The FAA is expanding its AI-powered air traffic system nationwide after a successful pilot run.
The agency announced the move on Thursday, November 12, 2026, as it expands the $875 million SMART system. It helped reroute 180 flights over Washington, DC, after its September 21 debut, saving an average of 10 minutes per flight and almost 80 gallons of fuel. The FAA plans to use SMART across all 22 regional air traffic control centers to reduce delays, fuel consumption and improve the flying experience. The cloud-based system combines weather patterns, flight paths, traffic flow and controller staffing metrics to make scheduling recommendations and identify optimal routes. FAA specialists in DC validate the recommendations before they reach air traffic control facilities, and the FAA says the system cannot replace controllers or take over aircraft control.