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Holiday travel chaos looms as FAA warns of major airport delays nationwide
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Travelers could face major delays as airports may be overwhelmed with millions of travelers during the holiday weekend.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday issued at least eight separate airspace flow restrictions, the Daily Mail reported.
The series of airspace flow programs (AFPs) could affect major airports in the United States and Canada during one of the busiest travel days of the year. Some delays could reach more than six hours, the outlet said.
CHRISTMAS GIFT AT THE PUMP: GAS PRICES HIT 4-YEAR LOW FOR HOLIDAY TRAVELERS NATIONWIDE
People walk to a security checkpoint at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Fox News Digital has reached out to the FAA.
In an effort to prevent overcrowding amid hundreds of flights heading in similar directions, the FAA is slashing the number of planes allowed to take off and enter certain busy sections of airspace, according to the Daily Mail.
More than 122 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home over the 13-day year-end holiday period beginning Dec. 20 and ending Jan. 1, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
“People are eager to travel this holiday season,” said Debbie Haas, vice president of travel for AAA. “That’s leading to record numbers on the roads and in the skies.”
PILOT PROGRAM AT MAJOR AIRPORT TRACKS MOVEMENT, APPROVES INTERNATIONAL FLYERS’ IDENTITY
Travelers arrive to catch flights at O’Hare International Airport on what is expected to be the busiest day of the holiday season, Dec. 21, 2025, in Chicago. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami were the top three domestic destinations for holiday travelers this year, according to the group.
Cancun, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana were the top travel getaways internationally this week.
Meanwhile, winter weather delayed many flights Friday.
By 3:40 p.m. ET, there were over 5,500 U.S. flights delayed and more than 1,400 canceled, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware.
More than 4 million passengers are projected to travel through the airport over the next two and a half weeks, a 7.5% increase over the 2024 holiday season. (Getty Images / Getty Images)
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New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport are the most affected, accounting for 22%, 27% and 21% of canceled outbound flights, respectively.
