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Reagan National, Dulles International and BWI are bracing for their flights to be cut by 10% in the coming days amid nationwide airport staffing shortages linked to the longest-ever government shutdown. 

Why it matters: Airports are facing upheaval coast to coast as air traffic controllers go unpaid and staffing shortages trigger disruptions — and more cuts could follow as Thanksgiving nears.

The big picture: The Federal Aviation Administration has planned flight reductions at dozens of U.S. airports. The list hasn't been finalized as of Thursday afternoon, but is expected to include all major U.S. airfields.

A 10% reduction translates to hundreds of flights at each of the country's busiest airports, per data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, affecting thousands of travelers daily.

The cuts may start at 4% Friday before ramping up to 10% over the following few days if the shutdown continues, per CNN.

Zoom in: Airlines are working with the FAA to reduce flights at Reagan and Dulles to ease the strain on air traffic control, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority tells Axios in a statement.

Airport operations remain normal for now, but federally staffed security checkpoints and control centers could see disruptions.

TSA lost-and-found sites at DCA and IAD are closed due to staffing.

Baltimore-Washington International Airport, a Southwest hub, is also bracing for cuts.

​​Southwest said it will mostly rebook travelers automatically, and customers who decide not to accept the rebooking can get a refund.

What they're saying: Airlines will reach out directly to affected customers in regards to delays and cancellations, according to MWAA.

American, which has a hub at DCA, and United, which has one at Dulles, are among the airlines saying they're trying to make the requested cuts while minimizing disruptions (e.g., cutting flights at periphery airports).

United's long-haul international flights and hub-to-hub destinations won't be impacted, according to the airline's CEO.

Many airlines including United, Delta and American are offering free refunds if flights are canceled or rebooked, as well as cost-free changes, cancellations and rebookings.

Zoom in: Reagan National has been plagued with delays since January's deadly airline crash that exposed overburdened runways and led to new safety measures — including halting air traffic every time the president flies.

Issues have been mounting during the shutdown. FAA data shows multiple staffing-related delays in recent days, with a 90-minute average delay last Thursday and an 11-hour maximum anticipated delay.

Friction point: Controllers are bracing for a second $0 paycheck if the shutdown continues — an untenable situation for some.

Meanwhile, roughly 4,000 union airport workers at DCA and Dulles — from baggage handlers to wheelchair attendants, cleaners and security mechanics — are pushing for a wage hike after a rejected proposal last week, per a release shared with Axios. 

What's next: More cuts could follow if the FAA deems it necessary to ensure safety, potentially snarling Thanksgiving travel later this month.

Go deeper: What to do if the FAA cuts or cancels your flight

What to do if the FAA cuts or cancels your flight

Shutdown fallout: D.C. airports face major flight cuts ahead of holidays

Reagan National, Dulles and BWI are bracing for 10% flight cuts.

Gray Washington Monument obelisk with an airplane flying in the cloudy blue-gray sky to the right.

More shutdown travel pain ahead as the FAA cuts flights. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Reagan National, Dulles International and BWI are bracing for their flights to be cut by 10% in the coming days amid nationwide airport <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="staffing shortages" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/08/shutdown-air-traffic-controllers-delays-sick-outs" data-vars-content-id="43c2ac06-33d6-4297-a96c-ff116e994664" data-vars-headline="Shutdown fallout: D.C. airports face major flight cuts ahead of holidays" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/10/08/shutdown-air-traffic-controllers-delays-sick-outs" target="_self">staffing shortages</a> linked to the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="longest-ever government shutdown" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/05/government-shutdown-length-days-record-trump" data-vars-content-id="43c2ac06-33d6-4297-a96c-ff116e994664" data-vars-headline="Shutdown fallout: D.C. airports face major flight cuts ahead of holidays" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/11/05/government-shutdown-length-days-record-trump" target="_self">longest-ever government shutdown</a>. Why it matters: Airports are facing upheaval coast to coast as air traffic controllers go unpaid and staffing shortages trigger disruptions — and more cuts could follow as Thanksgiving nears.

News

Travel

Pull over, Los Angeles — D.C. ranks No. 1 for the worst traffic in the nation, per a new Consumer Affairs ranking.

Why it matters: You're not imagining it. It's bad out there.

Driving the news: D.C. dethroned LA for its famous congestion, topping the list of America's 50 most populous cities with the worst congestion. 

Average daily commute: Over 33 minutes (longest in the U.S.)

