Transportation chief issues warning about holiday travel; nearly 2,300 flights canceled

'If we get stuck here, that’s OK'
How many flights have been canceled since FAA cuts took effect?
Delta, Southwest Airlines warn of additional travel disruptions
'Better than I had expected'
Trade group: Millions of passengers affected by shutdown cancellations, delays
How to contact customer service for Delta, United, other airlines
Transportation secretary issues warning: 'It's only going to get worse'
What are airports like today? Follow 2 USA TODAY reporters' flights.
Winter storm could exacerbate travel challenges
Are private jet flights impacted by flight cancellations?
Travelers find roundabout ways to their destinations
Are international flights affected?
Why is the government shutdown disrupting flights?
Which airports are impacted by the cuts?

'If we get stuck here, that’s OK', How many flights have been canceled since FAA cuts took effect? , Delta, Southwest Airlines warn of additional travel disruptions, 'Better than I had expected', Trade group: Millions of passengers affected by shutdown cancellations, delays, How to contact customer service for Delta, United, other airlines , Transportation secretary issues warning: 'It's only going to get worse' , What are airports like today? Follow 2 USA TODAY reporters' flights., Winter storm could exacerbate travel challenges , Are private jet flights impacted by flight cancellations? , Travelers find roundabout ways to their destinations, Are international flights affected?, Why is the government shutdown disrupting flights?, Which airports are impacted by the cuts?

Travelers across the country scrambled to reach their destinations as thousands of flights were delayed or canceled on Sunday, the third day of government-mandated flight cuts during the ongoing shutdown.

As of 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, more than 7,700 flights within, into, or out of the United States had been delayed, according to FlightAware. Nearly 2,300 flights had already been canceled.

Some disruptions and delays were reported during the first two days of cuts. Still, uncertainty looms as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has warned that flight cancellations will grow if the government shutdown continues. He painted a stark picture for travelers on Sunday, telling CNN that flights could be reduced to a "trickle" ahead of the busy holiday season.

Cuts will continue as air traffic controllers at dozens of airports work without pay and come under major staffing strain. The first round of 4% cuts at 40 airports across the United States began Nov. 7, and is set to increase to 6% by Nov. 11, 8% by Nov. 13, and 10% by Nov. 14, Duffy said last week.

But Duffy also told Americans that the number could rise to 15% or even 20% of all scheduled flights. With cancellations and delays at the top of travelers' minds, especially only weeks before Thanksgiving, here is what to know.

'If we get stuck here, that’s OK'

As they waited for their snowboards at Denver International Airport to start a weeklong ski trip, Kat and TJ Leahy said they almost looked forward to having to stay in Colorado longer if their return flight to Tampa, Florida, gets canceled.

The couple had considered taking their vacation in Greece. But with bad weather in Europe, TJ Leahy said he saw a Breckenridge resort had opened for the season and bought last-minute tickets.

“If we get stuck here, that’s OK,” Kat Leahy said. “I’ve got all my stuff, and if I call my boss and stay I’m stuck in Colorado they’ll understand.”

How many flights have been canceled since FAA cuts took effect?

More than 4,800 flights have been canceled across the United States since the Federal Aviation Administration began restricting flight capacity at 40 major airports on Friday due to the ongoing government shutdown.

Each day since the FAA’s order has been in place, airlines have canceled over 1,000 flights. FlightAware data shows 1,025 cancellations on Friday and 1,566 on Saturday for flights “within, into, or out of the United States.”

As of 5 p.m. on Sunday, the data shows 2,283 daily flights have been canceled, which is the most cancellations recorded since the FAA cuts began.

Delta, Southwest Airlines warn of additional travel disruptions

In a statement on Sunday, Delta Air Lines said it was continuing to comply with the FAA's order and had completed all planned flight cancelations through Tuesday. But the airline warned that additional air traffic control staffing shortages and resulting delay programs would cause further delays and cancelations on Sunday.

"Including the impact of additional pressure late Saturday affecting Delta's Sunday operational start-up, there are more than 320 Delta mainline and 150 Delta Connection cancellations on Nov. 9 as of 12:00 p.m. ET, with more expected," the airline said. "Canceling a flight is always a last resort after all options have been exhausted."

FlightAware data showed that Delta had canceled over 500 flights and delayed more than 900 by 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Southwest Airlines previously said it reduced its flight schedule through Monday by about 4% across 34 airports. By 5 p.m. Sunday, the airline canceled over 150 flights and delayed more than 1,600 flights.

