FAA Lifts Nationwide Ground Stop on Flights

Flights resumed at Reagan National Airport just before 9 p.m. Friday after a nationwide ground stop affected all U.S. airports.

Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Air Travel

Flat-color editorial illustration of a single parked jet at the end of an empty runway under overcast light, evoking a nationwide pause in air travel. — The FAA lifted a nationwide ground stop late Friday that had halted flights at all U.S. airports, with Reagan National resuming service just before 9 p.m. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The FAA issued a ground stop that affected all of the nation's airports, and lifted it late Friday night. Flights in and out of Reagan National Airport resumed just before 9 p.m.

Why it matters

The ground stop left travelers stranded and reliant on cancellation notices sent by text message as flights were halted nationwide. The disruption came the same week an Outlook outage occurred on Thursday.

The FAA issued and then lifted a ground stop covering every U.S. airport on Friday, November 13, 2026. The number of flights cancelled or delayed and the reason for the stop have not been disclosed.

The players

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The FAA is the U.S. federal agency that regulates civil aviation and manages the national airspace system.

The details

Passengers received flight cancellation notices by text message as the ground stop was announced. Flights in and out of Reagan National Airport resumed late Friday, just before 9 p.m., after the FAA lifted the restriction.

Thursday: An Outlook outage occurred.
Friday, November 13, 2026: The FAA issued the nationwide ground stop and later lifted it.
Friday, November 13, 2026, just before 9 p.m.: Flights resumed at Reagan National Airport.

Seasonal Patterns

Nationwide FAA ground stops are emergency tools used to halt departures across the entire U.S. airspace system when a broad disruption occurs. This Friday's action, which affected every airport before being lifted that evening, is the kind of system-wide halt the agency reserves for widespread problems.

Travelers should monitor their airline's notifications and check flight status before heading to the airport during periods of federal disruption. Keeping a backup itinerary and confirming how an airline handles cancellations can reduce the impact of sudden ground stops.

The takeaway

System-wide ground stops can strip travelers of options within hours, so keeping flexible plans and watching for airline text alerts can help you respond quickly. Booking itineraries with some schedule buffer may reduce the chance that a single disruption derails a trip.