US airlines have cancelled hundreds of flights around the country due to a federal order to reduce traffic at the country's busiest airports, as the government shutdown continues.

Nearly 500 flights scheduled for Friday were already cut nationwide, and the number of cancellations climbed throughout Thursday afternoon, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks flight disruptions.

The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered airlines to phase in a 10 per cent reduction in their flight schedules across more than two dozen states.

Airlines were scrambling to figure out where to cut, and travellers with plans for the weekend and beyond waited nervously to see if their flights would take off as scheduled.

The affected airports include busy connecting hubs and those in popular touris

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