FAA begins using AI to predict congestion and reduce flight delays

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has begun using artificial intelligence to predict air traffic congestion and help managers adjust flights before delays spread through the aviation system.

The agency announced the initial deployment in Washington, DC-area airspace on September 21, 2026, with plans to expand its use to other parts of the country. The rollout follows a 12-year, $875 million contract awarded to Air Space Intelligence in June 2026.

Called Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes, and Trajectories, or SMART, the software analyzes airline schedules, weather, airport capacity and airspace restrictions to identify where traffic is likely to exceed available capacity. It updates its forecasts as conditions change, giving FAA managers and air carriers a shared picture of potential problems before flights depart.

The aim is to give managers more time to agree on different routes or departure times while aircraft are still on the ground. Controllers remain responsible for separating aircraft, with SMART providing information to support their decisions.The FAA eventually plans to expand the system nationwide following the initial Washington-area rollout.

The FAA says airlines and air traffic managers often work from different data sources and planning timelines. As a result, scheduling problems may only become apparent when aircraft are at the gate, taxiing or already airborne.

SMART forms part of a broader software replacement involving Flow Management Data and Services, or FMDS, which will support operations at the FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center. FMDS uses flight plans, schedules and aircraft position reports to estimate traffic demand and capacity constraints. SMART adds the ability to coordinate schedules and routes ahead of departure.

The FAA expects the technology to reduce delays and controller workload.

The announcement came on the same day that a communications outage disrupted flights across the northeastern United States. Officials attributed that failure to a severed fiber-optic line and a failed telecommunications switch.The post FAA begins using AI to predict congestion and reduce flight delays appeared first on AeroTime.

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