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Just when you thought the turbulence at Newark Liberty International Airport might clear up, spoiler alert: It’s sticking around through 2025. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed on Friday that flight caps at the embattled New Jersey airport will continue into next year in an effort to ease congestion and prevent the travel chaos that’s plagued travelers since spring.
Starting June 16, Newark will limit arrivals and departures to 34 per hour through October 25. Then, beginning Labor Day weekend, weekend flights will face even stricter caps of just 28 per hour from Friday night through Sunday until the end of the year—including the Thanksgiving and Christmas crunch.
These changes come after a nightmarish season of delays and cancellations caused by a perfect storm of problems: an aging radar system, chronic staffing shortages at the Philadelphia air traffic control center (which now oversees Newark) and a two-month runway shutdown that only wrapped early last week. Six controllers even went on trauma leave during the worst of it. Fun!
Despite the FAA's early spring attempt to minimize delays, the initial plan “was quite insufficient,” aviation analyst Jason Rabinowitz told Gothamist. Now, they’re playing catch-up with tech upgrades and more structured flight schedules.
Some good news: That notorious runway rebuild finished nearly two weeks early, thanks to extra shifts and late-night asphalt marathons. And the FAA is finally modernizing outdated infrastructure by replacing 90 miles of copper cables with new fiber-optic lines, which Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says could go live by July if testing goes smoothly. The agency is also boosting staffing at the Philadelphia TRACON center and looking to install a new backup air traffic system to keep Newark in the loop, even if things go haywire.
Still, while you might be able to score a cheap flight deal, none of this means Newark will be running at full speed anytime soon. The FAA’s order, which followed public input and coordination with airlines, aims to stabilize operations and keep the airspace safe and functional.
But if you’re flying in or out of Newark this year, consider packing your patience. Because until that new tech is humming and staffing levels are “very healthy” (FAA’s words, not ours), the only thing arriving on time at Newark might be your frustration.