Average length of weekday congestion: 6 hours, 35 minutes.

😱 That's the equivalent of 71 days spent in traffic per year.

Between the lines: The timing coincides with back-to-office orders for federal government employees, and many private sector organizations following suit. 

Threat level: Low for fatal car crashes. Perhaps a silver lining of all the gridlock: D.C. ranks in the bottom 10, with less than 6 fatal crashes per 100,000 people, according to Consumer Affairs. 

Data: Allstate; Note: "Collision" defined as any auto crash resulting in a property or collision damage claim; Location based on where claimants live; Chart: Axios Visuals

Yes, but: DMV drivers are still pretty risky.

D.C. and Baltimore drivers have some of the shortest gaps on average between reported collisions among motorists from the 200 biggest U.S. cities, per Allstate claims data.

The big picture: Allstate determined risk by analyzing how many years drivers go without a reported collision for its 2025 America's Best Drivers Report.

The nationwide average is over 10 years. D.C. drivers clock a collision nearly every four years, while Baltimore runs just over four. 

Alexandria, Virginia, is pretty risky, too — an average six years between collisions.

How it works: Allstate's report, which defines collisions as incidents resulting in property or collision damage claims, is based on 2022-2023 claims data.

That means minor fender benders that go unreported — as common in city driving as potholes and work zones — aren't captured here.

The intrigue: D.C. recently passed a new set of road rules designed to deter and penalize dangerous drivers, levying lawsuits and heavy fines — including on out-of-state offenders — who've racked up violations.

It's official: D.C. has the worst traffic in the country

Rush-hour commuter traffic in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, May 1, 2025. Federal employee pension benefits are set to be pared back in Republicans' giant tax and spending package working its way through the US House, another slap at a workforce roiled by Elon Musk's cost-cutting efforts. Photogra

Rush hour is more like wait forever hour. Photographer: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Pull over, Los Angeles — D.C. ranks No. 1 for the worst <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="traffic" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/09/30/driving-traffic-congestion-rush-hour-beltway-dmv" data-vars-content-id="8ee0e994-832d-43c4-a938-0cddb503a963" data-vars-headline="It&#x27;s official: D.C. has the worst traffic in the country" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2024/09/30/driving-traffic-congestion-rush-hour-beltway-dmv" target="_self">traffic</a> in the nation, per a new Consumer Affairs ranking.Why it matters: You&#x27;re not imagining it. It&#x27;s bad out there.

Transit

Data: CPB financial disclosures compiled by Alex Curley; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals

While D.C.-area public TV and radio stations are facing holes in their budgets after Congress gutted their federal funding, they're likely in a better position to weather the hits compared to others across the country.

Why it matters: The $1.1 billion in cuts to Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) funding will hit PBS and NPR local member stations the hardest.

These outlets are essential for gathering community news and issuing emergency alerts.

By the numbers: Some of the DMV's public stations see higher shares of funding from CPB grants than the national average — about 10.3% for U.S. public TV stations as of fiscal 2023, and 4.1% for radio stations.

This is based on data manually collected from station websites and shared with Axios by Alex Curley, a former NPR staffer who has been tracking public media financing on his blog, Semipublic.

Zoom in: 20.7% of funding for WHUT (aka Howard University Television) comes from CPB grants.

It's 16.4% for WETA's TV station and 0.4% for its radio station.

It's 9.2% for Maryland Public Television and 4.8% for WAMU.

Yes, but: Some area stations like WETA and WAMU have said they are prepared to withstand the loss, due in part to the help of listener donations.

Caveat: Curley's dataset is extensive, but incomplete.

Between the lines: Public media stations in relatively populous, high-income cities like D.C. tend to have better access to donors.

Rural stations tend to be more reliant on federal dollars, and are therefore more at risk.

Zoom out: D.C. also has a higher share of local journalists compared to the nation at large.

There are 22.5 area journos for every 100,000 people, according to the Local Journalist Index 2025 from Muck Rack and Rebuild Local News, a local journalism nonprofit.

That's compared to the national average of 8.2 journalists for every 100,000 people.

Why D.C. public stations may weather federal funding cuts better than others

Some outlets say listener support helps offset federal losses.

A bar chart showing the share of public radio and TV funding coming from Corporation for Public Broadcasting grants for stations within 100 miles of D.C.. The station most reliant on CPB grants is WHUT (Channel 32) in Washington, D.C., with 20.7% of their budget coming from such grants.

