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Flying soon? Listen up.
At 40 of the country’s busiest airports, flights coming and going will be reduced by 10% this week.
Travelers go through TSA airport security at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in SeaTac, Wash. (Lindsey Wasson/AP Photo)
That means thousands of flights canceled, or, in other words, 200,000 fewer seats in the air per day. Blame it on a record‑long government shutdown.
FLIGHT CHAOS GRIPS US AIRPORTS AS SOME AIRLINES ADVISE BOOKING ‘BACKUP TICKET’: SEE THE LIST
Major hubs will be the hardest hit: Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York‑JFK, Chicago O’Hare and many more. Together, those 40 airports cover roughly 70% of U.S. flights. So, yes, even if you’re in Hicksville, you feel it.
A traveler waits with his luggage at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J., Nov. 7, 2025. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images)
Your “flightmare” survival plan
If you plan on flying anywhere, here’s what you do.
- Book the first flight of the day. Yeah, it’s a bummer, but flights departing before 9 a.m. are about twice as likely to fly as those later in the day.
- Download your airline’s app now. This is your fastest route to real‑time rebooks and alerts.
- Use the MyTSA app. Get live security wait times so you’re not stuck in a five‑hour shuffle line that’s already happening.
- Check your seat map. Oddly empty flight = higher risk of cancellation. Full flight = safer bet.
- Know your rights. If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed due to the cuts, you’re legally entitled to a cash refund, not just some future credit.
- Have a Plan B. Rental car one‑way pickups are up 20% this week. Trains or even a longer drive might save your holiday.
SHUTDOWN’S IMPACT AT AIRPORTS WILL WORSEN, SAYS TSA — TRAVELERS SHOULD ‘GO EARLY’ AND ‘BE PATIENT’
Gas prices are down (average around $3.08), so a road trip could really make sense.
Don’t wait. Don’t assume. Keep checking, stay flexible and treat your travel like you’d treat a storm warning: Get ahead of it, not behind it.
Travelers head down an escalator after clearing through a security checkpoint in Denver International Airport Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Denver. (David Zalubowski/AP Photo)
Pass this on: Know someone flying soon? Don’t leave them grounded. Forward this post before they end up sleeping in an airport chair with their neck at a 90-degree angle. Sharing this could save a trip, a holiday or at least someone’s sanity. And hey, we’ve all got that one friend who needs the reminder to download the airline app before they get to the gate.
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