Lawmakers in the Senate have reached a bipartisan agreement to end a government shutdown that stretched into its 41st day, but the practical consequences for travel are expected to outlast the political truce. Sara Nelson, speaking to CNBC, warned that even with funding restored, airports, airlines and border agencies will contend with residual disruptions that could influence itineraries, supply chains and tourism flows for weeks or months.

During the shutdown, numerous federal employees were furloughed or worked without pay, creating gaps in staffing at agencies central to travel operations. Those gaps have left airports scrambling to cover roles that range from security screening to air traffic management and customs processing. The result has been a patchwork of service slowdowns, delayed certifications and postponed inspections—interruptions that cannot be erased instantly when funding is restored.

The ripple effects are inherently international. Delays in passport processing and consular services can push outbound travel schedules, while backlogs in visa adjudication at U.S. consulates abroad can complicate inbound tourism and business travel. Airlines that have reallocated crew, adjusted schedules or consolidated flights during the shutdown now face complex rebalancing acts. Cargo operators, too, have been affected by port and customs slowdowns, a disruption with knock-on effects for global supply chains.

Beyond logistics, the shutdown has strained relationships between government and frontline workers whose cooperation is essential to recovery. Fatigue and financial hardship among furloughed employees can depress morale and slow rehiring or recall processes. In sectors where scheduling, training and certification are tightly regulated, lost time can require additional checks before personnel return to full duties. That regulatory catch-up—inspections, recertifications, and paperwork—will consume agency capacity even as they work to resume normal services.

Industry stakeholders and foreign partners will be watching how quickly U.S. agencies can restore consistent operations. Airlines will need clear guidance from the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration to reinstate flight schedules without endangering safety margins. International carriers and governments will expect transparency on processing times for travelers and freight to plan routes and staffing. For tourism-dependent economies, particularly small states that rely on steady air service from the U.S., the uncertainty around restored capacity translates into lost revenue beyond the shutdown window.

The political resolution in Washington resolves a budget impasse, but it does not immediately erase the economic or diplomatic costs of a long disruption to public services. Restoring confidence among travelers and commercial partners will require proactive communication, targeted resources to clear backlogs and cooperation with international counterparts to mitigate cross-border impacts. As Nelson emphasized to CNBC, the end of the shutdown is an important milestone, but it is only the beginning of a period of operational recovery that will determine how quickly passengers and businesses feel the benefits on the ground and in the air.