FAA Cuts Flight Capacity—Here’s How MSP Is Being Impacted Now

The biggest airport in Minnesota was included in a government-mandated 10 percent reduction in air capacity earlier this week, and we now know just how it's affected flights here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is the largest airport in the North Star State. So it's no surprise that a LOT of Minnesotans (and Iowans and Wisconsinites and others) head through the TSA checkpoints at MSP each year when traveling across the country and overseas.

It helps that you can fly to A LOT of different places directly from MSP without having to catch a connecting flight elsewhere. In fact, the airport says airlines at MSP served 163 nonstop destinations from the North Star State in 2023, up from 156 destinations in 2023 and 145 destinations in 2022.

MSP Airport Hit by New Federal Flight Reductions

SEE ALSO: Hate Long TSA Lines? MSP's Free Program is a Game-Changer!

But now, thanks to the ongoing federal government shutdown, MSP was included on a list of the 40 busiest airports in the country to be subject to a 10 percent reduction in air capacity being implemented by the U.S. government.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced earlier this week that it was reducing air capacity as a safety precaution as it deals with a shortage of air traffic controllers who have been working without pay while the federal government shutdown drags on. Many have called in sick, having taken other jobs to pay the bills until the government is reopened.

Over 70 Flights at MSP Delayed or Canceled Due to FAA Cuts

That order went into effect on Friday, November 7, 2025, and we now know how MSP is being impacted by those cuts. According to industry site Flight Aware, a total of 73 flights into or out of Minnesota have either been delayed or cancelled as a result of the cut-back as of midday on Friday.

Specifically, Flight Aware breaks that number down like this:

• Total delays today at Minneapolis/St Paul International Airport: 37
• Total cancellations today at Minneapolis/St Paul International Airport: 36

What Minnesota Travelers Should Know About MSP Flight Cuts

Those numbers are subject to change as the shutdown continues. If you're scheduled to fly out of or into MSP airport while this FAA-mandated cutback is still in place, airport officials say you should check with your airline to get the very latest updates on whether or not your flight will be delayed or cancelled.

ALSO INTERESTING: The Surprising Fact About MSP Airport You May Not Know

MSP was the 18th busiest airport in North America and served nearly 35 million passengers in 2024. It's the second-largest hub for Delta Air Lines, as well as the hometown base for Sun Country Airlines. That's a lot of passengers making their way to our fair state, right? So keep scrolling to see some of the most common things we native Minnesotans always have to explain to outsiders!

Listen to Curt St. John and Samm Adams in the Morning
weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5