Summary The FAA has invited airlines to submit their slot and schedule requests for JFK, EWR, ORD, LAX, and SFO for the upcoming 2025 IATA summer season. However, the FAA has outlined that it would keep the 77-per-hour operational limit at EWR. Preliminary data has showed that in June 2025, airlines should add 150 more weekly flights at EWR compared to June 2024.
In a document inviting airlines to submit their International Air Transport Association (IATA) summer 2025 schedules, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also outlined that it would keep the current capacity limits at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) . The FAA was scheduled to publish the document on August 23, according to the United States Federal Register. Capacity-managed airports in the US Related to the document, the FAA outlined that it has designated New York John F.
Kennedy International Airport (JFK) as an IATA Level 3 airport, consistent with the Worldwide Slot Guidelines (WSG). Other Level 3 airports in the US include LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The US-based regulator has limited scheduled operations at JFK by an order that will expire on October 24, 2026, which was initially issued in January 2008 and has been extended in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022.
As a result, JFK has been limited to 81 scheduled operations – arrivals and departures – during slot-controlled hours between 6:00 and 22:59 local time (UTC -4). The FAA has designated Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), EWR, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) , and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) as IATA Level 2 airports. As such, flight schedules at these airports have been subject to a schedule review process premised upon voluntary cooperation from airlines operating at EWR, ORD, LAX, and SFO.
The upcoming IATA summer season begins on March 30, 2025, and ends on October 25, 2025, the FAA said. Have you noticed a sudden increase or decrease in flights in certain months? Here is why. Submitting capacity plans to the FAA Thus, the FAA invited airlines to submit their capacity plans for operations at the four airports, with the regulator outlining concerns about certain hours at the quartet.
Airport Designated hours during the 2025 IATA summer season (all times local) EWR 6:00 to 23:00 ORD 6:00 to 21:00 LAX 6:00 to 23:00 SFO 6:00 to 23:00 “Carriers should submit schedule information in sufficient detail including, at minimum, the marketing or operating carrier, flight number, scheduled time of operation, frequency, aircraft equipment, and effective dates.” The FAA pointed out that per the WSG, schedule facilitation at Level 2 airport was based on mutually agreed schedule adjustments, avoidance of exceeding the airport’s coordination parameters, recommended priority for historical schedules/timings, and the goal to adjust the smallest number of flights by the least amount of time necessary to avoid exceeding the airport’s capacity. According to the regulator, when considering schedule and/or slot requests, it takes a look at the following factors: Historic slots/services from previous seasons Unchanged services Year-round itineraries Period of operation Planned flights over ad hoc operations Other factors that could limit an airline’s timing flexibility.
The FAA warned that while it was responsible for schedules or slots, respective authorities or their designees were responsible for the facilitation and coordination of terminal, gate, and airport facility access. “Finally, the FAA notes that the schedule information submitted by carriers to the FAA may be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).” Four other airlines have more than 15,000 flights scheduled at the airport this year.
EWR’s sustained limits The US-based government agency stated that the voluntary and targeted hourly scheduling limit at EWR would remain at 77 operations per hour during the 2025 IATA summer season. Meanwhile, the targeted maximum number of scheduled arrivals or departures was 41, respectively. “These targets are expected to allow some higher levels of operations in certain periods (not to exceed the hourly limits) and some recovery from lower demand in adjacent periods.
” However, the FAA added that it would accept flights above the limits if those itineraries had been operated during the previous corresponding season and was consistent with the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) reassignment of 16 peak-hour runway timings. The timings were reassigned after Southwest Airlines exited EWR, with the DOT looking to give these slots to low-cost or ultra-low-cost carriers . Nevertheless, the FAA said that it intended to only approve requests for new flights if they could fit within the targeted limits, saying that it expected airlines to cooperate.
“Carriers are reminded that FAA approval for runway times is separate from the approval process for gates or other airport infrastructure and both are essential for the success of Level 2 at EWR.” EWR’s capacity has been constrained since the pandemic ended, with the FAA issuing slot waivers for airlines operating at New York Area airports, including JFK, EWR, and LGA. Congestion issues at all three airports have worsened since the pandemic, with air traffic controllers (ATC) retiring and the pandemic delaying the training of new recruits to work at control towers.
As a result, the FAA has sought mitigating measures for the congestion and delays at the three New York airports, which has included the reduction of hourly operations at EWR to 77 per hour. Another measure was to move the control of EWR’s airspace to nearby Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The move was completed on July 28, with some airlines, including JetBlue, warning about potential delays shortly after the switch.
The FAA has also noted that it was aware of the runway construction plans at EWR in 2025. Currently, it has been reviewing any potential implications and will issue a separate policy document to address any potential concerns about the impact of the construction plans. Preliminary data from the aviation analytics company Cirium showed that in June 2025, airlines have scheduled 150 more weekly flights, resulting in 4,325 additional weekly seats, compared to the same month in 2024.
However, the data could be subject to change as airlines continue to adjust their schedules during the upcoming months. Challenges remain in the busy Northeast Corridor..
