a US government closure If lasted long enough, you can throw a wrench into your travel plans, which can lead to airport waiting times, flight delays and even cancellations.
The closure began on Wednesday after President Donald Trump and Congress Could not reach the transaction Continue to fund government services and operations. That means the majority of our airports and air travelers work unpaid until the government opens again.
“The longer the shutdown, the more likely we will see unnecessary delays in TSA lines, flight delays and cancellations, devastated national parks and modernized travel infrastructure.”
Here’s what you need to know about the potential impact on shutdowns and travel plans:
The American flag at the Capitol is illuminated by early morning lights on the first day of the government closure held in Washington on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 (AP Photo/J. ScottApplewhite)
Flying during shutdown
Travelers can still fly despite the lapse of funding, but during long-term closures, travelers must plan ahead for potentially long lines with airport security and flight interruptions.
Approximately 13,200 air traffic controllers and more than 61,000 transportation security management employees are expected to find employment in the security areas of the Control Tower and the airport.
However, if the shutdown continues, it is possible It creates serious tension About the national aviation system. That’s what happened in 2018 and 2019 when Trump led the country. The longest shutdown ever 35 days during his first term.
About three weeks after that shutdown, some unpaid security screeners began calling sick, and air traffic controllers sued the government to get their pay. Miami International Airport had to Close temporarily One of the terminals as TSA officials were calling for illness at twice the normal airport rate.
The latest closures are unfolding when the Federal Aviation Administration is already facing a shortage of around 3,000 air traffic controllers.
International trip to the US
The country’s ports of entry are expected to remain open for international travelers, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Emergency response plan.
The department estimated that around 63,000 workers on Customs and Border Protection would still report jobs. It includes employees who protect the country’s borders and monitor traffic coming to the United States at official border intersections, such as airports and land intersections from Canada and Mexico.
Passport and visa
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agencies responsible for overseeing the naturalization process, are funded primarily by application fees. In other words, lapses in federal funding have minimal impact on most passports and visa processing.
However, agent spokesman Matthew Tragesser said in a statement that the shutdown is temporarily shuttering the agency’s e-verify program, a free online system that employers can use to ensure new employees are allowed to work in the United States.
On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, we will be visiting Zion National Park near Springdale, Utah. (AP Photo/John Rochell)
Museums and National Parks
The Smithsonian Museum, Research Centre and National Zoo were scheduled to be open to the public on at least October 6th. Smithsonian’s website.
The Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum complex, with 17 museums and their zoos in the Washington, DC area, and two museums in New York City.
National Parks do that It’s almost left open Shutdown.
National Park Bureau Emergency response plan Park roads, lookouts, trails and outdoor monuments say they will “remain generally accessible to visitors.” However, parks without “accessible areas” will be closed and additional sites may shutter if damage occurs when resources and trash accumulate during shutdown.
Park Services oversees 400 sites, including large national parks such as Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, national battlefields and national monuments such as the Statue of Liberty.
