If you were planning to fly in or out of Washington, D.C. this July 4th weekend, you might want to rethink that. The FAA announced Tuesday that Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will shut down for nearly 15 hours total over the holiday period to make way for America's 250th birthday celebrations.

Specifically, the airport will be closed on July 3rd from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM local time, and then again on July 4th from 12:00 PM to midnight. That's a lot of time for a lot of fireworks and flyovers. The FAA posted on X that these times "are subject to change" and advised travelers to check with their airlines for the latest updates. According to Business Insider, airlines had scheduled about 260 flights out of DCA on July 4th alone — so a lot of people are going to need to rebook.

Several airlines are already offering travel waivers to help passengers cope. American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL), Delta Air Lines Inc. (DAL), and JetBlue Airways Corporation (JBLU) are among those letting customers change flights without the usual fees. Delta, United, American, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines didn't immediately respond to requests for comment, but the waivers suggest they're expecting some chaos.

Meanwhile, President Trump is getting some heat from Democrats — including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Senator Elizabeth Warren — over his use of a $400 million Boeing 747 jet that was a gift from the Qatari government. Trump has been using the plane, which is replacing Air Force One, and called it "appropriate for a President," adding that there has "never been a plane like this." The jet is a Boeing (BA) 747, and it's been a point of contention for critics who see it as an extravagant gift from a foreign government.

In other aviation news, the Department of Transportation and the FAA announced plans to allow civilian supersonic flights over the continental U.S. They're working on a framework for noise standards, which is a big step toward making supersonic travel a reality again. But that's probably not going to help anyone stuck on the ground this weekend.

And if the airport closure wasn't enough, a heatwave is sweeping through parts of the U.S., prompting the Department of Energy to declare a power emergency. The DOE has directed PJM Interconnection LLC to ramp up operations as the heat affects states like Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and more. So if you're in one of those states, you might be dealing with both flight delays and potential blackouts.

All in all, it's a busy July 4th weekend. If you're flying through D.C., check your flight status, pack some patience, and maybe bring a fan.