More than 70 flights to and from Denver International Airport were canceled Friday as the Federal Aviation Administration ’s unprecedented order to scale back flights nationwide because of the record-long government shutdown took effect.

Follow live updates as flight reductions begin today at 40 high-traffic airports in what officials have described as a "proactive" effort to alleviate pressure points.

Nearly 700 planned Friday flights were cut from airline schedules — including more than 70 in and out of Denver, according to FlightAware.

After scrambling to address the Federal Aviation Administration request on Wednesday to reduce air traffic by 10%, United Airlines, which has a hub at Denver International Airport, said Thursday that they’ve canceled 4% of flights through Sunday, “as per guidance from the FAA” through the weekend, said spokesperson Russell Carlton.

Thirty-one flights out of Denver have already been canceled for Friday, according to data from FlightAware — a small fraction of the 1,600 flights that depart the airport on an average day. But for now, flights and security lines were still moving smoothly at DIA.

United Airlines cancelled 21 flights at DIA Friday, representing about 4% of its scheduled departures, as part of an FAA-mandated slowdown designed to address air traffic controll

The government shutdown is already affecting travelers. The timing couldn't be worse for fans flying into Colorado for Thursday night's Broncos-Raiders football game.

Abilene Regional Airport is launching direct flights to Houston and Denver beginning in the Spring. These flights, which will be United Express flights from SkyWest Airlines, will begin service in March 2026.