Government shutdown tips

Most U.S. National Parks will shut down their operations if U.S. lawmakers don’t reach a deal to fund the federal government by Saturday night, the Department of Interior said Friday in a press release.

A partial shutdown of the US government is looming and it could cause disruption for travellers across the country.

Tick, tick, tick. With just one day before the end of the fiscal year, Congress appears resigned to a federal government shutdown. Should lawmakers fail to pass a funding bill, travelers could feel the impact beginning at midnight on Saturday.

As the federal government inches closer toward a government shutdown, travel will remain largely the same for Americans if it indeed happens. However, in the event of a shutdown, travelers may feel the effects in various situations.

The Biden administration offered new warnings on Wednesday that a government shutdown could disrupt the nation’s air travel system, part of an effort to lay blame at the feet of House Republicans ahead of a possible funding lapse this weekend.

As a looming US government shutdown seems more and more likely to happen this week, many travelers are wondering how the closure of the federal government will affect their upcoming trips this fall.

As the U.S. government remains unable to agree on a funding bill, a government shutdown will likely begin on October 1 at 12:01 a.m. unless a deal is reached by September 30. The shutdown would last for an unknown amount of time until funding can be passed.

A government shutdown looms as Congress remains in gridlock over extending funding past a major deadline.

The U.S. travel economy could lose nearly $1 billion for every week that the government is shut down, according to new analysis for the U.S. Travel Association. The trade group pointed to a recent Ipsos survey indicating that six in 10 Americans would cancel trips or avoid flying in the event of a shutdown.

A U.S. government shutdown is looking more likely by the day as budget negotiations drag on in Congress. A shutdown would start next month, unless the government can reach a deal by the September 30 deadline. 

The U.S. government may be shut down if Congress doesn’t take action before the September 30, 2023 deadline, the last day that many government programs are funded. If a new budget doesn’t pass, many government agencies, including travel and security agencies, may shut down.

Travel is rising, as was evident this past Labor Day weekend, 2023. According to the TSA, nearly 1 million more travelers passed through airports than did pre-pandemic in 2019. However, a government shutdown may happen within the next few weeks, which could affect travelers.

When the federal government shuts down, as it did over the weekend, the resulting uncertainty and confusion impinge on many areas of life, including travel. With hundreds of thousands of government workers thrown out of work, how will essential services be affected?

During a lengthy government shutdown, travelers are often rightfully concerned about the strain on TSA workers, who are required to continue airport screenings without pay. A poll by Airfarewatchdog (SmarterTravel’s sister company) recently found that 62 percent of travelers are concerned about safety at airports during a shutdown. Plus, 47 percent think that airlines should have to pay for private security to fill gaps during worker shortages.

Update: On January 13, Houston’s George Bush International airport closed a terminal due to a worker shortage. The move followed Miami International Airport’s closure of a terminal amid TSA officer call outs. Our original story including tips on how to avoid airport delays during the shutdown continues below.