While D.C.-area public TV and radio stations are facing holes in their budgets after Congress <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="gutted their federal funding" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/21/public-media-funding-emergency" data-vars-content-id="9639d382-6227-4c0d-8696-0735aaf85531" data-vars-headline="Why D.C. public stations may weather federal funding cuts better than others" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/21/public-media-funding-emergency" target="_self">gutted their federal funding</a>, they&#x27;re likely in a better position to weather the hits compared to others across the country.Why it matters: The $1.1 billion in cuts to Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) funding will hit <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="PBS and NPR" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/21/public-media-funding-emergency" data-vars-content-id="9639d382-6227-4c0d-8696-0735aaf85531" data-vars-headline="Why D.C. public stations may weather federal funding cuts better than others" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/21/public-media-funding-emergency" target="_self">PBS and NPR</a> local member stations the hardest.

Politics

D.C.'s high unemployment rate isn't budging — leading the nation for the third straight month. 

The big picture: DMV workers are still feeling the effects of President Trump's federal cuts and layoffs. Many are struggling to find jobs amid a more competitive white-collar market, strained local economies and rumblings of an area recession. 

Declining international tourism could also be contributing to D.C.'s climbing jobless rate. 

By the numbers: D.C.'s unemployment rate was 6% in July, based on preliminary and seasonally adjusted Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data out Tuesday. It started at 5.3% in January and has been steadily climbing this year.

California (5.5%) and Nevada (5.4%) had the highest rates for states.

Yes, but: The usual caveat about comparing D.C. to states applies.

Meanwhile, Virginia came in at 3.6% and Maryland at 3.4% — both higher than the previous month. 

State of play: Payments to unemployed D.C. federal workers have been rising too.

They totaled almost $2.6 million in June, up from just over $2 million in April, according to the latest report from the D.C. Office of Revenue Analysis. 

Payments to unemployed Maryland federal workers also jumped during the same period, although they've decreased slightly in Virginia. 

Stunning stat: The Washington region now has the fewest government jobs since the Great Recession, reports the Washington Business Journal. 

Zoom out: This is the seventh month in a row that Virginia's unemployment rate has risen, and its year-over-year unemployment rate increase (0.8%) during that period is tied for the country's second-highest. 

Many Northern Virginia leaders are ringing the alarm over the effects Trump's cuts are having on its economy and workforce, with more federal job losses possible. 

And Maryland has seen the most federal job losses (not including federal contractors) of any state since the start of the second Trump administration, a state spokesperson said last month. 

Between the lines: Earlier this month, Trump fired the BLS head after a weak jobs report and accused the official of fudging the numbers.  

Trump's new nominee to lead BLS has suggested doing away with the report due to the concerns about its accuracy. 

What we're watching: How Trump's crackdown on D.C. crime might impact the area economy — as well as anticipated additional federal layoffs. 

D.C. leads U.S. in unemployment for third month in a row

The DMV is still reeling from federal cuts and layoffs.

A choropleth map of the U.S. showing the percentage point difference between states' unemployment rates in July 2025 and the national rate of 4.2%. Washington, D.C. had the biggest positive difference (+1.8pp), while South Dakota had the biggest negative difference (-2.3pp).

D.C.&#x27;s high <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="unemployment rate" data-vars-click-url="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/dc-unemployment-rate-is-the-highest-in-the-us-for-the-third-straight-month/3977034/" data-vars-content-id="adbcd63a-94f0-4a71-9fd6-059cc816aa18" data-vars-headline="D.C. leads U.S. in unemployment for third month in a row" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/dc-unemployment-rate-is-the-highest-in-the-us-for-the-third-straight-month/3977034/" target="_blank">unemployment rate</a> isn&#x27;t budging — leading the nation for the third straight month. The big picture: DMV workers are still feeling the effects of President Trump&#x27;s federal cuts and layoffs. Many are struggling to find <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="jobs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/08/04/federal-workers-job-search-social-media-doge-layoffs" data-vars-content-id="adbcd63a-94f0-4a71-9fd6-059cc816aa18" data-vars-headline="D.C. leads U.S. in unemployment for third month in a row" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/08/04/federal-workers-job-search-social-media-doge-layoffs" target="_self">jobs</a> amid a more competitive <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="white-collar market" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/05/15/washington-job-market-flooded-by-federal-layoffs" data-vars-content-id="adbcd63a-94f0-4a71-9fd6-059cc816aa18" data-vars-headline="D.C. leads U.S. in unemployment for third month in a row" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/05/15/washington-job-market-flooded-by-federal-layoffs" target="_self">white-collar market</a>, strained <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="local economies" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/07/22/northern-virginia-federal-job-cuts-impact" data-vars-content-id="adbcd63a-94f0-4a71-9fd6-059cc816aa18" data-vars-headline="D.C. leads U.S. in unemployment for third month in a row" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/07/22/northern-virginia-federal-job-cuts-impact" target="_self">local economies</a> and rumblings of an area <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="recession" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/05/13/dc-recession-federal-cuts-layoffs" data-vars-content-id="adbcd63a-94f0-4a71-9fd6-059cc816aa18" data-vars-headline="D.C. leads U.S. in unemployment for third month in a row" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/05/13/dc-recession-federal-cuts-layoffs" target="_self">recession</a>.

