Are Flights Still Grounded? FAA Lifts Nationwide Stop, Delays Persist — Nov. 14, 2026

Updated: November 14, 2026, 4:09 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST, UTC−05:00); November 14, 2026, 21:09 UTC. This is the time of the latest source check for this report, not the time of the original FAA incident.

Are flights still grounded across the United States? No. The Federal Aviation Administration's extraordinary nationwide ground stop on Friday, November 13, was lifted at 8:15 p.m. EST (UTC−05:00), or 01:15 UTC on Saturday, November 14. The Department of Transportation confirmed on November 14 that U.S. airspace was open again, but warned that cancellations and delays would continue as airlines restored their schedules. An open airspace does not mean every individual flight is operating on time.

For travelers flying this weekend, the immediate question is no longer whether a nationwide suspension remains in force. It is whether their specific flight, aircraft and crew are available. The FAA can also introduce separate airport-level restrictions if local conditions warrant, so the status can change even after the national order has ended.

Destaques

• Nationwide ground stop ended: The FAA lifted the national order November 13 at 8:15 p.m. EST (November 14, 01:15 UTC).
• Flights are flying again: Federal officials said more than 8,000 flight operations resumed on the night of November 13, while recovery continued on November 14.
• Disruptions persist: A lifted ground stop does not reverse existing cancellations or instantly return airplanes and crews to their planned locations.
• Check your exact itinerary: Use FAA National Airspace System Status for airport-wide FAA measures and your airline's app or website for the flight's current status.

What is the latest FAA ground stop update?

The FAA's national order followed problems with communications affecting multiple air traffic control centers on November 13. The agency published an initial FAA statement on the November 13 grounding. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy subsequently announced that the restriction had ended at 8:15 p.m. Eastern. An FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center advisory, signed at 01:19 UTC on November 14, separately stated that the nationwide ground stop had been canceled. See the FAA Command Center cancellation advisory and the DOT confirmation that the ground stop was lifted.

In its November 14 restoration update, the Department of Transportation said controllers and pilots had safely managed more than 3,500 aircraft during the emergency response and more than 8,000 flight operations had resumed the previous night. Those operational figures describe the emergency response and the initial restart; they are not a count of on-time departures or a guarantee of seat availability. The department explicitly cautioned that travelers should expect continued cancellations and delays. Source: November 14 DOT airspace restoration update.

Current verification limit: The FAA's live National Airspace System page is interactive and airport conditions can change minute to minute. This report verifies the cancellation of the nationwide order from federal statements and the FAA's historical advisory; it does not claim that zero individual airport ground stops are active at every moment on November 14 or 15. Travelers should consult the live FAA feed before departure.

Which U.S. airports are still affected?

There is no longer a single nationwide no-departures rule. However, flights from major connecting hubs may still be affected by disruptions elsewhere in the network. An aircraft may arrive late from its previous destination; a crew may reach its legal duty limit; or a carrier may cancel one leg so it can restore another. These are practical consequences of a systemwide interruption, not evidence that the national ground stop has returned.

Airport conditions also vary. A ground stop targets departures headed for a particular airport, while a ground delay program spaces out arrivals and may assign later departure slots. A temporary airfield closure or a restriction on unscheduled general-aviation traffic is not necessarily a ban on scheduled passenger flights. Verify the exact airport and type of advisory rather than assuming that every listed restriction applies to your itinerary.

How can I check JFK, Newark, Atlanta, Chicago or Los Angeles?

Open the FAA National Airspace System Status, look up the relevant airport code—JFK, EWR, ATL, ORD or LAX—and review any current ground stop, ground delay, or closure notation. Then check the operating airline, especially for connecting or codeshare itineraries. Airport-wide FAA notices and the airline's flight-specific departure estimate answer different questions. For a second view of cancellations and delays, travelers can consult FlightAware flight cancellation tracker; third-party counts may use different geographic and reporting cutoffs.

Why are delays continuing after the FAA lifted the grounding?

The original disruption was not simply a problem at one airport. The Transportation Department attributed the national stop to intermittent telecommunications problems that destabilized air traffic control communications and radar information. That prompted federal officials to pause departures for safety while technicians worked on the issue. The FAA's account and the DOT's statements are the authoritative descriptions available at this check; any final technical root-cause conclusions should be distinguished from those initial explanations.

A national air traffic halt disrupts a carefully sequenced schedule. Even after controllers can approve departures again, airlines must determine where aircraft have ended up, which crews remain available, whether airport gate space is sufficient, and how to accommodate passengers from canceled flights. Some flights can restart immediately, while others require rebooking or equipment changes. The DOT warned on November 14 that the return to normal would be gradual.

Will flights be back to normal on Sunday, November 15?

No federal agency announcement reviewed for this article promises a specific date or hour when all airline schedules will be back to normal. Continued improvement is possible if air traffic systems remain stable and airlines can reposition their aircraft and crews. But new delays could emerge from weather, congestion, crew limits or airport-specific FAA measures. Treat any prediction of a universal Sunday recovery as conditional unless it is supported by a fresh operational update.

People departing on November 15 should check their flight the evening before and again before leaving for the airport. A flight shown as scheduled may still change as the carrier works through the previous day's interruptions. Pay particular attention to the first leg of any connection, and check whether the inbound aircraft is already on its way when that information is available. Avoid relying exclusively on a social media screenshot or an outdated airport status page.

What should travelers do before heading to the airport?

1. Confirm the flight number. Check the airline's official app or website for a confirmed departure time, cancellation, gate change or revised itinerary.
2. Review the FAA airport advisory. Use FAA National Airspace System Status to see whether a new ground stop, delay program or airport restriction applies to the destination.
3. Check every leg of the trip. If you connect through another hub, review that flight separately; the first departure operating does not guarantee the second will.
4. Watch for direct notifications. Keep contact details updated with the airline, and confirm whether a rebooking has actually been ticketed before traveling to the airport.
5. Refresh close to departure. Conditions can change quickly as airlines reshuffle aircraft and crews. Flight status should be treated as a time-sensitive update, not a permanent determination.

The most important distinction: the nationwide ground stop is over, but its effects are not necessarily over for your flight. The last verified national decision is the cancellation of the November 13 order; the status of an individual itinerary requires a separate check with its operating airline.

FAQ: Are flights still grounded?

Is the FAA nationwide ground stop still in effect?

No. It was lifted on Friday, November 13, 2026, at 8:15 p.m. EST (Saturday, November 14, 01:15 UTC), according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The FAA issued a separate cancellation advisory shortly afterward.

Does an open U.S. airspace mean my flight will depart?

No. Individual flights may still be delayed or canceled because of aircraft positioning, crew availability, airport constraints or new local conditions. Confirm your status with the operating airline.

Where can I see an active FAA ground stop?

Use the official FAA National Airspace System Status site for current airport-level advisories. Check your airline for information about your specific flight, because FAA airport status alone does not confirm whether your booking will operate.