The ongoing federal government shutdown is wreaking havoc on U.S. air travel, with thousands of flights canceled nationwide over the weekend and continuing into Monday — including dozens at Miami International Airport (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).
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By 7 a.m. Monday, MIA reported 35 cancellations and nearly 30 delays, as long lines formed at check-in counters and frustration grew among stranded passengers. On Sunday alone, more than 2,800 flights were canceled and over 10,000 delayed nationwide — the most disruptive day of the shutdown so far.
Travelers at MIA said that they spent the night sleeping in airport chairs as airline apps crashed or froze, making rebooking nearly impossible. One passenger said that after her flight was canceled, direct routes were sold out, forcing her onto multi-stop itineraries and leaving her “hoping nothing else goes wrong.”
The disruptions are also affecting Caribbean-American travelers in the U.S. who were trying to fly to the region to assist with Hurricane Melissa relief efforts, compounding delays in critical support.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), more than 1,400 flights were canceled Monday— the fourth day of widespread disruptions tied to staffing shortages among air traffic controllers. Roughly 5.5% of U.S. flights were affected, exceeding the FAA’s current 4% operational cut. Those cuts are expected to increase to 10% by November 14 if the shutdown continues.
The FAA has identified dozens of major airports where flight reductions will intensify in the coming days, including:
Miami (MIA), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Tampa (TPA), Atlanta (ATL), New York JFK and LaGuardia (JFK/LGA), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), Los Angeles (LAX), and Washington D.C.’s Reagan National (DCA), among others.
The Senate took a preliminary step Sunday toward ending the shutdown, but final approval could take several more days. Transportation analysts warn that even after government operations resume, it may take a week or more for flight schedules to return to normal.
For now, travelers are being advised to check flight statuses before heading to the airport and to expect ongoing delays, cancellations, and longer wait times across the country.