How the Government Shutdown Is Impacting Travel

The DOT’s efforts to modernize ATC equipment across the nation that began earlier in 2025 will be able to continue for the near future, as Duffy says the DOT has pulled forward $12.5 billion of that funding. However, the development, testing, and evaluation of certain new technology in air traffic control operations—an FAA initiative called NextGen—would be paused during the shutdown, per the DOT’s contingency plan. That means a delay to the roll out of sorely needed equipment improvements in airports around the nation.

Passports and visas

The State Department will continue to process passport and visa applications as usual. The Bureau of Consular Affairs and the US Passport Agency will both remain open and operational during the shutdown, per the agency’s website.

The fall months are typically the slow season in terms of the number of passport applications, so if you have paperwork for a new passport pending, expect to receive your little blue book within the routine four-to six-week processing window.

The State Department will also continue assisting American citizens who are abroad, but certain domestic support for consular operations is suspended.

Customs and Border Protection

More than 4,500 personnel from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the agency which oversees airport customs and immigration, will be furloughed, according to a shutdown plan from the Department of Homeland Security.

However, the rest of the workforce, more than 60,000 employees, will still be required to show up for work without a paycheck. For travelers, that means that passport checks at airport immigration kiosks, as well as customs operations, should continue as usual.

CBP also oversees the Global Entry program, and it’s not clear if those applications and appointments will still be processed, as the Department of Homeland Security didn’t mention Global Entry in its shutdown plan. Several members of Congress note on their websites that Global Entry appointments will be suspended, however a CBP spokesperson told Barron’s that processing applications and scheduling appointments wouldn’t be delayed. (Condé Nast Traveler has reached out to CBP for more information.)

Which national parks are open during the government shutdown?

US national parks will be kept partially open during the duration of the government shutdown, according to a National Park Service (NPS) contingency plan published on September 30. Accessible areas such as park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air sites “will generally remain accessible to visitors,” the plan says, while buildings and monuments, such as park visitor centers, will be closed.