The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered a 10% flight reduction at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports, effective Friday, citing severe strain on air traffic controllers during the ongoing federal government shutdown. This mandate affects hubs that handled hundreds of millions of passengers last year.
While the FAA has not yet issued an official public statement regarding the cuts, The New York Times reported the list of affected airports, which includes the nation’s top 10 busiest hubs.
According to data compiled by the FAA and Airports Council International, these were the top 10 busiest U.S. airports in 2024:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), located about 10 miles south of Downtown Atlanta, was the busiest U.S. airport last year with 108,067,766 total passengers—a 3.3% increase from 2023. It recorded 52,511,402 passenger boardings, or enplanements, marking a 3.06% increase year over year.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), situated between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, served 87,817,864 total passengers in 2024, representing a 7.4% jump from the prior year. Enplanements reached 42,351,316, a 7.91% increase from 2023.
Colorado’s Denver International Airport (DEN) handled 82,358,744 passengers in 2024, a 5.8% increase from 2023. It recorded 40,012,895 enplanements, up 5.68% from the prior year.
Located on Chicago’s Northwest Side, O’Hare International Airport (ORD) saw 80,043,050 passengers in 2024, an 8.3% increase from the prior year. Enplanements totaled 38,575,693, up 7.62% from 2023.
California’s Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) had 76,588,028 total passengers last year, a 2% increase from the prior year. However, enplanements fell 7.8% from the prior year to 37,760,834.
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in Queens, New York, served 63,265,984 passengers, up 1.9% from 2023. It recorded 31,466,102 enplanements, a 2.15% increase from the prior year.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina saw 58,811,725 passengers last year, marking a 10% increase from the prior year. Enplanements rose 10.15% to 28,523,822.
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, Nevada, had 58,482,005 total passengers last year, a 1.4% increase from the prior year. Enplanements totaled 28,244,966, a 1.25% increase.
Florida’s Orlando International Airport (MCO) handled 57,211,628 total passengers last year, down 0.9% from the prior year. It recorded 27,859,783 enplanements, a decrease of 0.62%.
Meanwhile, Florida’s Miami International Airport (MIA) served 55,926,566 total passengers in 2024, a 6.9% increase from the prior year. Enplanements increased 7.57% to 26,588,002.
The federal government shutdown has forced 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents to work without pay.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated Wednesday that the flight cuts could be reversed if Democrats agreed to reopen the government. The FAA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
