FAA seeks to extend Newark flight limits into October 2026

Published on Aug 18, 2025, 5:24 pm CDT

6 min read

The FAA intends to keep Newark flight limits in place through October 24, 2026, balancing ongoing New York airspace staffing shortfalls with runway construction at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). The proposal would lift weekday limits to 72 hourly operations after October 26, 2025, while continuing lower weekend caps during fall construction. A separate New York slot waiver at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA) would also run through October 24, 2026, shaping schedules across the region.

Key Points

Why it matters: Newark flight limits aim to reduce meltdowns and stabilize operations during construction and ATC constraints.
Travel impact: Outside construction, caps rise to 72 per hour after October 26, 2025, keeping peaks in check.
What's next: FAA is taking public comment, then finalizing the order for Winter 2025 and Summer 2026 schedules.
United's hub stands to benefit from smoother banks, with thinner peak choice but better completion.
NYC slot waiver at JFK and LGA continues through October 24, 2026, allowing carriers to return up to 10 percent of slots.

Snapshot

Under a tentative FAA plan, EWR would remain capped through October 24, 2026. During construction weekends from September 1 to December 31, 2025, arrivals and departures would be limited to 28 each per hour. Beginning October 26, 2025, outside the construction window, EWR would be held to a combined 72 hourly operations, up from the Summer 2025 rate of 68. The agency says tighter scheduling reduces cancellations and missed connections when weather, equipment, or staffing bite. In parallel, the FAA has extended its New York slot-usage waiver at JFK and LGA to October 24, 2026, which lets airlines temporarily hand back up to 10 percent of slots. Together, these measures set a predictable planning box for carriers heading into the holidays and Summer 2026.

Background

Newark's spring disruptions, including runway work on 4L, IT outages, and Northeast staffing constraints, triggered a June order that reduced hourly movements. The FAA now proposes to carry those Newark flight limits forward, with modest easing after October 26, 2025, to prevent overscheduling that the system cannot move on high-demand days. The agency's separate New York slot relief keeps JFK and LGA usage rules flexible through October 24, 2026, reflecting projections that the New York TRACON will not reach target staffing until after 2026. United, Newark's dominant carrier, argues that caps have already improved on-time performance and reduced large-scale cancellations. For a deeper primer on the proposal details, see our earlier explainer, FAA proposes extending Newark flight cap to 2026. For carrier-specific adjustments post-runway work, see United Airlines Restores Newark Schedule After Runway Fix.

Latest Developments

FAA sets 72-per-hour target outside construction, comment period open

The FAA's tentative order would hold EWR to 36 arrivals and 36 departures per hour, outside the fall construction window, from October 26, 2025, through October 24, 2026. This is a controlled step up from Summer 2025's 68 total movements per hour. The weekend construction cap, 28 arrivals and 28 departures per hour from September 1 to December 31, 2025, preserves safety margins while runway work continues. The agency is seeking comments before finalizing the rule that will guide Winter 2025 and Summer 2026 schedules. Practically, travelers should expect slightly fewer flights clustered at peak minutes, with airlines favoring larger aircraft on trunk routes and retimed banks to spread demand. That trade reduces mass cancellations in thunderstorms or equipment outages, and it improves odds of making connections when the system goes off plan.

NYC slot waiver extended at JFK and LGA, easing pressure across the grid

The FAA has also extended its limited slot-usage waiver at JFK and LGA through October 24, 2026. Carriers can temporarily return up to 10 percent of slots without penalty, aligning published schedules with real ATC capacity while New York approach staffing rebuilds. This regional relief matters for EWR flows, since JFK and LGA peaks contribute to sector congestion and miles-in-trail restrictions that ripple across the New York metroplex. The FAA cites staffing forecasts that the New York approach facility will not hit 70 percent of target staffing until after the end of 2026, which argues for continued schedule moderation. Expect thinner frequency at the busiest minutes in all three New York airports, more realistic block times, and stronger completion factors on weather days. The combined Newark and slot measures are designed to make the holidays and Summer 2026 more predictable.

Analysis

For United's Newark hub, steadier beats heavier. Newark flight limits curb the sharpest peaks, which historically collided with convective weather and ATC initiatives to produce rolling cancellations. United can use the 72-per-hour envelope to rebuild bank structures, then de-peak just enough to protect turns, hold spare aircraft, and upgauge on frequency-rich routes. That supports margins and reliability, even if it trims seat choice at certain half-hours. Competitors, constrained by the same caps and the JFK, LGA slot waiver, will find it harder to add opportunistic capacity at New York, which tends to preserve United's share.

Missed connections should fall if banks are smoothed and block times reflect reality. The biggest risk windows remain late afternoon and evening during thunderstorm season and on construction weekends this fall. Longer legal connection times and earlier departures give the operation room to recover when traffic management programs bite. For holiday travel, the combination of caps and slot relief suggests fewer mass disruptions, but tighter capacity at peak minutes. Fares may be firmer around Thanksgiving and late December if demand outstrips the moderated peaks.

The choke point is controller staffing at New York approach. The FAA's own forecast that the facility will not reach 70 percent of target staffing until after 2026 validates keeping the caps in place. If hiring and certification accelerate, the agency can revisit limits. Until then, predictability, not maximum throughput, is the reliability strategy.

Final Thoughts

The FAA's plan trades volume for stability, a practical choice for a complex airspace. United's hub should see fewer all-day meltdowns, while travelers get more dependable completion factors, especially once the 72-per-hour ceiling arrives on October 26, 2025. Construction weekends through December 31, 2025, will still feel tight, so schedule buffers and earlier departures carry extra value. With the JFK and LGA slot waiver running to October 24, 2026, New York schedules will stay calibrated to real capacity. For peak holidays, shop early, build connection time, and favor nonstops when possible. That is how to navigate Newark flight limits.