Flight Delays and Airport Impacts: October 28, 2025
Key points
- FAA operations plan adds staffing triggers around Denver and a possible DEN ground stop this afternoon
- Boston Logan program is probable after 1:00 p.m. ET with EWR and DCA also possible later
- Dallas Fort Worth and Dallas Love Field may see programs around midday CT with winds a factor
- Houston IAH and Hobby programs are possible after 4:00 p.m. CT as Texas storms build
- LAS has an active GDP tied to construction and runway 01L/19R closure windows
- SEA begins electronic flight strips today as taxiway work continues
Impact
- Airports To Watch
- BOS after 1:00 p.m. ET, DCA and EWR in the afternoon, DFW and DAL around midday CT, IAH and HOU late day CT
- Best Move
- Book earlier departures, add connection buffer, and enable airline push alerts for reroutes
- Weather Watch
- Expect storms over east and southeast Texas and parts of Louisiana this afternoon and evening
- Construction Impacts
- LAS metered for runway and taxiway work, SEA taxiway construction and new electronic strips may add minor delays
- Shutdown Sensitivity
- Controller staffing triggers can spark short-notice programs even in fair weather
The Federal Aviation Administration's Tuesday system plan points to a bumpy afternoon, with staffing "triggers" around Denver and a reference to a potential Denver International Airport (DEN) ground stop, a probable Ground Delay Program at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) after 1:00 p.m. ET, and possible programs later at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Dallas Love Field (DAL), George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU). Thunderstorms in Texas and the Gulf states and construction-related constraints in Las Vegas round out today's pinch points.
FAA Operations Plan For October 28
Today's ATCSCC operations plan, issued just before 835 a.m. CT, lists active staffing triggers for Denver Tower and a reference to a DEN ground stop for the 1000 a.m. MT arrival bank, plus a published Las Vegas Ground Delay Program tied to construction. Terminal constraints include low ceilings at Charlotte, Atlanta, Nashville, Orlando, and Memphis, thunderstorms near Miami, and winds at Dallas Fort Worth and Las Vegas. The plan calls a BOS program "probable" after 1:00 p.m. ET and notes "possible" holds or metering later at DCA, EWR, DFW/DAL, and IAH/HOU.
If you want a quick primer on how the FAA uses these tools, yesterday's daily summary remains a helpful baseline, as does our broader shutdown coverage: see Flight Delays and Airport Impacts: October 27, 2025 and Shutdown Spurs ATC Gaps, 8,000 Delays on Sunday.
Latest developments
The plan highlights weather and airspace constraints in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Gulf routes, including closed oceanic tracks near New York due to thunderstorms and a temporary water-test route closure along the Florida Panhandle. In the West, Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) is metered for runway and taxiway work; Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) begins electronic flight strips today while Taxiway A construction continues, a combination that can modestly slow push-backs during peak banks.
Broader context still matters. A brief ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Sunday underscored the system's sensitivity to controller staffing during the ongoing federal shutdown, with national delay totals cresting past 8,000 later that day. While LAX is not on today's program list, staffing spikes can trigger rolling metering at busy hubs with little notice.
Analysis
For Northeast flyers, watch BOS after 1:00 p.m. ET. Even a short Ground Delay Program compresses transatlantic departure waves and can ripple into Wednesday morning arrivals. At EWR, afternoon programs coincide with frequent route constraints off the coast; small tweaks to oceanic flows or "escape routes" can add 20-45 minutes gate-to-gate.
In Texas, the day's most dynamic weather centers on east and southeast Texas and the Ark-La-Tex region. The Storm Prediction Center outlines a marginal severe risk with large hail, damaging winds, and a non-zero tornado threat mainly mid-afternoon through evening, which aligns with the plan's late-day caution for IAH/HOU. Expect miles-in-trail spacing, reroutes, or short ground stops during peak cells.
Las Vegas is a construction story: a published GDP, an afternoon runway 01L/19R closure, and winds can slow turns and inflate taxi times. Build buffer on LAS connections and expect arrival holds to be managed at origin, not in the air. Seattle's switch to electronic strips is operationally routine, but paired with taxiway work it can add a few minutes per movement during heavy banks.
Background, how it works: Ground Delay Programs meter arrivals into an airport when demand exceeds safe arrival rates, usually due to weather, runway configuration, or staffing. Ground Stops temporarily hold departures bound for an airport until conditions improve. Both are issued by the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center to maintain safety and reduce airborne holding; when staffing runs thin, the FAA also spaces aircraft farther apart, which lowers airport throughput.
Traveler playbook today: Book the earliest viable flight, add buffer on connections through Boston, Newark, Dallas Fort Worth, or Houston, and enroll in airline text or app alerts so reassignments post quickly. If you must travel during the BOS program window, consider connecting over alternatives with fewer constraints, such as Chicago O'Hare or Detroit, if inventory allows. Keep in mind that staffing-driven actions can appear without much lead time; flexibility is your best defense.
Final thoughts
Flight delays and airport impacts today will be driven by a mix of programmed metering in Boston, potential holds in Washington, Newark, Dallas, and Houston, and thunderstorm timing over Texas and the Gulf. Keep your airline app open, protect your connections, and expect short-notice adjustments where weather and staffing intersect.