Travelers flying through Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports should brace for delays and cancellations starting this week. Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is cutting flight volume at 40 major airports, including Miami International Airport (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).
The reductions begin with a four percent cut in flights on Friday, escalating to ten percent next week. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the move is aimed at easing strain on air traffic controllers, many of whom aren’t reporting to work due to the shutdown.
“We are not going to wait for a safety problem to truly manifest itself,” Bedford said in a Wednesday press conference. “We can take action today to prevent things from deteriorating.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reiterated that cancellations will vary depending on controller availability at each location. “It changes every single day based on which controllers are coming to work and which ones are not,” Duffy said in a Thursday interview.
MIA officials say it’s too early to gauge the full impact. Greg Chin, spokesperson for the Miami-Dade County Aviation Department, said operations remain normal for now, and that airport leadership is monitoring the situation in coordination with the FAA, airlines, and other federal agencies.
At FLL, 20 flights were already cancelled by early Friday afternoon—nine arrivals and 11 departures. The cancellations affected routes to and from major hubs like JFK in New York and Detroit Metro. Airport officials also reported 32 delays, including flights heading to destinations such as Phoenix and Cartagena, Colombia.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava called attention to the broader consequences. “This is a significant disruption to our region’s economy, connectivity, and workforce,” Levine Cava said. “We urge federal leaders to reach bipartisan solutions and reopen the government.”
Several airlines have issued travel advisories and flexible rebooking options for passengers:
– American Airlines is allowing customers to change or cancel flights without penalty. Long-haul international flights are expected to remain on schedule.
– Delta is also offering full refunds or changes, including for basic economy fare holders.
– JetBlue said it will automatically rebook affected travelers and offer full refunds upon request.
– United Airlines will focus cancellations on regional and non-hub routes. Travelers can seek refunds, even on nonrefundable tickets.
– Southwest plans to automatically rebook most affected customers and is offering refunds for cancelled travel.
– Frontier expects few disruptions, but allows refunds for those experiencing significant delays.
– Spirit Airlines said it will operate normally for now and contact passengers if travel plans are affected.
FAA officials have not ruled out more cuts if the shutdown continues. “If pressures continue to build, we’ll take further action,” Bedford said.
For now, South Florida remains open for travel despite an uncertain situation behind the scenes. Flyers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates and options before heading to the airport.
