Wie jede Fluggesellschaft mit Flugkürzungen während des Shutdowns umgeht: Was Sie wissen sollten

Wie jede Fluggesellschaft mit Flugkürzungen während des Shutdowns umgeht: Was Sie wissen sollten

ADVERTISEMENTGuidesHow each airline is handling flight cuts during the shutdown: What to knowSean CudahySean CudahySenior Aviation ReporterSean Cudahy is an aviation reporter covering news about airlines, frequent flyer programs and consumer travel issues.Nov. 10, 2025•16 min readThe cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view ouradvertising policy andproduct review methodology for more information.Editor's NoteThis story has been updated with new information.Mass flight cancellations began Friday, affecting nearly every major U.S. airline and travelers across the country.This comes after the Federal Aviation Administration last week announced it would require significant air travel cutbacks at 40 of the nation's busiest airports.The travel disruptions are only growing by the day, too.Starting Tuesday, airlines will have to cut a higher number of flights: 6% of departures at 40 major hubs. The cuts are set to reach 10% by Friday — and that's likely just a starting point.In recent days, cancellations and delays have been far worse than expected as air traffic controller staffing issues reached a head at many top FAA facilities.Meanwhile, despite some progress in Washington, D.C., the longest government shutdown in history continues to drag on, leaving critical federal aviation sector employees without a paycheck.In the midst of the chaos, some of the largest U.S. airlines announced more lenient policies allowing travelers to change flights, stay home or claim a refund.Here are some helpful links to more information about the FAA flight cuts:Mass flight cancellations begin at 40 major airportsWhat travelers with flights planned for the coming days should knowWill the shutdown affect Thanksgiving flights?Daily NewsletterReward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletterJoin over 700,000 readers for breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s expertsRead on for an airline-by-airline breakdown.JULIANA YAMADA/LOS ANGELES TIMES/GETTY IMAGESAmerican AirlinesAmerican Airlines has said it's aiming to keep its long-haul international flights on track, as well as flights from one American hub to another, since those routes are critical to getting planes and crews to the right cities.Of course, that's just the planned cancellations — mass disruptions in recent days have led to many more unexpected disruptions.American pledged to "proactively reach out" to customers facing cancellations."To provide additional flexibility during the impacted travel period, customers whose flights are cancelled for any reason or who choose not to travel will be able to change their flight or request a refund, without any penalty," the carrier said.The airline has also issued a travel advisory for 21 airports that seem to be at the center of its cuts. The advisory allows customers to rebook trips through Nov. 17.American said it would cancel around 200 flights Tuesday as the FAA upped its cutback requirements to 6% at 40 major hubs.Reminder: You are entitled to a refund if your flight is canceled and you choose not to travelDelta Air LinesDelta Air Lines was hardest hit by this weekend's travel woes, after FAA staffing shortages caused major backups at its Atlanta megahub.The Atlanta-based carrier ultimately canceled hundreds of flights beyond what it had already anticipated entering the weekend.Delta extended its travel advisory covering all 40 airports affected by the FAA restrictions. You can find the full list of eligible airports on its website.Travelers booked on flights between Nov. 7 and 14 can rebook on a flight departing between now and Nov. 21 without having to pay a difference in fare. If you rebook for a later date, there may be a fare difference.Travelers who would rather not fly can alternatively cancel their trip and request a refund, Delta says — even if their flight isn't delayed or canceled. If it is canceled or significantly delayed, you'd be owed an automatic refund if you choose not to travel.I expect that this advisory could expand, depending on how long the shutdown drags on.ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUYThe airline also said that travelers flying to, from or through one of the affected airports during the affected travel period can cancel and get a refund for their flight. That includes penalty-free cancellations for basic economy tickets.Related: US government is shut down: Here are the travel impactsUnited AirlinesUnited Airlines has issued a travel waiver that covers flights between Nov. 6 and 13 for flights out of the following airports:Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)Denver International Airport (DEN)Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)Guam International Airport (GUM)Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)Dulles International Airport (IAD)George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)O'Hare International Airport (ORD)San Francisco International Airport (SFO)Travelers whose flights are affected can opt for a United flight that departs between seven days prior to and seven days after their original travel dates.Alternatively, the carrier said those travelers can cancel and receive a full refund — consistent with U.S. Department of Transportation policy.On top of that, the airline said that any customer who would rather not travel while these FAA restrictions are in place can cancel and get a refund, even if their flight is not canceled (as long as the trip was booked before Nov. 4). View this post on Instagram A post shared by United Airlines (@united)United said it would avoid canceling long-haul international flights and hub-to-hub flights operating between each of its continental U.S. hubs.The carrier has been publishing a full list of flights it has canceled. Cancellations are now published through Wednesday.Read more: Flight delayed or canceled? Here's what to do nextSouthwest AirlinesSouthwest Airlines said that, in most cases, it will automatically rebook customers whose flights are canceled onto an alternative flight. Customers can also opt to rebook themselves or claim a refund.Also, the airline is allowing passengers with trips between Nov. 7 and 13 to rebook or travel standby within the same city pair without paying a fare difference.Passengers can cancel their trip between Nov. 7 and 13 and get a refund even if their flight isn't affected. Cancellations must be made at least 10 minutes prior to departure. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Southwest Airlines (@southwestair)Monday's winter weather in the Midwest was expected to throw an added wrench into Southwest's operation. A quarter of all departures at Chicago's Midway International Airport (MDW) were canceled by midmorning, according to FlightAware. Midway is a major base for Southwest.Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian AirlinesAlaska Air Group, the parent company of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines, issued a flexible travel waiver last week. It allows passengers with trips booked between Nov. 7 and 14 to fly anytime between now and Nov. 21 without incurring a difference in fare.The company said it would not cancel international service or critical routes to communities that rely on air travel. Alaska Airlines operates critical service to remote communities in the state of Alaska. Hawaiian likewise operates important neighbor island service in its home state.An Alaska Airlines plane taxis at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). AARONP BAUER GRIFFIN/GC IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES"We worked to ensure smaller and remote communities that are reliant upon air travel are protected," Alaska Air Group said in a statement.Instead, the carrier planned to reduce service on routes served by multiple daily departures.JetBlueJetBlue has issued a travel advisory that covers 20 cities, including its key hubs at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).Travelers with flights through Nov. 14 can rebook without change fees or fare differences through Nov. 20.If your flight gets canceled and you opt not to travel, you can request a refund under DOT policy.As an alternative option, JetBlue said customers willing to take a travel credit instead of a cash refund would also be eligible to earn 2,000 TrueBlue points. We'd only recommend this option to frequent JetBlue flyers who feel confident they'll make full use of the credit.Frontier AirlinesFrontier Airlines launched a flexible travel policy.The budget carrier has waived all change and cancellation fees for flights through Nov. 12, as long as the departing city and destination remain the same.The airline noted that itinerary changes would be subject to a fare difference if the price of the new flight is higher. Additionally, travelers will not receive a travel credit if their new itinerary is cheaper.A few important things to know about refunds, travel credits and canceling a flight:You can choose to cancel your Frontier flight, penalty-free, even if it's not affected by the FAA's restrictions.If the flight isn't affected by the FAA's restrictions, you'd only be eligible for a travel credit with the airline — not a full refund.If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed beyond your control, you would be eligible for a refund under DOT policy.Meanwhile, the airline's CEO, Barry Biffle, took to social media last week with some head-turning "practical travel advice.""If you are flying Friday or in the next 10 days and need to be there or don't want to be stranded, I highly recommend booking a backup ticket on another carrier," Biffle wrote Wednesday evening. "I would simply have a backup ticket on another airline. I'm sorry this is happening. Hopefully the shutdown is over soon."A Frontier Airlines Airbus A320 at the hangar in Denver. SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUYFrontier operates less-than-daily service on many of its routes. This means that even if travelers are rebooked on the carrier's next available flight, they may still have to wait a day or more to reach their destination.Spirit AirlinesAs of 10 a.m. EST Monday, Spirit Airlines' website did not show an active travel waiver in place.In a statement posted to social media, the Florida-based ultra-low-cost carrier said it was "closely monitoring" the situation and would work with travelers to minimize the impact.Who pays if you get stranded?Because the flight disruptions technically aren't the airline's fault, it's likely airlines will not offer compensation for unexpected hotel nights, meals in the airport, or taxis to and from your hotel."Airlines will be required to issue full refunds. They will not be required to cover secondary costs," the DOT confirmed Thursday evening. "This is the normal procedure when a delay or cancellation is not at the fault of the carrier."When it comes to credit cards that have travel insurance plans, it appears that shutdown-related disruptions may not apply as a "covered reason" for invoking trip delay reimbursement or trip cancellation/interruption coverage on some plans. But you should (always) check with your card's benefits guide — or call the benefits administrator — to verify.On the other hand, if you purchased independent travel insurance, many comprehensive policies offer more blanket coverage for delays and cancellations — though again, read the specific terms of your policy to know what is (and is not) covered.Important to knowThese advisories have been rapidly changing as the FAA's restrictions have unfolded.Keep checking back for updates, and if you're flying in the coming days, watch for any communications from your airline.The 40 airports most affected by the FAA's flight cutsFinally, here's a full rundown of the key airports where the FAA ordered reductions in air traffic. Keep in mind, though, that the disruptions will affect travelers at airports across the country:Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC)Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG)Dallas Love Field (DAL)Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)Denver International Airport (DEN)Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL)William P. Hobby Airport (HOU)Dulles International Airport (IAD)George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)Indianapolis International Airport (IND)John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)LaGuardia Airport (LGA)Orlando International Airport (MCO)Midway International Airport (MDW)Memphis International Airport (MEM)Miami International Airport (MIA)Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP)Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK)Ontario International Airport (ONT)O'Hare International Airport (ORD)Portland International Airport (PDX)Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)San Diego International Airport (SAN)Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF)Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)San Francisco International Airport (SFO)Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)Teterboro Airport (TEB)Tampa International Airport (TPA)Related reading:When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?The best airline credit cardsWhat exactly are airline miles, anyway?6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayedMaximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flightsThe best credit cards to reach elite statusWhat are points and miles worth? TPG's monthly valuationsFeatured image by MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ/AFP/GETTY IMAGESEditorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.