How Long Will International Flights Be Affected by the US Government Shutdown? What Flyers Need to Know

The US government shutdown has forced the FAA to scale back air traffic nationwide, with major airports including Newark and Chicago already reporting long delays affecting both domestic and international flights. (Credit: IBTimes UK/Anna Shvets/Pexels)

The US government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, is starting to have tangible effects on air travel. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that flight capacity at 40 high-volume US airports will be reduced by 10 per cent, starting imminently, citing air-traffic controller fatigue and mounting staffing shortfalls.

Furthermore, more than 3.2 million travellers have already been affected by delays and cancellations during the shutdown, as air traffic controller absenteeism has soared to between 20 to 40 per cent at the busiest airports.