by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 2:55 PM ET, Sun October 19, 2025
UPDATED: 3:00 p.m. EST, October 19, 2025
According to the U.S. Travel Association’s real-time cost ticker, the federal
government shutdown (which has been ongoing since October 1) has now cost the country’s
tourism sector close to $2.6 billion to date.
Meanwhile, those
who are still traveling in the U.S. face longer
waits at airport security as TSA agents — who are required to work without
pay while the government shutdown persists — call out sick en masse.
Air traffic
controllers are in the same boat — that is, forced to work unpaid hours with
the promise of receiving backpay once the government reopens — and have also frequently
been calling out sick, to the point where Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy threatened
to fire those who do so.
Original Text:
The U.S. travel economy has lost over $1 billion since the government shutdown began on October 1, according to the U.S. Travel Association (USTA).
The association, which advocates for laws that help the travel industry within the United States, warned about the economic impact of a potential shutdown in late September. A shutdown is currently costing the travel industry about $1 billion each week the government is closed.
“This shutdown is doing real, irreversible damage,” said Geoff Freeman, President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. “Travelers are facing longer TSA lines and flight delays. Airports are reducing flights and we’ve seen entire control towers go dark. The longer this drags on, the worse the cascade of damage will be—for local communities, for small businesses and for the country. Congress needs to act now and reopen the government.”
“Travel keeps America moving. When travel is delayed and services are disrupted, the ripple effects reach every corner of our country,” added Freeman.
USTA is currently running a calculator of the true impact of the shutdown on its website. It reached $1 billion on Wednesday, October 8, and continues to rise.
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