'Unprecedented' flight cancellations and delays won't stop soon; Live updates on FAA cuts

American travelers saw a flicker of hope with the promised reopening of the federal government, but ongoing mandated flight cancellations and some nasty weather in parts of the country could continue causing travel misery in the coming days.

As of Tuesday afternoon, over 1,200 flights within, into or out of the United States had been canceled for the day, according to the data tracker FlightAware. There were over 2,000 delays as of 2 p.m. ET.

The percentage of flights required to be cut by the Federal Aviation Administration was originally expected to increase to 6% from 4% at 40 major airports on Tuesday, the first bump on the ramp-up to a full 10% of cuts by Friday. It's unclear whether or when a newly passed Senate funding package to reopen the federal government – and end weeks of payless work for air traffic controllers – will have an impact on the planned cancellations.

Thousands of flights have been cut since Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered the cancellations to begin last Friday, Nov. 7. On Monday, the travel woes were compounded by a Chicago-area winter storm that grounded even more flights.

Can you cancel your flight and get a refund?

The four major airline operators in the U.S. – Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines – have canceled hundreds of flights to adhere to the FAA's reduction demands.

The good news for stressed travelers? All four carriers have nixed the usual fines and fees that would apply to last-minute changes and cancellations, even for tickets that are usually non-refundable.

And smaller mainland U.S. airlines including JetBlue, Alaska/Hawaiian Airlines, Spirit, and Frontier are taking a cue from the big four, offering similar fee-free changes and cancellations. Here's what to know about how to change or cancel your trip.

-Mary Walrath-Holdridge

Incoming atmospheric river storm will cause more flight problems

Air – and road – travelers will likely confront weather delays in the West, including California, as a potent atmospheric river storm slams the region late Wednesday and on Thursday.

In California, travelers should anticipate hazardous road and air travel throughout the state, AccuWeather warned, which added that "the combination of drenching rain, heavy mountain snow and strong winds will likely cause transportation delays, affect freight and airline operations, and increase risks of power interruptions and mudslides."

Heavy snow will wreak road havoc in the mountains, while coastal and valley areas see heavy, potentially flooding rain and even mudslides. All the airports in the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas are forecast to see rain, potentially sparking delays and cancellations.

Meanwhile, travelers in the East will continue to endure heavy snow near the Great Lakes and frigid cold as far south as Florida.

-Doyle Rice

Which airports are the worst for cancellations and delays today? 

As of Tuesday afternoon, flight cancellations and delays were most pronounced at airports in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta and Washington, D.C., with a few other areas also facing higher issues, according to FlightAware data for flights between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. ET.

The single airport facing the most issues at about 12:30 p.m. was Chicago O'Hare International Airport, with 40 delays and 22 cancellations. Chicago has seen cancellations due to winter weather in addition to government-mandated cuts in recent days. Chicago Midway International Airport had another five delays and four cancellations.

At New York regional airports, a combined 89 delays and 28 cancellations were impacting travelers between that time period.  

Will 'unprecedented' flight disruptions impact Thanksgiving travel plans?

Though mandated flight cuts impact 40 of the nation's airports and air carriers are mainly cutting service through their regional partners, meaning flights between large hubs and smaller cities and towns are most likely to be affected, the entire system has become discombobulated. The effects are likely to stretch into the Thanksgiving holiday.

"Typically, with a storm, one airline can recover operations within 48 to 72 hours after the weather event has finished ‒ but that’s when one hub is impacted," Tiffany Funk, co-founder and president of the travel-tech company point.me, said. "This is unprecedented, and it's also storm season. I don't think we'll see equal recovery. Airports will come online at different rates, which means airlines won't be equally impacted."

Airlines for America, the industry’s main trade group, warned that “more than 3.5 million passengers have experienced delays or cancellations because of air-traffic-control staffing concerns since the shutdown began,” calling the situation “not sustainable” with an all-time-high 31 million passengers expected between Nov. 21 and Dec. 1.

-Zach Wichter

Travelers crowd a terminal as flight delays continue amid FAA measures more than a month into the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, on Nov. 10, 2025.

The next step to reopening the government could come Wednesday

The House of Representatives could begin voting as early as 4 p.m. on Nov. 12 to approve legislation reopening the government and sending it to President Donald Trump for his signature. The House vote is the next step to reopening the government, which would begin the process of getting flight traffic back on track.

The Senate voted Nov. 10 on a funding patch through Jan. 30. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, notified lawmakers to return to the Capitol by Nov. 12, when the chamber will reconvene at noon. Multiple series of votes are expected. The House often votes on motions such as whether to adjourn or reconsider legislation before voting to finally approve a contentious bill.

-Bart Jansen

If you're traveling this week, here's what to expect

Despite the government shutdown expected to come to a close, travelers should still brace for delays and cancellations in the coming days.

“I would expect really bumpy operations and pretty brutal travel experiences, at least throughout the week,” said Tiffany Funk, co-founder and president of point.me, which specializes in points-based travel. “Even if funding were magically restored today, this is going to take a long time to reset.” 

The longer the cancellations and flight disruptions continue, the longer it will take to restore, experts told USA TODAY, and the pace of recovery could vary at different airports and across airlines. Air traffic controllers, whose work can include long hours and mandated overtime, may not immediately return to work in full force.

In the meantime, Ahmed Abdelghany, associate dean for research at the David B. O'Maley College of Business at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, recommended travelers keep an eye on their flight’s status via the airline’s mobile app or website, and get to the airport “well in advance” in case there are long waits at security. He said it’s worth considering rebooking options – if flyers can travel at another time – and purchasing travel insurance, which may reimburse some costs if there are hiccups. And if you don't have to travel now, consider putting it off.

-Eve Chen

A flight information board displays delayed, cancelled, and on time flights at the Miami International Airport on Nov. 10, 2025 in Miami, Florida.

The essential, invisible work of air traffic controllers

Before the government shutdown, the nation's air traffic control system included just under 11,000 fully certified controllers – 30% fewer than the government says we need. That meant controllers were already consistently working six days a week, up to 10 hours a day on mandatory overtime, with vacations strictly limited.

"This situation creates substantial distractions for individuals who are already engaged in extremely stressful work," Nick Daniels, the president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association union, said in a statement. "The financial and mental strain increases risks within the National Airspace System, making it less safe with each passing day of the shutdown."

Becoming a certified controller takes years of training, usually starting at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, followed by several years of closely supervised on-the-job practice.

Air traffic controller applicants need to meet vision and health standards, get mental-health assessments and commit to a high-stakes, high-stress job that's physically isolated from the travelers they serve every day. They need to be prepared to deal with midair fires, hijacking reports or medical emergencies at 36,000 feet or just feet from the terminal.

-Trevor Hughes

Trump calls for pay cut for no-show air traffic controllers

On Monday, President Donald Trump threatened to cut the pay of air traffic controllers who don't show up to work and proposed bonuses to those who kept working through the shutdown.

Last week, the FAA reported between 20% and 40% of air traffic controllers were absent from work on any given day during the shutdown. Some looked for other jobs to make ends meet.

"I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU," Trump said of air traffic controllers who stayed home from the job.

Contributing: James Powel, Kathryn Palmer, Zachary Schermele, Eve Chen, Bart Jansen and Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY