While the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has finally come to an end, the travel repercussions are ongoing — and they've made some travelers even more fearful about traveling right now.
The Points Guy commissioned a poll from YouGov on the impacts of the shutdown and the ensuing chaos for travelers, with some fascinating findings. Among them?
- 41% of Thanksgiving travelers responded that current travel disruptions made them cancel, reschedule or adjust their Thanksgiving travel plans
- 40% of Christmas travelers responded that current travel disruptions made them cancel, reschedule or adjust their Christmas travel plans
- 48% of all U.S. adults responded that they are either very or somewhat concerned about flying due to safety reasons because of the shutdown and/or the air traffic controller shortages
These are sizable chunks of the flying public — especially considering the fact that we are fast approaching some of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Here's what our new survey found.
Fear of flying
One of the most interesting findings of the new TPG-YouGov survey was that nearly half of Americans are concerned about flying due to the government shutdown and the shortage of air traffic controllers.
A whopping 48% of Americans said they were "very" or "somewhat" concerned about flying due to safety reasons, while 20% were either "not very concerned" or "not at all concerned."
That suggests there are some ongoing worries about the overall safety of the system.
The survey was taken Nov. 11-12, so just as the shutdown was coming to an end.
Thanksgiving travel
Of those we surveyed who planned to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, approximately 4 in 10 (41%) had either been rethinking their trips or had actually changed or canceled them. Eighteen percent said they canceled their travel plans. Another 15% said they adjusted their plans (such as by driving or taking the train instead of flying). That's a significant portion of the flying public.
Christmas travel
We saw similar numbers for the Christmas travel period. Of those who were planning to travel for Christmas, 6% of respondents reported rescheduling their flights. Another 15% said they adjusted their plans, opting to drive or take a train instead. A whopping 19% of those who planned to travel for Christmas reported canceling their travel plans altogether.
It will be fascinating to see if these numbers hold up now that the government crisis is over — but it is clear that the 43-day-long shutdown has already left its mark on the 2026 holiday season.
Bottom line
Most Americans are still planning to travel for Thanksgiving or Christmas despite the recently concluded government shutdown and the resulting travel chaos. But a substantial number were worried enough to change or cancel their travel plans.
While we don't yet have data on what it will mean for holiday prices and the possibility of last-minute deals, you can be sure we will bring those details to you as we get them.
Related reading:
- The best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare
- Best airline credit cards
- What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
Methodology:
The Points Guy commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 1,185 U.S. adults. Fieldwork was undertaken Nov. 11-12, 2025. The survey was carried out online and meets rigorous quality standards. It gathered a non-probability-based sample and employed demographic quotas and weights to better align the survey sample with the broader U.S. population.
