Cutting America’s flights will have huge ramifications for ticket prices and passengers

The George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, on November 4, 2025. The government shutdown is expected to affect flights as well as lines at major airports. Mark Felix/AFP/Getty Images

Airline passengers were already looking at higher fares and packed planes this holiday season. But the holiday headaches might get much worse as the government shutdown causes flight reductions at major airports.

The Trump administration will reduce traffic at 40 airports across the United States starting Friday if the shutdown continues — meaning holiday travels could be much more fraught this year. Airlines are already starting to cancel upcoming flights a few days at a time, though it’s hard to say how long these cutbacks will last.

“They’re doing that because we don’t know how long