and cancellations for elected representatives as well as additional passengers.

Related Updates

• Below is the compilation of American air terminals decreasing flights on Friday as a result of federal government shutdown.
• A former Department of Justice employee who tossed food at a government officer during the administration's law enforcement increase in DC was acquitted of assault by a DC jury on Thursday marking another legal setback of the federal action.
• Certain Democratic lawmakers saw Tuesday’s major voting successes as evidence they should stand firm and extract as much as possible from conservative lawmakers before consenting to conclude the record-breaking budget standoff in history.
• Democratic officials lauded Nancy Pelosi as a “bold, groundbreaking” member of the US House of Representatives, an “legend” and the “finest presiding officer in American history”, after her statement that after 20 terms in Congress she plans to retire.
• The thinktank head, the leader of the conservative thinktank behind Project 2025, has apologized for endorsing Tucker Carlson’s interview with Hitler supporter Nick Fuentes, but is resisting calls to resign.