Decrease in holiday travel could impact US economic growth, National Economic Council director says

The impact on air travel could hit U.S. economic growth, according to National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett.

"Thanksgiving time is one of the hottest times of the year for the economy... and if people aren't traveling at that moment, then we really could be looking at a negative quarter for the fourth quarter," Hassett told the CBS show "Face the Nation."

Airlines for America, which represents major carriers, estimated a daily U.S. economic impact of $285 million to $580 million by next Friday.

'Better than I had expected'

At Denver International Airport – the nation’s third-busiest – FlightAware showed more than 60 departures canceled on Sunday. Departure boards indicated they were largely to smaller airports like nearby Colorado Springs but also included Las Vegas.

United, Southwest, and Frontier have significant operations at the airport.

Delta passenger Eric Rivard, arriving on a flight from Minneapolis for a two-week visit with friends, said everything went smoothly for him. Rivard said he didn’t let the possibility of flight cancellations deter his travel. Inside the airport, security lines moved smoothly and there were no obvious signs of the cancellations.

“I was here two weeks ago and it was just the same now,” Rivard said. “It was great. Actually, better than I had expected.”

Butter, a Great Pyrenees/standard poodle mix, waits for a family friend at Denver International Airport on Nov. 9, 2025, as flyers pass through the airport’s main terminal.

Trade group: Millions of passengers affected by shutdown cancellations, delays

Airport staffing issues caused by the government shutdown have disrupted more than 4 million passengers across the country since Oct. 1, according to the trade group Airlines for America.

The group represents passenger and cargo carriers, including JetBlue, Southwest, United, Delta, Alaskan Airlines, American Airlines, FedEx and UPS.

Airlines for America said air traffic control staffing issues led it to cancel only 11 flights in the first 29 days of the shutdown. In the last nine days, however, airlines have canceled 1,271, including 752 related to the FAA directive.

The cancellations have led to a slew of other issues, too, that airlines say will prolong recovery after the shutdown has ended, citing “crew legality issues” and “equipment mispositioning.”

How to contact customer service for Delta, United, other airlines

Most airlines are contacting passengers whose flights have been canceled via email or through their smartphone apps, but each has slightly different procedures for what customers should do when their flights are canceled.

Here’s how to contact your airline if your flight has been canceled.

Delta Airlines: Delta asks customers to look on their website, delta.com, or app, Fly Delta, to find updated information about their flight before heading to the airport. Customers with a canceled flight will be contacted via email, text or through the app, and will be offered a rebooking for the “next-best itinerary,” the airline said. If you have any questions, call Delta’s customer service at: 1 (800) 221-1212

United Airlines: United recommends customers use the United app for updates and rebooking options. The airline is offering all travelers, including those whose flights have not been impacted by the FAA cancellations, full refunds if they choose to cancel. If you have questions, call United customer service at 1-800-864-8331 or text “UNITED” to 32050.

Southwest Airlines: Southwest Airlines said it has notified customers whose flights have been canceled through Nov. 12. Like other carriers, it urges passengers to check the Southwest website and app for further updates. If your flight has been canceled, Southwest said in most cases, it will automatically rebook you on another flight. If the itinerary doesn’t work, you can rebook the flight or cancel for a full refund. The airline asks passengers to cancel their reservations at least 10 minutes before their new flight’s scheduled departure. Customers can call Southwest for more information at 1-800-435-9792.

JetBlue: JetBlue also said it is rebooking most passengers whose flights have been canceled as a result of the FAA cuts. The airline said it is reaching out to passengers using the contact information in their reservation. Passengers can check their flight status and current refund and fee reduction offers on the carrier’s website. For more information, JetBlue’s customer service number is 1-800-538-2583.

Transportation secretary issues warning: 'It's only going to get worse'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned in an interview that air travel will only continue to get worse, as the country sees more government-mandated flight cancellations on Sunday, Nov. 9.

Appearing on CNN, Duffy spoke of the continued crisis hitting the country's airlines and airports. He cautioned that Americans should brace for conditions to worsen as peak holiday travel season begins

"It's only going to get worse," he said. "I look to the two weeks before Thanksgiving, you're going to see air travel be reduced to a trickle."

Over 1,000 flights were canceled across the United States by the afternoon on Saturday, Nov. 8, according to FlightAware data. Flightaware reported more than 1,100 had already been canceled for Sunday, Nov. 9.

