Flight delays and airport impacts: October 20, 2025
Key points
- BOS ground actions probable after 9:00 a.m. CT
- DEN and EWR delays possible late morning to midday CT
- DCA evening ground stop risk tied to flyover window
- SEA and SFO face low ceilings; South Florida has storms
- Austin F1 routes remain active, but GDP/GS removed
Impact
- Airports
- Boston Logan faces probable GDP, Denver and Newark possible programs, Reagan National risk this evening.
- Flights
- Expect miles-in-trail, reroutes, and release delays where programs activate or storms build.
- Travelers
- Build 60-90 minutes at BOS, consider earlier departures for DEN and EWR, monitor apps for EDCTs.
- Outlook
- Austin special routes continue through the afternoon; en-route storms may trigger added flow controls.
Storms near the Northeast and South Florida, wind at key hubs, and low ceilings on the West Coast are driving Monday's plan. The Federal Aviation Administration's command center says Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) is likely to see ground actions after mid-morning, with possible programs later for Denver International Airport (DEN) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). A brief evening restriction window could also affect Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Post-race volume around Austin continues under special routing rather than broader ground controls. Here is what is shaping U.S. flight delays and airport impacts on October 20, 2025.
FAA system plan and hotspots
The FAA's current operations plan highlights thunderstorms and wind for New England and the Mid-Atlantic, plus storms over South Florida. It also flags low ceilings at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). For Boston, a ground delay program is probable after 9:00 a.m. Central, which would meter arrivals with expect departure clearance times. Denver and Newark carry a late-morning to midday possibility for ground actions if winds compress rates. Reagan National has a potential evening ground stop tied to an Arlington flyover window. Around Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Formula 1 traffic now runs on published special routes; broader ground stops or delay programs have been removed from the plan.
Latest developments
Monday's en-route section notes thunderstorms across several air route traffic control centers from New England through Florida, which can require miles-in-trail spacing and structured routings. In the New York metro, LaGuardia was taken off the program list; the approach facility intends to manage demand using miles-in-trail rather than a full program. Runway and taxiway work continues at several large hubs, including Tampa and Denver, which can shave arrival rates during peak pushes even without weather.
Analysis
Plan buffers of 60 to 90 minutes if your itinerary touches Boston this morning, and consider earlier departures into Denver or Newark before midday banks. If you are heading to or from Washington National this evening, keep alerts on for a short-notice hold during the flyover period. West Coast connectors through Seattle or San Francisco may see minor gate holds and release delays while ceilings improve. Around Austin, expect longer taxi times and potential airborne holding during peak outbound waves, but routing should carry most of the load without broad programs. For broader context on how weekend events and staffing have shaped recent delays, see our ongoing coverage in Government shutdown day 17 slows U.S. air travel and last week's tracker Flight delays and airport impacts: October 17, 2025.
Final thoughts
Weather, wind, and event traffic are the levers today, with Boston most likely to see formal controls. Build flexibility into connections, travel earlier where possible, and keep your airline app open. We will continue to watch ground programs and flow initiatives as they evolve across the system and update our guidance around flight delays and airport impacts.