DCA Flights to Pause for June 14 Military Parade
A planned military parade in Washington, D.C., will temporarily ground flights at Reagan National Airport on June 14, as the city celebrates both the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and President Donald Trump’s birthday. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to suspend all flight operations at DCA during the event to accommodate military flyovers and evening fireworks. While the airport itself will remain open, commercial airline activity will pause for approximately three hours between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time, which the FAA is calling the “peak celebration” period.
According to Newsweek, the parade will feature an estimated 6,700 soldiers, 28 M1A1 Abrams tanks, and 50 military aircraft, including Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters. The extensive military display will fly directly over the parade route, requiring full airspace closures around the nation’s capital during the celebration. Aviation analytics firm Cirium projects that around 100 flights may be impacted by the temporary shutdown, with 65 scheduled arrivals and 35 departures at Reagan National during the affected period.
Experts note that while airspace closures for federal events are not unusual, the scale of this suspension is larger and more disruptive than typical flyover restrictions. Michael J. McCormick, an associate professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, explained that special-event flight restrictions are normally scheduled a year in advance to minimize commercial disruption, but this extended closure is highly uncommon for DCA.
Travelers flying in or out of Reagan National on June 14 should prepare for possible delays or cancellations. Crystal L. Nosal, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, advised passengers to check directly with their airlines for the latest updates, monitor their airline apps, and remain flexible with travel plans. While not all flights will be canceled, many airlines are already making operational adjustments.
Alaska Airlines confirmed it has canceled one scheduled flight from DCA to San Francisco and rebooked affected passengers through Washington Dulles (IAD). The carrier is also anticipating three other delays of approximately one hour. Southwest Airlines reported it has about 20 flights scheduled during the airspace closure but does not expect cancellations. Southwest is allowing passengers to modify their travel plans, offering free changes to Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) or Washington Dulles (IAD) for travel on June 14.
Delta Airlines expects only minimal schedule changes, with a spokesperson stating that re-accommodations will be handled as needed. Delta has issued a travel waiver to give customers more flexibility to reschedule their trips without penalty.
As the full scope of the closure continues to develop, travelers are encouraged to check for real-time updates on the FAA’s official flight information portal at fly.faa.gov and stay in contact with their airlines. With extensive military participation and large public attendance expected, June 14’s parade will bring rare large-scale flight disruptions to Reagan National Airport.
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