Flight cutbacks begin at MIA and FLL, and more are on the way. See the plan

Several departing flights were canceled at Miami international Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Friday due to an emergency FAA order. But the number was less than initially feared, and the chaos expected by some travelers has yet to happen in the terminals.

The Federal Aviation Administration is requiring a 10% reduction of domestic flights at 40 high-volume airports across the country, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando.

But the FAA now says the cutbacks will be done gradually over the next seven days.

MORE: List of the 40 airports where flights are being reduced

The move is in response to the new burdens that federal workers, especially air traffic controllers, have been facing with the ongoing government shutdown.

Here’s what to know about what’s happening at your airport:

Phasing in flight cutbacks at MIA and FLL

The U.S. Department of Transportation said that a 4% reduction would take effect on Friday, Nov. 7.

That would rise to 6% by Nov. 11, then 8% by Nov. 13 and finally 10% by Nov. 14.

Who decides which flights to cancel?

The airline companies determine what flights to reduce, Greg Chin, communications director for Miami-Dade Aviation Department, told the the Miami Herald. “The airlines are letting us know,” he noted.

The FAA order is directed to them: “To maintain the highest standards of safety ... certain air carriers will be required to reduce by their total daily scheduled domestic operations between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. local at each airport by 10 percent, subject to the provisions set forth in this order.”

International flights aren’t being targeted. . But the FAA noted that “carriers may use their own discretion to decide which flights are canceled to reach the order’s goal.”

The airlines need to plan their reductions ahead of time and inform both the FAA and airports.

“Operations shall be reduced seven days in advance on a rolling schedule,” the order says. “Thus, the initial list of reduced operations submitted to the FAA on November 7, 2025 ... must provide for reductions to schedules from November 7, 2025, to November 14, 2025. On November 8, 2025, carriers must retain a reduction of at least 10 percent for November 15, 2025.”

Flight cancellations in Miami

MIA had 313 total domestic departures scheduled for Friday, said Greg Chin, communications director for Miami-Dade Aviation Department. The 11 canceled flights represent 3.5% of the total.

“We are seeing signs of stress in the system, so we are proactively reducing the number of flights to make sure the American people continue to fly safely,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in Thursday’s statement. “The FAA will continue to closely monitor operations.”

MIA had other cancellations on Friday, but Chin said they were not due to the FAA order.

Flight cancellations in Broward

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is also on the list of 40 airports that will have flights reduced.

It saw 18 departure and arrival cancellations by 1 p.m. Friday due to the FAA requirement, spokesperson Arlene Satchell told the Herald. That accounted for most of its total 20 cancellations.

Reaction from the mayor

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said the reduction in flights at MIA “affects Miami-Dade’s economy and prosperity.” The mayor said in a statement that she is continuing ”to urge federal leaders to take bipartisan action to avoid further disruptions to our community.” She called MIA “a major economic engine for our whole region.”

Delays across the country

The Department of Transportation acknowledged that “since the beginning of the shutdown, controllers have been working without pay, and staffing triggers at air traffic facilities across the country have been increasing.”

It noted that during the weekend of Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, there were 2,740 delays at airports across the country.

But it could have been much worse.

Of 25,375 flights scheduled Friday from the U.S., just 780, or 3%, canceled. And 93.54% of flights departed on time. That’s according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

“Cancellations are moderate — nowhere near cancellations for weather events or IT disruptions that have occurred since January 2024,” Cirium wrote in an emailed statement sent to the Miami Herald.

The company also said departures on Friday have a “very good on-time operational performance number, similar to the past few weeks on average.”

For Saturday, 21,748 flights are scheduled, with 595 cancellations, or 2.74%, so far, according to Cirium.

As more flights are canceled nationwide in the coming weeks, MIA and FLL could be affected. The FAA urges travelers to check with their airlines for updates.

Airlines will be required to issue full refunds, the FAA order stipulates. They will not be required to cover secondary costs.

This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 12:17 PM.