FAA Lifts All Flight Cuts at 40 US Airports

In a major relief for millions of Thanksgiving travelers, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officially lifted its emergency ground order on Sunday night, allowing airlines to operate 100% of their regular schedules at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports starting Monday, November 17, 2025, at 6:00 a.m. EST.The decision was announced jointly by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford, ending a 10-day restriction that began on November 7 amid critical air traffic controller shortages caused by the historic 43-day government shutdown.

Which Airports Are Now Fully Operational?

All major hubs are now free of mandatory cuts, including:

New York area (JFK, LGA, EWR)
Chicago O’Hare (ORD) & Midway
Los Angeles (LAX)
Atlanta (ATL)
Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
Denver (DEN)
San Francisco (SFO)
and 33 additional high-traffic airports across the country

How the Crisis Unfolded – Timeline

Date	Event	Flight Cut Level
Nov 7	Emergency order issued	4%
Nov 8–9	Peak crisis	Rose to 6% → 2,900+ cancellations on Nov 9
Nov 14	Shutdown ends → controllers return	Reduced to 3%
Nov 16	Weekend cancellations <1%	Far below required cuts
Nov 17 @ 6 AM	All restrictions LIFTED	0% – Full schedules

Why the FAA Took Drastic Action

Air traffic controllers – classified as essential workers – were forced to work without pay for over six weeks. Fatigue and stress led to:

Increased near-miss incidents
More runway incursions
Pilot reports of slow or unclear controller responses

The FAA originally warned it might need 10% cuts if the shutdown continued.

Thanksgiving Travel Outlook: Clear Skies Ahead

Airline executives are celebrating the timing:

“With the FAA order fully lifted just one week before Thanksgiving, we expect a strong recovery and smooth operations for the busiest travel period of the year.”

Real-time data from Flight Aware and Cerium shows cancellations already dropped to pre-shutdown levels this weekend.

What Happens Next?

The FAA confirmed it is investigating several airlines for possible non-compliance with the emergency order and may issue fines.

Long-term, the agency plans to accelerate hiring – targeting 9,000 new controllers by 2028 – to prevent future shortages.