14 of BTV's 18 Destinations Hit FAA Reduction List, Threatening Most Burlington Flights
Passengers' journey may start smoothly in Burlington, but they face a high probability of cascading delays and last-minute cancellations at their connecting hub.
BTV’s Hidden Risk: Why Most Burlington Flights Are Threatened by FAA Shutdown Cuts
Vermont travelers flying from Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (BTV) may experience a “false sense of security” as a record-long federal government shutdown cripples the nation’s airspace, according to reporting from CBS News.
While BTV itself is performing well and is not on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new list of 40 airports facing mandatory 10% flight cuts, its network is severely exposed. An analysis of BTV’s route map shows that 14 of its 18 non-stop destinations (78%) are on the FAA’s reduction list.
This means that while a passenger’s journey may start smoothly in Burlington, they face a high probability of cascading delays and last-minute cancellations at their connecting hub.
The National Crisis: Why Flights Are Being Cut
As of November 6, 2025, the federal government shutdown has entered its 37th day. It is now the longest continuous shutdown in U.S. history, surpassing the 35-day record set in 2018-2019.
This has created a staffing collapse among “essential” federal employees who are required by law to work without pay, according to Government Executive. This group includes approximately 13,000 Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) and 50,000 TSA officers who are responsible for the safety and security of the flying public.
With employees missing full paychecks, airports are seeing a significant spike in “call-outs,” Government Executive notes. Unpaid staff are forced to take side jobs, cannot afford childcare or gas to get to work, or are too stressed to safely perform their duties, as reported by The Times of India. This has led to critical staffing shortages at major air traffic facilities.
In response, the FAA took the “unprecedented” step on November 5 to mandate a 10% reduction in air traffic at 40 of the nation’s busiest markets. The agency stated this was a necessary safety measure to reduce demand to match the collapsing supply of available ATCs, a move Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned was necessary to prevent “mass chaos,” the Denver Gazette reported.
BTV’s “False Sense of Security”
Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport (BTV) is not on the list of 40 airports subject to the 10% mandate.
In fact, BTV announced in a press release that it recently saw a “record-breaking” 18-day streak of high passenger volume in October, and airport leadership has praised the professionalism of the local TSA team working unpaid.
A departing traveler from BTV will likely experience manageable, normal security wait times, which FlightQueue estimates to be between 11 and 26 minutes. This positive local experience, however, masks the severe vulnerability of the traveler’s itinerary. The problem, as the BTV press release implies, is not at the origin (BTV); it is at the destination hub.
The Real Threat: BTV’s High-Risk Connections
The 10% reduction at 40 major hubs will create a “ripple effect” that will impact almost all U.S. airports, aviation analysts told PBS. The core issue for Vermonters is that BTV’s network is almost entirely composed of “spoke” flights to the very hubs now in crisis.
Analysis shows 14 of BTV’s 18 non-stop destinations are on the FAA’s reduction list, according to a list published by CBS News, including all major hubs for its primary carriers:
American: Charlotte (CLT), Chicago (ORD), Philadelphia (PHL), Washington (DCA)
Delta: Atlanta (ATL), Detroit (DTW), New York (JFK & LGA), Minneapolis (MSP)
United: Chicago (ORD), Denver (DEN), Newark (EWR), Washington (IAD)
Other: Orlando (MCO), Tampa (TPA)
This 78% exposure rate places BTV in a high-risk category for severe, cascading service disruptions.
How Airlines Will Make the Cuts - Regional Flights
Airlines have stated they will protect their most profitable and critical routes, such as “long-haul international” and primary “hub-to-hub” domestic flights,. To meet the 10% quota, airlines will, by necessity, cancel the “regional” flights that feed these main routes. United’s CEO, Scott Kirby, was explicit that cuts would “focus on regional flying,” according to Fox News. Aviation analyst Henry Harteveldt also noted that airlines will focus cuts on “routes to and from small and medium-sized cities,” PBS reported.
A flight from Burlington (BTV) to Chicago (ORD) or BTV to Newark (EWR) is the exact definition of this “regional flying” and is therefore among the most likely routes to be cut.
Advice for Travelers
Based on the national situation, travelers are advised to reconsider all non-essential travel, as the U.S. Travel Association notes 60% of Americans are already doing.
All major airlines serving BTV—including American, Delta, and United—have issued travel waivers, NerdWallet reports. In an unusual move, some airlines are offering full refunds or free changes to all customers, even those with non-refundable Basic Economy tickets. Travelers are advised to utilize these waivers to postpone or cancel travel.
If travel is unavoidable, the analysis recommends:
Monitor Flights: Check flight status multiple times per day on the airline’s app, as airlines will be proactively contacting impacted customers.
Avoid Connections: If possible, fly non-stop to one of the 4 destinations not on the FAA’s list (Charleston, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Raleigh-Durham), though even these face instability, with delays already reported for JAX and RDU.
Travel Early: Book the very first flight of the day out of BTV, as delays and cancellations cascade and get worse as the day progresses.
Carry-On Only: Do not check a bag. AAA advises traveling with carry-on only, as staffing shortages make it highly likely you will be separated from your luggage if your flight is canceled.
Plan for Hub Chaos: While BTV may be calm, expect multi-hour security and service lines at connecting hubs, with the Houston Airport System reporting 3- to 5-hour waits.
What Happens Next
The FAA’s 10% flight cuts are “indefinite” and will remain in place until the government shutdown ends and staffing levels return to a safe, stable baseline, according to reports from PBS.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford has stated that even after the shutdown ends, normal operations will not resume immediately. It is expected to take weeks or months for the FAA to stabilize its workforce and for airlines to rebuild their canceled schedules.
With these cuts beginning just two weeks before the Thanksgiving travel rush, as noted by The Guardian, officials are warning of a “disaster” for holiday travel if the shutdown continues.