As the 2025 U.S. government shutdown enters its fourth week, its impact on air travel is becoming harder to ignore. Flights are still operating, but the nation’s aviation system is working with dwindling resources.

When funding lapsed on October 1, several departments—including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)—were directly affected. Both agencies have kept essential operations running, but with thousands of employees working without pay, travelers could soon start to feel the effects more noticeably if the shutdown continues.

Data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) during previous shutdowns—including those in 1995–96, 2013, and 2018–19—offers a preview of what could happen next. The early warning signs now ap

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