Photo: Luis Munoz Airport ASUR
Sunday 4 January saw the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shift from a hard stop on air travel in parts of the Caribbean and Venezuelan airspace to an advisory Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) urging caution for those flying in the region due to ongoing military activity and safety-of-flight concerns.
The original advisory, issued on 3 January, saw the FAA close Caribbean airspace for nearly 24 hours triggered by ongoing military operations as the US seized Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro. Speaking at the time, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said: “In support of the Department of War, the FAA restricted the airspace in the Caribbean and Venezuela to ensure the safety of the flying public.”
The updated advisory on Sunday doesn’t legally ban flights. However, it does influence airline operations and passenger behaviour throughout the region, with both passengers and airlines expected to proceed with caution due to the uncertainty.
Various airports in the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, the US and British and Virgin Islands, Aruba, Curacao and St Thomas saw major disruptions when the earlier FAA restriction closed controlled airspace over the weekend. Around 60% of all flights destined for airports in the region were cancelled on Saturday 3 January.
Prior to the day-long flight prohibitions issued on 3 January, 2026, it had been reported that increases US military flight operations in and near Venezuelan airspace had resulted in near misses between military aircraft and civilian aircraft, including airliners and private aircraft operating between the US and the Dutch Caribbean islands of Curacao and Aruba, according to Congress.gov.
The 24-hour airspace closure imposed the cancellation of hundreds of flights, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded during the post-holiday rush.
At San Juan’s Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, around 58% of scheduled flights were cancelled over the weekend. Miami International Airport also reported some of its flights were impacted, while American Airlines said its services to 19 destinations were impacted by the closure.
Although the closure expired on Sunday, the original NOTAM was replaced with advisory ongoing cautions, effective until at least early February. In response, operators serving the region have adjusted their schedules, while the ongoing advisory highlights the fragility of regional airports with airlines planning more flexible flight schedules and possible rerouting to avoid higher-risk areas. Smaller airports and some of the more remote islands that rely on US tourist traffic risk prolonged recovery, as do stakeholders across the region’s tourism sector. Uncertainty around travel safety and restrictions is expected to impact demand until the advisory is lifted.
