The Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that flight reductions at 40 major U.S. airports would remain at 6 percent rather than increasing further. The decision followed recommendations from the FAA safety team amid improving air traffic controller staffing levels.

The cuts were implemented during the 2025 government shutdown to address controller shortages and maintain safety. Reductions began at 4 percent on November 7, 2025, and reached 6 percent by November 11. Officials had planned increases to 8 percent and then 10 percent but froze the level at 6 percent after seeing a rapid decline in staffing triggers.

More than 10,100 flights were canceled since the restrictions took effect the previous Friday, according to flight tracking data.

The 40 affected airports include major hubs such as Atlanta, Chicago O'Hare, New York area facilities, Los Angeles, and others across more than two dozen states.

Additional restrictions remain in place on certain general aviation operations, visual flight rules approaches at affected facilities, commercial space launches during peak hours, and other activities near airports with staffing issues. The FAA continues to monitor performance to determine when normal operations can resume.