The Federal Aviation Administration’s Minneapolis air traffic control facility experienced a temporary systems outage on August 20, 2026. This facility manages airspace covering approximately 330,000 square miles across Minnesota and nine other Midwest states.
The outage affected radar and air traffic control systems, leading to the grounding and diversion of flights throughout the Midwest region. Aircraft headed into and departing the affected area were held on the ground or redirected due to the control center’s system failure.
Among the affected sites, Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport experienced average delays of 90 minutes during the evening of August 20. Disruptions extended into
the evening hours at several airports across the Midwest, including those in Michigan, Kansas, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.
Official Response and Geographic Impact
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that radar and air traffic control systems were impacted by the outage but later restored. Despite system recovery, delays and operational disruptions persisted for hours across the region.
The outage occurred at the Minneapolis FAA facility responsible for regional air traffic control, not directly within Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport itself. The affected airspace spans multiple states in the Midwest, highlighting the extensive area managed by this single control center.
