People are pictured walking inside the McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metro Airport on Nov. 6, 2025.

Flight delays and cancellations across the country persist on Wednesday as the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on a bipartisan bill that would end the record-setting government shutdown.

Despite the shutdown nearing an end, experts and airlines have cautioned that travelers should prepare for further flight disruptions throughout the week. Air traffic control staffing shortages and severe weather in parts of the United States have led to tens of thousands of flight cancellations and delays since Oct. 1, when the shutdown began.

The percentage of flights required to be cut by the Federal Aviation Administration was expected to increase to 8% on Thursday and 10% on Friday. The FAA ordered flight reductions on Nov. 7 at 40 major airports due to staffing issues.

As of Wednesday morning, FlightAware data showed more than 880 cancellations and 720 delays for flights within, into, or out of the United States - the lowest number of cancellations since the cuts began. Flight disruptions slightly eased up on Tuesday with 1,264 cancellations after Monday saw over 2,400 cancellations.

During a news conference on Tuesday at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged lawmakers to quickly pass the bill and reopen the government. Duffy warned of dire consequences for air travel if the government did not reopen soon.

"If the House doesn’t pass this bill, I think you’re going to look at Saturday, Sunday and Monday as tiddlywinks," Duffy said. "It was beautiful. It’s going to get much worse than that."

Southwest, Delta complete planned flight cuts

Southwest Airlines said it cut 145 flights on Wednesday to meet the FAA's requirements. According to the airline, the majority of customers' flights have not been disrupted.

Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines said it has completed planned cancellations through Thursday. The airline said it expects to "operate the vast majority" of its flight schedule as it continues to coordinate with the FAA.

"Additional delays and cancels may be necessary if Air Traffic Control constraints continue in the National Airspace System," the airline said.

Some airlines told Reuters they think the FAA will reduce a planned 8% flight cut on Thursday to 6%.

How Americans are coping with travel woes

Natalie Paris showed up at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Monday not as a flight attendant but as a traveler, facing the same kind of disruptions she's spent weeks managing from the other side of the counter.

Her 7 a.m. flight to Philadelphia was canceled, one of dozens grounded as the nation's air travel system continued to feel the strain of the longest-ever federal government shutdown. Paris, who flies for American Airlines, said she's watched her own schedule shrink as the shutdown has dragged on.

"We get emails and stuff, and they've kind of been tracking what's happening, and then they've just had to go back and read just how much we fly," Paris said. "They've been canceling ahead of time. So it just kind of means less hours and stuff for us." Read more.

- Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Jeff Kolkey, Amanda Wallace, Joanna Hayes, Jeanine Santucci, Alex Gladden, and Jasmine Fernández

Duffy pledges prompt backpay for air traffic controllers

Air traffic controllers will receive 70% of their back pay within 24 to 48 hours after the government reopens, with the remaining 30% arriving about a week later, Duffy said Tuesday.

“They’re going to get money in their bank accounts very quickly,” he said, thanking Congress for ensuring controllers are “made whole” after working without pay during the shutdown.

Shortages of air traffic controllers are one of the key reasons the FAA ordered flight reductions at 40 airports across the nation, which started on Friday, Nov. 7. Duffy said Tuesday that the FAA is still short about 2,000 air traffic controllers.

— Josh Rivera

Next step to reopening the government

The House of Representatives could begin voting as early as 4 p.m. on Wednesday to approve legislation reopening the government and sending it to President Donald Trump for his signature. The House vote is the next step to reopening the government, which would begin the process of getting flight traffic back on track.

The Senate voted Monday on a funding patch through Jan. 30. House Speaker Mike Johnson notified lawmakers to return to the Capitol by Wednesday, when the chamber will reconvene at noon. Multiple series of votes are expected.

The House often votes on motions such as whether to adjourn or reconsider legislation before voting to finally approve a contentious bill.

— Bart Jansen

Experts warn travel disruptions will persist even if the government reopens

The longer the cancellations and flight disruptions persist, the longer it will take to restore, experts told USA TODAY, and the pace of recovery could vary at different airports and across airlines. Air traffic controllers, whose work can include long hours and mandated overtime, may not immediately return to work in full force.

“I would expect really bumpy operations and pretty brutal travel experiences, at least throughout the week,” said Tiffany Funk, co-founder and president of point.me, which specializes in points-based travel. Read more here.

— Eve Chen

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Flight delays, cancellations persist ahead of House vote to end shutdown. Live updates

Reporting by Thao Nguyen and N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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