Federal Aviation Administration cuts due to the government shutdown are likely to exacerbate an already significant decline in air travel for the rest of the year.
In a Wednesday press conference, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy spoke of the difficulties being experienced by U.S. aviation amid the government shutdown, particularly the strain on air traffic controllers. To alleviate pressure, he said the FAA would reduce flights by 10% in 40 locations, one of the most visible and direct effects of the shutdown. The move will likely worsen declining trends in air travel to the United States.
An analysis by LocalsInsider.com, based on Bureau of Transportation Statistics data and its own survey, found that U.S. airports have seen 13.9 million fewer arrivals this year than at the same time last year. International arrivals declined year-over-year by over a million.
Winter travel plans were already set to take a brutal hit — the survey found that 42% of respondents said they had to cancel or reconsider a trip due to rising costs. One in 5 respondents said they plan to spend less on winter travel compared to last year.
Certain airports have been hit much harder than others by this year’s slump in travel. Oakland International Airport saw its visitor count cut by almost one-fifth, the most precipitous decline of any airport, followed by Chicago Midway International Airport with a 12.9% decline and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport with a 12.7% decline.
In terms of raw numbers, Charlotte Douglas International Airport recorded the largest year-over-year decline, with over 1.4 million fewer visitors than the same period last year.
The causes of the slowdown in international travel are numerous, but several key data points suggest that international upheaval is playing a significant role. Guayaquil, Ecuador, plummeted as a destination for American travellers, falling by nearly one-third year-over-year. This coincided with the continuation of a government war against gangs in the country after a surge in crime. Next in line for declining destinations for Americans was Cozumel, Mexico, a country that has continued to struggle against drug cartels and increased tensions with the U.S.
In terms of international visits to the U.S., the top three countries are also no surprise. Venezuela, which continues to be crippled by an economic crisis and unprecedented tensions with the U.S., led as the country with the largest decline in visitors to the U.S. from 2024 to 2025. It was followed by Canada, the first country angered by President Donald Trump’s second term, and the beleaguered Ecuador.
With the FAA set to decrease flights, all of these trends may get worse.