Data: Climate Central; Chart: Alex Fitzpatrick/Axios

Over half of D.C. students go to school in an extreme urban heat zone, per a new analysis. 

Why it matters: The heat island effect can make some neighborhoods notably warmer than others, especially during heat waves like the one this week.

Sometimes schools lack adequate air conditioning, jeopardizing students' health and learning abilities in periods of extreme heat while class is in session.

Driving the news: About 76% of public K-12 students in the 65 most populous U.S. cities attend schools where the heat island effect increases temperatures by at least 8°F, per a new analysis from Climate Central, a climate research group.

The share is 54% in D.C., which is better than most cities, or nearly 49,500 students.

Boston (36%), Providence, Rhode Island (42%) and Richmond, Virginia (49%) have the smallest shares.

How it works: Heat islands amplify the impact and danger of extreme heat events fueled by human-driven climate change, with the built environment absorbing and trapping heat at the hyperlocal level.

Urban heat islands are more common in lower-income and non-white neighborhoods, researchers have found.

What we're watching: Cities are increasingly aware of heat islands, and some are taking steps to alleviate it — by planting trees and using reflective road paint, for example — albeit with mixed results.

Over half of D.C. students go to school in extreme heat zones

Sometimes schools lack adequate air conditioning, jeopardizing students' health in periods of extreme heat.

A bar chart showing which U.S. cities have the largest and smallest shares of public K-12 students in heat zones. The average is 76% of students. Louisville, Ky. has the most had 98% of students, followed by Orlando, Fla. and Wilkes Barre, Pa. at 97%.

Over half of D.C. students go to school in an extreme <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="urban heat zone" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/07/11/heat-islands-us-record-temperatures" data-vars-content-id="cb6d2617-a6ff-4f95-9fd0-1a240eea4620" data-vars-headline="Over half of D.C. students go to school in extreme heat zones" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/07/11/heat-islands-us-record-temperatures" target="_self">urban heat zone</a>, per a new analysis. Why it matters: The heat island effect can make some neighborhoods notably warmer than others, especially during <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="heat waves" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/23/heat-wave" data-vars-content-id="cb6d2617-a6ff-4f95-9fd0-1a240eea4620" data-vars-headline="Over half of D.C. students go to school in extreme heat zones" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/23/heat-wave" target="_self">heat waves</a> like the one <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="this week" data-vars-click-url="https://x.com/AlertDC/status/1941814482579124562" data-vars-content-id="cb6d2617-a6ff-4f95-9fd0-1a240eea4620" data-vars-headline="Over half of D.C. students go to school in extreme heat zones" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://x.com/AlertDC/status/1941814482579124562" target="_blank">this week</a>.

Climate

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National

Axios Colorado Springs

SAVE Act impact measured for El Paso County

Colorado Springs

A map of the United States showing the estimated driving time to the nearest election office, without traffic, as of March 2026. Distance varies significantly by state. Much of New England, Wisconsin and Michigan are within 30 minutes of an election office. However, the closest election office can be three or more hours away in parts of the West.

Axios Visuals: 2026-03-26-save-distance

Data: OSRM, Federal Voting Assistance Program; Note: No data areas are those with no or extremely sparse roads; Map: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals

Axios Detroit

Metro Detroit growth slows amid immigration drop

Detroit

AA choropleth map of U.S. counties showing estimated population change from July 2024 to 2025. The U.S. overall grew by +0.5%. Kaufman County, Texas, grew the most of any county with a population over 100,000: +5.7%. Pinellas County, Florida shrank the most of any county with a population over 100,000: -1.2%. 

Alex Fitzpatrick

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