"We have a number of people who want to get home for the holidays, they want to see their families, they want to celebrate this great American holiday," Duffy said. "Listen, many of them are not going to be able to get on an airplane, because there are not going to be that many flights that fly unless this thing doesn't open back up."

What are airports like today? Follow 2 USA TODAY reporters' flights.

The government-mandated flight cancellations entered their third day on Nov. 9, leaving travelers once again glued to their phones and computers to see whether their flights are among the growing number of cuts.

Among them are two USA TODAY reporters – Nathan Diller and Eve Chen – who are heading to Florida from Nashville and Atlanta, respectively.

– Nathan Diller and Eve Chen

Winter storm could exacerbate travel challenges

A winter storm brewing in the Midwest could worsen travel disruptions caused by the FAA-mandated flight cancellations.

Parts of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois are forecast to receive up to 18 inches of snow between Sunday and Monday. Forecasters say intense snow bands could make travel conditions near impossible in the region, including in the Chicago and Detroit metro areas.

Transportation officials have described the FAA flight cancellations as akin to those caused by a midsize winter storm. But, with an actual winter storm now in the mix, it’s unclear how flights will be impacted. Matt Morawski, a spokesperson for Detroit Metropolitan Airport, told USA TODAY via email that the storm is so far “not having an impact on operations.”

Officials at Chicago O’Hare did not immediately respond to a request for a comment.

Are private jet flights impacted by flight cancellations?

Yes, the FAA has implemented restrictions for private jets. Duffy said on social media Saturday that officials reduced the volume of private jets at “high traffic airports” and is routing them to smaller airfields.

“That’s only fair,” Duffy said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. He added that jets for medical transports, emergencies and law enforcement would be prioritized.

View of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport from a departing plane on Nov. 9, 2025. The government-mandated flight cancellations entered their third day on Nov. 9, leaving travelers once again glued to their phones and computers to see whether their flights are among the growing number of cuts.

Travelers find roundabout ways to their destinations

Thousands of travelers across the country have had their plans thrown in limbo because of the flight cuts.

On Friday, the first day the cuts went into effect, Carey Driscoll found herself unexpectedly in Indianapolis while trying to make it home to Northern Kentucky, just outside Cincinnati.

When the Chicago to Cincinnati flight of Driscoll's two-leg trip home from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was canceled by American Airlines, the former travel advisor savvily found a flight out of Miami to Indianapolis.

"I was worried I was going to have to spend 12 hours in Chicago-O'Hare and then maybe get home," she said. "So I changed it."

After landing in Indianapolis, Driscoll worked on a laptop, waiting for her mother-in-law to pick her up to start the two-hour journey back to Northern Kentucky.

– Alyssa Guffey, Indianapolis Star

What should you do if your flight is delayed or canceled? Latest on rebooking, refunds

"The best thing travelers can do is to be as proactive as possible switching to a new flight,” Keyes told USA TODAY. “When a flight gets canceled, all of a sudden hundreds of passengers need new itineraries. There may only be a handful of seats left on the best flights, and it's a first-come, first-(served) endeavor.”

If your flight is affected by shutdown-related staffing issues, you may not be entitled to much. FAA staffing is considered outside of an airline’s control, so carriers aren’t on the hook in the same way they would be for delays caused by mechanical issues or other problems on their end.

Still, if your flight is canceled for any reason, including a shortage of air traffic controllers, you’re entitled to a full refund if you choose not to fly on alternative itineraries offered by your airline. The same goes for “significant” delays or changes.

United Airlines passenger planes taxi at Chicago O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on Nov. 7, 2025.

Are international flights affected?

The mandated flight cuts do not require airlines to cancel any international flights, Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Brian Bedford said.

But airlines can choose to make changes to their international flights as they desire, they said. International flights are generally higher ticket items for airlines, and experts say their bottom lines will help drive decisions on which flights to cut.

United, Southwest and Delta airlines have said their international flights won't see reductions. Still, international travelers should remain alert as they could face trouble if they have domestic connecting flights that get canceled or delayed.

Why is the government shutdown disrupting flights?

As the government shutdown continues without a clear end in sight, thousands of federal workers have been sent home, except for those deemed essential, including many air traffic controllers, who are still at work without pay.

The FAA says, after reviewing data over the past month, that the "system is stressed," according to an emergency order. Since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, delays and "unpredictable staffing shortages" are "driving fatigue" and "risk is further increasing."

“We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely,” Bedford said.

-Cybele Mayes-Osterman