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Is There a Nationwide Ground Stop Right Now?

Live FAA ground stop status for major US airports, and what a nationwide ground stop means for your flight.

FAA ground stops right now

No. The FAA feed shows no ground stop at the 50 major US airports that we track.

See the live FAA ground stop map ยท All FAA delays today

Source: FAA National Airspace System status.

What is a nationwide ground stop?

A ground stop is an FAA order that holds aircraft at their departure airport. Most ground stops apply to flights to one airport, for example during a thunderstorm. In a nationwide ground stop, the FAA holds departures across the whole United States.

Flights that are already in the air usually continue and land. After the FAA lifts the stop, departures start again, but aircraft and crews are out of position, so delays and cancellations can continue for a day or more.

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Nationwide ground stops in US history

A nationwide ground stop is very rare. These are the three times the FAA stopped departures across the United States.

  1. November 13, 2026: Communication problem at air traffic control centers

    The FAA stopped departures across the United States on a Friday afternoon and lifted the order that evening, after more than four hours. The FAA cited communication issues that affected several Air Route Traffic Control Centers. It was the first nationwide ground stop since January 2023.

    November 13, 2026 ground stop: timeline and what to do

  2. January 11, 2023: NOTAM system outage

    The FAA paused domestic departures in the morning after its Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system failed overnight. The pause ended at about 9 a.m. Eastern time, and delays continued through the day.

  3. September 11, 2001: September 11 attacks

    The FAA ordered a national ground stop and then told every aircraft in US airspace to land. Commercial flights started again in stages in the days that followed.

What to do if your flight is held

  • Stay near the gate and keep the airline app open. A ground stop can end with little warning.
  • Do not leave the airport unless the airline cancels the flight.
  • If the flight is cancelled, ask the airline to rebook you or to refund the unused ticket.
  • If you have not left home, check the FAA delay map and the security wait times before you go. Queues grow quickly when flights start again.
  • Read about flight delay compensation.

Ground stop status by airport

Questions about nationwide ground stops

Is there a nationwide ground stop right now?

The status box at the top of this page reads the FAA National Airspace System status for major US airports and shows how many have a ground stop now. A nationwide ground stop is very rare: the last three were on September 11, 2001, January 11, 2023 and November 13, 2026.

What is a nationwide ground stop?

A ground stop is an FAA order that holds aircraft at their departure airport. Most ground stops apply to flights to one airport. In a nationwide ground stop, the FAA holds departures across the whole United States. Aircraft already in the air usually continue to their destination.

Are all flights grounded during a nationwide ground stop?

No. A ground stop holds flights that have not departed. Flights in the air continue and land. After the stop is lifted, departures start again, but delays and cancellations can continue for a day or more because aircraft and crews are out of position.

How long does a nationwide ground stop last?

The January 2023 stop lasted about an hour and a half. The November 2026 stop lasted more than four hours. A ground stop at one airport usually lasts from 30 minutes to a few hours.

What should I do if my flight is held by a ground stop?

Stay near the gate, keep the airline app open and do not leave the airport unless the airline cancels the flight. If the flight is cancelled, ask the airline to rebook you or to refund the ticket. Keep receipts for meals and hotels.