Air travel in October 2025 was dominated by the shutdown of the U.S. federal government. When the government officially closed on October 1, workers in the air travel industry were forced to keep working with the threat of going unpaid until after the funding lapse was resolved.
The situation hit the nation’s air traffic controllers especially hard. Airport towers around the country were already struggling with short-staffing and outdated technology, and experts worried that this added stress could cause major flight disruptions and possibly impact safety. Indeed, as the shutdown dragged on, many of the nation’s largest airports began seeing numerous flight delays or even total groundstops due to a slightly higher number of unpaid ATC workers calling out sick.
Despite the operational difficulties, airlines began reporting better financial prospects in October after weathering uncertain consumers and weakening travel demand earlier in the year. Looking ahead to 2026, carriers also announced new routes and rolled out new products to make travel next year a little smoother.
Here’s a look at the top air travel news from October 2025.
Government Shutdown Causes Flight Delays Across the U.S.
Major flight delays took hold at airports across the country as an uptick of stretched-thin air traffic controllers began calling off the job.
Disruptions at major airports began in the shutdown’s first week, with delays of two hours or more at hubs along the East Coast and West Coast. Some towers, like at California’s Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), completely shuttered for hours because they had no ATC staff.
Some airports, like Newark, saw repeated delays of 90 minutes or more. As the shutdown continued into its second and third weeks, delays and ground stops persisted at large airports like Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. Then on October 23, major facilities including Newark and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) had to issue full ground stops due to short-staffing.
On October 14, air traffic controllers received a partial paycheck, which is likely to be their last payday until the shutdown ends.
Airlines Make Brighter Profit Predictions for 2025
Following an uncertain start to the year, U.S. airlines began reporting stronger financial results in October. Rising demand from passengers in the third quarter helped to mitigate slower spending from travelers at the start of 2025.
Delta Air Lines reported record revenue in the third quarter, amid growing demand for its premium products and a significant jump in economy cabin bookings compared to early 2025. The carrier also expects its annual profit to be 2% to 4% higher than in 2024.
Likewise, American Airlines raised its full-year profit forecast from a potential loss to near-certain gains. The carrier also reported record revenue in the third quarter and saw stronger bookings in its economy cabin, too.
Even the embattled Spirit Airlines shared a bit of positive financial news in October. The low-cost carrier is currently in the midst of bankruptcy restructuring but said it predicts it can return to profitable operations by 2027.
New Routes to Croatia, Scotland, and More Launching in 2026
October saw an array of new route announcements from both U.S. carriers and international airlines. Southwest announced it would be heading to the Last Frontier with the launch of its first-ever route to Alaska next year. The new service to Anchorage (ANC) will begin in spring 2026.
In an exciting bit of news for Midwest-based travelers, British Airways announced it would be launching nonstop flights between St. Louis, Missouri, and London Heathrow (LHR) beginning in April 2026. The new seasonal service will make British Airways the only U.K. carrier to fly nonstop into the Gateway to the West.
Not to be outdone, United Airlines said it was planning a significant international route expansion with new flights across Europe starting in summer 2026. Among the carrier’s new destinations for next year are Split, Croatia; Glasgow, Scotland; Santiago de Compostela, Spain; and Bari, Italy.
Airlines Debuted New Products, From In-Flight Wi-Fi to Upgraded Check-In
In October, airlines announced plenty of new products and services ranging from better technology to new seats.
More passengers will soon benefit from ultra-high-speed internet on their planes thanks to United rolling out Starlink connectivity to its mainline aircraft. The first equipped aircraft took off on October 15. Going forward, the airline will install Starlink antennas on about 15 mainline aircraft per month.
In other upgrade news, Delta announced that it will roll out new, more premium check-in areas for its Delta One business class customers to all of its hubs by the end of 2025.
JetBlue and United’s loyalty program partnership, dubbed “Blue Sky,” officially launched its first benefit for travelers. Passengers can now earn and redeem miles and points across both airline’s networks. Added benefits of the collaboration are set to launch in early 2026.
One change that left passengers debating whether it was a good or bad thing was WestJet’s new economy seats. The seats will not be able to recline on many planes. Although controversial, some fliers prefer stationary seats to avoid travelers in front of them encroaching on their personal space when they lean back.
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