Caribbean travel disrupted as FAA restricts airspace after Venezuela strikes

The FAA restricted Caribbean airspace after U.S. military strikes in Venezuela, triggering mass cancellations and widespread disruption across eastern Caribbean travel corridors. Airlines and airports scrambled to respond when a U.S. Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) ordered U.S. carriers to suspend operations over affected areas for safety reasons.

What began as a time‑limited safety directive , reported to take effect around 06:00 UTC on Jan. 3, 2026 and set through midnight EST on Jan. 4 (subject to extension) , cascaded through schedules, leaving hundreds of flights canceled and thousands of travelers impacted. Officials said the step was taken to ensure the safety of passengers and crews while military activity was ongoing in Venezuelan airspace.

FAA action and NOTAM details

The FAA issued a NOTAM that prohibited U.S. operators from operating “AT ALL ALTITUDES … DUE TO SAFETY‑OF‑FLIGHT RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH ONGOING MILITARY ACTIVITY.” That text made clear the closure was grounded in immediate security concerns rather than routine air traffic control measures.

Officials noted the directive applied specifically to U.S. carriers and U.S.-certificated operators, while foreign airlines and U.S. military or state aircraft were governed by different rules or exemptions. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized the decision as a safety measure, saying the FAA restricted the airspace « to ensure the SAFETY of the flying public » and that restrictions would be lifted « when appropriate. »

The NOTAM followed earlier FAA advisories in late 2025 about increased military activity and reported GNSS/GPS interference in the Maiquetía FIR (SVZM). Those prior warnings had already put airlines on heightened alert and influenced routing choices even before the January closure.

Immediate airline responses and cancellations

Major U.S. carriers reacted immediately: American, Delta, United, JetBlue, Southwest, Frontier and Spirit canceled or rerouted Caribbean services and issued travel waivers. JetBlue alone said it canceled about 215 flights “due to airspace closures across the Caribbean related to military activity.”

News outlets described the impact in aggregate as “hundreds” of Caribbean flight cancellations, and some trackers reported roughly “nearly 1,000” U.S. flight cancellations nationwide on the same day as the disruption. Carriers moved quickly to offer fee waivers, refunds and rebooking options for affected travel dates to reduce the burden on passengers.

Individual carriers posted operational notes: Delta published a formal “Caribbean Airspace Closure” exception bulletin with an impacted‑airport list and waiver codes; American waived change fees for about 20 island destinations; Southwest canceled Aruba flights and temporarily suspended Puerto Rico service for part of the day.

Affected airports and flight‑tracking evidence

Airports across the eastern Caribbean reported impacts. Notable affected fields included Luis Muñoz Marín International (SJU), U.S. and British Virgin Islands (STT/STX), Aruba (AUA), Curaçao (CUR), Bonaire (BON), St. Maarten (SXM), Antigua (ANU), Barbados (BGI), and multiple others across the Lesser Antilles and Trinidad & Tobago.

Flight‑tracking services corroborated the operational picture: FlightRadar24 and other trackers showed commercial flights stopped crossing Venezuelan airspace during the incident, reflecting the practical effect of the NOTAM on routing and cancellations. That tracking evidence helped confirm that the closure was actively shaping traffic flows, not simply an advisory.

Beyond airlines, cruise operators also faced knock‑on effects; several lines, including Virgin Voyages, said they would offer credits or refunds for passengers delayed or unable to make Caribbean cruise departures because of airline disruptions.

Passenger experiences and wider consequences

Reporting captured the human side of the disruption: families stranded on islands, travelers forced to extend hotel stays, and passengers scrambling to rebook amid long call‑center wait times. Some travelers faced lodging costs and missed work or school obligations as a result of flights canceled on short notice.

Airports and carriers urged passengers to verify flight status directly with airlines; several regional airports posted notices indicating that most U.S.-operated commercial flights were suspended by FAA directive. Cruise passengers unable to join departures cited costly last‑minute changes and logistical aches, prompting lines to issue traveler accommodations.

Operationally, airlines had to re‑accommodate a day’s worth of disrupted travelers and reposition aircraft , a process analysts warned could take days after restrictions were lifted. Robert Mann, an industry analyst, noted that carriers effectively “have a day’s worth of passengers” to reschedule, implying cascading effects on schedules beyond the immediate NOTAM window.

Warnings to non‑U.S. carriers and exemptions

The FAA’s NOTAM explicitly targeted U.S. operators and U.S.-certificated personnel, but it also issued separate advisories to non‑U.S. carriers warning of heightened military activity and a “potential risk from anti‑aircraft weaponry” within roughly 100 miles (160 km) of Venezuelan airspace. Those cautions were intended to inform risk assessments by foreign carriers that were not directly bound by the U.S. NOTAM.

Exemptions were noted for U.S. military and state aircraft, which operate under different authorities and rules. Nonetheless, the heightened risk environment and the FAA’s public admonitions influenced many operators’ decisions to divert or cancel flights even when they were not technically required to do so under the NOTAM.

The mixed set of rules , U.S.-only prohibition plus broad warnings to others , created operational complexity, with airlines and dispatchers weighing regulatory constraints, crew duty times, alternate routings and passenger welfare in near‑real time.

Operational outlook and what comes next

Restoring normal service will likely take time. Analysts warned that once the FAA lifts restrictions, airlines and airports will still need hours or days to recover: rebooked passengers, repositioned crews and aircraft, and cleared slots all contribute to a slow ramp‑up back to scheduled service.

Carriers advised affected customers to use published waiver and rebooking channels; passengers were told to consult airline notices and official FAA updates for the most current information. For precise operational details , such as expiry times or extensions of the NOTAM , primary sources (FAA NOTAM text and airline bulletins) remain the authoritative references.

Regulators and airlines also face reputational and logistical follow‑ups: assessing the NOTAM’s timing, ensuring clear public messaging, and determining any lasting policy implications for routing over politically sensitive airspace in the region.

Fact checks and situational caveats are important: media reports vary on exact cancellation totals and precise NOTAM expiry times, so travelers and industry stakeholders should consult FAA bulletins, carrier advisories and official airport notices before making operational plans.

For travelers planning Caribbean trips in the near term, staying informed through airline apps, official FAA NOTAM feeds and airport alerts will be the most reliable way to track changes and exercise available waivers or refund options.

As events evolve, the emphasis from U.S. authorities remained clear: protect safety first, and restore normal operations when it is prudent to do so. That balance , between immediate safety and economic disruption , will guide decisions in the hours and days a.