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FAA Ends Flight Caps at 40 Major Airports, Restoring Normal Schedules at 6 a.m. ET

A sharp drop in staffing-trigger alerts led the agency to conclude the system can operate safely.

An American Airlines plane takes off near the air traffic control tower at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on November 12, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
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A traveler near a flight information board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia, US, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. The havoc plaguing the US travel industry will likely escalate Tuesday when tighter federal restrictions on flights take effect, even while lawmakers move closer toward ending the government shutdown. Photographer: Eric Lee/Bloomberg
Travelers at San Francisco International Airport. The FAA lifted nationwide flight limits Sunday, allowing SFO, Oakland and other major airports to resume normal operations after the shutdown.

Overview

  • The emergency order limiting traffic at 40 airports was rescinded effective Monday at 6 a.m. ET, allowing airlines to fly regular schedules.
  • FAA officials cited a decline in controller staffing-trigger events from a record 81 on Nov. 8 to just one on Sunday after the shutdown ended.
  • Operational data signaled recovery, with Cirium reporting about 0.25% cancellations at the affected airports Sunday and FlightAware showing low nationwide disruptions.
  • The FAA is reviewing reports that some carriers did not comply with the caps and says potential fines could reach up to $75,000 per flight above mandated limits.
  • The Nov. 7 order started at a 4% cut, rose to 6%, then eased to 3% before termination; cancellations peaked at more than 2,900 on Nov. 9, and other curbs on general aviation, space launches and some approaches were also lifted.