Las Vegas airport on list of 40 that will face 10% flight reductions today

Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport is bracing for flight delays and cancellations Friday as the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation implement an unprecedented 10 percent reduction in flights as a safety precaution in reaction to the federal government shutdown.

The airport on Thursday found itself on the list it didn’t want to be on — the 40 U.S. airports deemed “high-volume” at which schedules are being pared as the government deals with an increasing number of air traffic controllers not showing up for work because they aren’t being paid.

Reid officials had no further details on how flight reductions are being managed and are continuing to advise passengers to check their flight status with their airlines and to show up early for departures.

FlightAware, which monitors flight delays and cancellations worldwide, reported 229 delays and two cancellations at Reid Thursday — and the government flight reductions hadn’t started yet. A total of 38 flights scheduled for Friday at Reid had been canceled as of early Thursday night, with 21 of those being from Southwest Airlines, according to FlightAware.

The reduction, being established as a safety precaution during the U.S. government shutdown that is entering its 38th day Friday, is expected to result in the elimination of more than 150 flights a day in Las Vegas.

Other western airports that made the list of 40 include Denver International, Los Angeles, Oakland, Phoenix Sky Harbor, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle-Tacoma and Salt Lake City.

Most U.S. airlines have indicated they would directly contact customers whose flights are canceled or delayed by the reduction plan.

Officials have said the flight reduction plan is likely to affect mostly domestic flights and not international routes.

The flight reduction comes at a time Las Vegas tourism businesses started regaining their footing from months of visitation downturns during 2025. Experts have forecast that visitation numbers would improve during the last two months of the year leading into 2026, which is predicted to have one of the strongest convention and trade show years in history.

That could sour if the FAA reduction and the government shutdown continues for long.

The Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix is scheduled Nov. 20-22 and race fans are likely to begin arriving days prior to the event. Aviation experts say international travel is least likely to be affected by the FAA’s plans.

The reduction is occurring three weeks before Thanksgiving and a month out from the Dec. 4-13 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. It also could affect attendees of the Specialty Equipment Market Association automotive aftermarket trade show, which wraps up Friday and annually draws more than 100,000 people to the city, becoming one of the city’s largest conventions.

November has been shaping up to be key to Southern Nevada’s tourism rebound from months of visitation downturns and that experts have pointed to as a part of the fall recovery leading into a robust 2026.

Here’s what some the busiest passenger carriers at Reid International are saying about what they’ll do for customers starting Friday:

Southwest Airlines

The busiest commercial air carrier at Reid said on its website Thursday that it expects most of its passengers would not be affected.

“The vast majority of our customers will not be impacted by these changes, and for those who are affected, we will proactively communicate well in advance and will offer flexibility in travel plans,” the airline’s statement says.

“Southwest Airlines is evaluating how the planned FAA flight reductions, announced on Nov. 5 and expected to begin Nov. 7, will affect our schedule. Southwest will communicate directly with customers as soon as possible. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees.”

Southwest also explained what to expect on flights that are canceled.

“If your flight is canceled, we will notify you via the contact information you shared with us at booking. You will also see a message on our app and website if you retrieve a trip with a canceled flight.

“In most cases, we will automatically rebook you on another flight. You will receive a follow-up message once you’ve been rebooked.

“If your flight has been canceled and you decide not to travel, you are eligible for a refund. If your itinerary doesn’t work, you can rebook your flight.

“If you choose not to travel on your new itinerary, please cancel your reservation at least 10 minutes before the new flight’s scheduled departure time in accordance with our no-show policy.”

Spirit Airlines

“The FAA has directed airlines to reduce flight schedules, starting on Friday, Nov. 7, as a result of the government shutdown,” Spirit said on its website.

“While we are closely monitoring the situation, we expect to operate the vast majority of our flights. We will work to minimize any impacts to our guests.

“If your flight is affected, we’ll reach out using the contact information in your reservation. If your flight is canceled and you decide not to travel, you will have the option to receive a full refund, or we can rebook you on the next available Spirit flight.

“You can check the status of your flight on spirit.com and the Spirit app.”

Delta Airlines

“Delta is complying with a directive from the FAA and the U.S. Department of Transportation to reduce flights at 40 major U.S. airports beginning Friday, Nov 7,” the Delta website said.

“Delta expects to operate the vast majority of our flights as scheduled, including all long-haul international service, and will work to minimize customer impact while keeping safety our top priority. We are providing additional flexibility to our customers traveling to, from or through the impacted markets during the impacted travel period to change, cancel or refund their flights, including Delta Main Basic fares, without penalty during this travel period.

“We will work to give customers as much notice as possible about any changes to their flights and apologize for any inconvenience these changes may cause. We encourage customers to check their flight status on delta.com or the Fly Delta app for the latest information.

“These flight reductions are in response to air traffic control staffing shortages stemming from the ongoing government shutdown and are intended to maintain safety across the national airspace system.” \

United Airlines

“The Federal Aviation Administration recently directed every airline to reduce their schedules across 40 U.S. airports during the government shutdown,” United’s website said.

“The FAA’s goal is to relieve pressure on the aviation system so that every airline can continue to operate safely. That is the FAA’s highest priority, and ours as well. No matter what environment we’re operating in, we won’t compromise on safety.

“Flight reductions start on Friday, Nov. 7, and we’ll make rolling updates to our schedule if the government shutdown continues. United’s long-haul international flying will not be affected, nor will flights that connect our hub airports: Chicago O’Hare, Denver, Houston Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Newark Liberty International, San Francisco and Washington Dulles.

“If your flight is canceled, we’ll give you as much notice as possible, so you don’t show up at the airport expecting to fly. But the best way to stay up to date is through the United app, which gives you real-time updates, rebooking options and more.

“If you’re traveling during this period and do not wish to fly, you’re eligible for a refund — even if your flight isn’t impacted. That includes non-refundable tickets and Basic Economy tickets.

“Even with these schedule reductions, we expect to offer about 4,000 flights per day. And because of the early November timing, our flights have more available seats than during the summer, giving you more rebooking options.”

American Airlines

“Due to the ongoing government shutdown and nationwide air traffic control staffing shortages, the FAA directed airlines to reduce schedules to maintain safe airspace operations,” American’s website said. “Per FAA requirement, we have reduced flight schedules by 4 percent at 40 airports Friday through Monday, amounting to about 220 flights canceled each day. Even with these cancellations, we plan to operate around 6,000 daily flights. We are continuing to communicate with impacted customers. We encourage everyone to check their flight status on aa.com or the mobile app.

“Disrupting customers’ plans is the last thing we want to do, and we have issued a travel waiver. To provide additional flexibility during the impacted travel period, customers whose flights are canceled for any reason or who choose not to travel will be able to change their flight or request a refund without any penalty.”

“We’re deeply grateful to federal aviation workers who continue working without pay to keep our skies safe. This is unacceptable. We, once again, urge leaders in Washington to reach an immediate resolution to end the shutdown.”

Change fees are being waived on American flights to, from or through 21 cities listed on the airline’s website.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X. Review-Journal staff reporter Spencer Levering contributed to this report.