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Re:

Which Airlines Were Most Affected by the 2025 Shutdown Flight Cancellations?

American had the highest cancellation count in the first-day snapshot of the 2025 FAA flight reductions; United had the highest cancellation rate. Full-period airline rankings are not established by the available figures.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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There is no reliable airline-by-airline ranking for the entire 2025 shutdown restriction period in the available figures. For the first day of FAA flight reductions, November 7, American Airlines had the most cancellations among the listed carriers: 224. United had the highest cancellation rate shown: 4.04% of its scheduled flights. Those are different measures, and neither establishes which airline was most affected across the full episode.

Which airline canceled the most flights on November 7?

American Airlines recorded the largest raw cancellation count in the November 7 snapshot, with 224 of 5,810 scheduled flights canceled. The figures are from Cirium, as reported by Skift. The same snapshot shows why counts alone can mislead: an airline with more scheduled flights can cancel more flights while having a lower cancellation rate.

Airline Canceled Scheduled Share canceled
American Airlines 224 5,810 3.86%
United Airlines 184 4,583 4.04%
Delta Air Lines 180 4,607 3.91%
Southwest Airlines 80 4,129 1.94%
Alaska Airlines 33 1,235 2.67%
JetBlue Airways 24 727 3.30%
Frontier Airlines 26 706 3.68%
Spirit Airlines 1 455 0.22%

All values in the table are for November 7, 2025, and are Cirium figures reported by Skift. The denominator is each airline’s scheduled flights in that snapshot; the percentages are reported cancellation shares.

Which airline had the highest cancellation rate?

United had the highest rate among the eight carriers in the reported table: 184 cancellations out of 4,583 scheduled flights, or 4.04%. American’s 224 cancellations were the highest count, but represented 3.86% of its 5,810 scheduled flights. Delta’s rate was 3.91%.

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A cancellation count answers how many scheduled trips did not operate; the rate compares cancellations with an airline’s scheduled volume. To compare disruption fairly, both measures need the same date range, source and scope. This snapshot covers one day, not the complete shutdown-related restriction period.

What do the shutdown-wide figures show?

The figures available for the broader episode describe disruption across the aviation system or groups of airlines, not an airline-by-airline leaderboard.

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  • The shutdown began October 1, 2025, and ended November 12. FAA flight reductions began November 7 at 40 high-traffic U.S. airports. The Associated Press reported that more than 10,000 flights were canceled from November 7 through November 16, according to FlightAware. That window extends beyond the shutdown’s end and is not a carrier ranking. (Associated Press)
  • Flight cancellations peaked on November 9, when airlines canceled more than 2,900 flights amid the FAA order, controller staffing shortages and severe weather in parts of the country, the AP reported.
  • Airlines for America (A4A) said its six member airlines—Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United—recorded more than 7,100 staffing-related cancellations and more than 15,600 staffing-related delays from November 7 through November 12, disrupting 2.3 million passengers. These are combined totals, not figures broken out by airline. (A4A testimony)
  • A4A said 99.8% of 861 staffing-related cancellations on November 12 were attributed to FAA-mandated reductions at 40 airports. The attribution applies to that day’s reported cancellations, not every cancellation during the episode.

The AP reported that the FAA later lifted all flight restrictions after a safety team reviewed trends and staffing-trigger events declined. No comparable airline-by-airline table for the entire November 7–16 restriction period is established by these figures, so they cannot show which carrier had the most cancellations over the full span.

Why cancellation causes do not automatically show who was at fault

On November 6, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) clarified that cancellations made to manage system capacity under the FAA order could be reported in the National Aviation System (NAS) category. DOT also directed airlines to use a more specific cause—such as air carrier, late-arriving aircraft or security—when that cause applied. NAS can include air traffic control, airport operations and heavy traffic volume. (DOT guidance)

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A NAS label is an airline’s report under DOT rules, not an independent finding that determines fault. DOT described the notice as guidance clarifying existing requirements, rather than a separately binding rule. A cancellation associated with the shutdown restrictions therefore should not automatically be treated as an airline-controlled failure.

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Can you get a refund if your flight was canceled?

DOT says passengers are entitled to a prompt refund when an airline cancels a flight or makes a significant itinerary change and the passenger declines the alternative offered. The right applies even to a nonrefundable ticket. It is separate from additional airline commitments that may apply to controllable disruptions. (DOT cancellation and delay dashboard)

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DOT’s examples of controllable disruptions include maintenance or crew problems, cabin cleaning, baggage loading and fueling. A shutdown-related cancellation does not automatically qualify as controllable, and the refund rule should not be confused with a guarantee of meals, lodging or additional compensation. Check the airline’s applicable commitments and the circumstances of the disruption.

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