Denver International Airport is one of 40 U.S. airports that will reduce its flight frequency by 10% while the government shutdown continues, according to a list the Federal Aviation Administration distributed to the airlines and obtained by the Associated Press.

The news comes after the FAA announced Wednesday that it would be reducing air traffic across 40 “high-volume” markets as air traffic controllers have become increasingly strained amidst the ongoing government shutdown.

Reductions are expected to begin Friday, just days after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there would be “chaos in the skies” if air traffic controllers miss another paycheck. Some airports have already seen hours-long delays, as the FAA slows or stops traffic any time a control tower is short-staffed.

The affected airports include some of the busiest in the U.S., including in Atlanta, Dallas, Orlando, Miami and San Francisco.

The announcement comes a day after DIA asked the FAA if it could use airport revenue to pay the salaries of its air traffic controllers during the shutdown, and that they will request reimbursement from the federal government for those wages once the shutdown is resolved.

“This is a critical time for travel both here at DEN and around the country,” Phil Washington, the airport’s chief, said in a Wednesday statement. “Staffing issues are already being identified at a number of airports, impacting travel. As the shutdown drags on, air traffic controllers, in particular, are being stressed unnecessarily.”

Washington added that while the airport would ideally like to support all 1,800 federal employees who work at DIA, the authority could only support controllers for the time being. The airport has also launched a food and essentials pantry program for federal employees who continue to work without pay.

When asked for a comment on the announcement and its potential impacts Wednesday morning, representatives from DIA said that all inquiries should be directed to the FAA or individual airlines as the airport does not manage flight operations.

Several airlines released statements about how the announcement may impact their services.

United Airlines said all customers traveling during this time are eligible for a refund without penalty, even if their flight isn’t impacted. Delta had the same policy for all flights through impacted airports.

Southwest Airlines and American Airlines said their customers could receive refunds for cancelled flights and Frontier noted customers with domestic flights cancelled or delayed more than three hours and international flights cancelled or delayed more than six hours could receive a refund.

In an employee memo published Wednesday night, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the airline’s long-haul international and hub-to-hub flying will not be impacted by the reduction. United Airlines has a hub at Denver International Airport and amounts for most of the air traffic at the facility.

Passengers should check their airlines’ respective websites or mobile apps flight updates when looking for latest information on their flight status. All the airlines said in their statements that they plan to have real-time updates for all delays and cancellations, including those affected by the staffing shortage.

Nearly a dozen rental car agencies are operating out of Denver’s airport, as listed on its website. While it’s not clear exactly how many total vehicles are available at DIA, its current rental car program uses 12,760 parking spaces.

Historically, when airlines experience widespread delays and flights are canceled, rental car companies often see a surge in demand as passengers seek alternatives to continue their travel plans.

As a result, prices for rental cars can surge dramatically, especially since many companies employ dynamic pricing or yield management strategies.

If car companies have an excess of vehicles on their lot, they will often offer discounts to get them on the road. However, local events, such as weather, flight delays, and even off-airport events like technology disruptions, major league sports games and concerts, can trigger price hikes.

For example, in 2022, when a major blizzard blew across the Midwest, thousands of Southwest Airlines passengers were left stranded as the airline struggled to rebook and accommodate weary travelers.

However, passengers opting to continue their journey by car found the wait at rental car counters to be as long as three hours, as reported by ABC News.

Some travelers reported that the price for rental cars almost quadrupled at the time.

Similar surges were reported during the April 2024 full solar eclipse.

For now, a quick search of several websites for a mid-sized rental car from DIA to Chicago, departing on Nov. 7, when the FAA’s flight cuts are supposed to begin, will cost travelers close to $30 per day, without additional damage insurance.

More specialized vehicles, such as SUVs and minivans, cost $300 to $400 per day.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. This is a developing story and will be updated.