The month of November 2025 was one for the air travel history books. Airlines not only had to contend with a historic shutdown of the United States government and ensuing flight delays and cancellations, but they also had to prepare for the busiest-ever Thanksgiving travel period as well.
Through the turmoil, carriers both in the US and around the world continued to announce exciting new routes that will debut next year, as well as new planes, products, and online tools that will help to improve each stage of travelers’ air travel journeys.
Here are the biggest air travel headlines from November 2025.
Airlines Began to Recover from the Government Shutdown
After the longest shutdown in US history ended, airlines began to ramp up their operations.
The FAA had implemented a flight reduction plan toward the end of the shutdown as the nation’s air space was stretched thin by a lack of air traffic controllers. Under the plan, airlines were forced to cut up to 6% of their domestic flight schedules, which caused thousands of travelers to shuffle their itineraries.
Once Congress reached a resolution on the shutdown, the FAA officially dropped its flight reduction mandates a couple days later on November 17, 2025. Airlines recovered relatively quickly, with Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian saying most routes went back to normal just a couple days after the shutdown. Bastian also said that he was optimistic upcoming holiday travel would go smoothly.
Record-Breaking Thanksgiving Air Travel
After dealing with the shutdown, airlines quickly pivoted to preparing for a record amount of travelers planning to take to the skies for Thanksgiving.
The industry was expecting nearly 31 million travelers to fly during the peak travel period, which in 2025 stretches from November 20 to Dec 2, according to Airlines for America. That’s the highest number of airline passengers ever predicted over the November holiday stretch.
Despite a murky outlook on potential Thanksgiving travel snarls at the tail end of the shutdown, airlines reassured travelers, saying they were ready for the millions of fliers. Some carriers were even adding more flights after an uptick in bookings following the shutdown’s resolution.
Southwest Airlines, for one, made some key changes to its schedule to match capacity with demand during the Thanksgiving travel window. It delayed the rollout of its extra-legroom seats until January, allowing for six more seats per Boeing 737-700 aircraft to be available during the holidays. It also expanded its participation in TSA’s Touchless ID program, rolling out the facial scanning tech to five new airports: Atlanta, New York LaGuardia, Portland, Seattle, and Salt Lake City.
Plus, fliers in the Eastern US got access to a brand new airport, just in time for the Thanksgiving travel rush. Pittsburgh’s new airport opened on November 18, with more security lanes, faster baggage claim technology, and a streamlined design that allows travelers to get from curb to gate in half the time as the old terminal.
Exciting New Routes Announced for 2026
In November 2025, airlines announced blockbuster new routes and expansion plans slated for 2026.
One of the most notable launches is JetBlue’s first-ever flights to Italy. The budget carrier announced plans to debut a new route from Boston to Milan, Italy, in May 2026. Along with the new Northern Italy-bound flights, the carrier also announced a new route from Boston to Barcelona, which will begin in April.
Elsewhere, Maldives carrier Beond announced plans to mount a significant expansion into the US, with the launch of a US-based subsidiary called Beond America coming in 2026. The exact routes the subsidiary will operate have yet to be announced, but it looks like US travelers could have new air lift to Beond’s destinations in the Maldives and Gulf nations.
Within the US, low-cost carriers Allegiant and Frontier Airlines announced a variety of new domestic routes, set to launch in 2026. Frontier plans to launch four new routes in early 2026 that will connect the East Coast, West Coast, and Midwest to vacation hotspots in Florida and Arizona. Allegiant announced 30 nonstop routes that will debut in the first half of 2026, including service to new markets like La Crosse, Wisconsin (LSE); Trenton, New Jersey (TTL); Columbia, Missouri (COU); and Philadelphia (PHL).
Airlines Launched New Products and Ordered New Aircraft
International carriers placed orders for new planes and previewed new products launching soon.
Australian carrier Qantas previewed the aircraft it plans to use for its historic Project Sunrise flights, launching in 2027. The nonstop flights from New York and London to Australia will clock up to 22 hours in the sky and become the longest route in the world. In November, the airline said the Airbus A350-1000 Long Range’s fuselage, wings, tail, and landing gear had all come together. The next step will be engine tests and flight tests throughout 2026.
Dubai-based airline Emirates placed a new order for 65 additional Boeing 777x widebody planes. The dozens of 777-9 variants are worth a total of $38 billion USD and will feature the carrier’s popular “game changer” first class cabin.
To help travelers get inspired for their next journey, Delta Air Lines rolled out a new trip planning tool that offers recommendations for activities, sightseeing, and restaurants in four of its destinations around the globe. The tool, dubbed Delta Locals, is available online and will have new destinations added throughout 2026.
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