Overview
- The cutbacks will be phased in, starting around 4% on Friday and scaling to 10% over the following days, with most reductions concentrated between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
- A preliminary list shared with airlines and media includes major hubs such as Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago O'Hare, Denver, New York’s JFK/LaGuardia/Newark, Dallas–Fort Worth, Miami, Orlando, San Francisco and Seattle, as well as cargo hubs Memphis and Louisville and business aviation Teterboro.
- United, American and Delta say they will protect long‑haul and hub‑to‑hub services, target regional and peripheral domestic routes for cancellations, and allow free changes or refunds, including for customers who choose not to travel.
- Estimates suggest thousands of cancellations per day, ranging from roughly 1,800 flights and 268,000 passengers to as many as 3,300 daily cancellations, with ripple effects expected at airports not on the list.
- Early signs of disruption surfaced Thursday as Boston Logan reported Friday cancellations and FlightAware tracked hundreds of cuts, with officials warning that holiday travel could be affected if the shutdown continues.